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Guest Columnist Brian Almon: Taking Emotion Out of the Equation

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(Image Credit: Gem State Chronicle)

February 21, 2026 (Cover Image Credit: Gem State Chronicle)

Taking Emotion Out of the Equation
Politics works best as a dispassionate field.

By: Brian Almon

Brian Almon

Click here to listen to this episode as a podcast.

Politics can be an emotional arena. With so much at stake—money, freedom, our future—it’s no wonder people become passionate about their causes. Yet if you want to be successful in politics—if you want to achieve the policy victories you set out to win—you have to temper that passion with reason and discipline.

The Legislature is a brutal arena. I’ve watched lawmakers spend half an hour trying to convince a committee to print a bill, only to see it go down in defeat. There’s no time to sulk. They’re next on the agenda with another bill, and the work continues.

I recall sports commentators saying that star players have short memories. If Michael Jordan missed a shot, Jerry Rice dropped a pass, or Ken Griffey Jr. struck out, each had to shake it off and get back to work. Miss the last nine shots? Believe you’ll make the tenth. The past is over. Focus on the next play.

In chess, there’s a concept known as “tilting,” and I know it well. Lose a few games in a row—especially because of your own mistakes—and you can spiral. You lose focus, then lose more games. The best cure is to step away for a while rather than doubling down out of frustration. NBA stars and legislators don’t always have that luxury, which is why emotional control matters so much.

I’ve seen lawmakers watch a colleague torpedo their bill, only to have to work with that same colleague an hour later. By all means, remember who wronged you and factor that into future decisions. But nursing a grudge makes it harder to get anything done. When a respected conservative eviscerated a resolution I was carrying to the Summer Meeting last year, I could have declared that person an enemy for life. That would have been absurd. Why cling to resentment against someone who is otherwise a powerful ally?

When emotion takes over, everything becomes personal. Years ago, I realized that politics often resembles Mean Girls more than Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. People slight one another, stab each other in the back, trade insults, and then carry those wounds for years, letting them shape every future interaction. I didn’t grasp how much energy would be wasted on endless personal vendettas when I first stepped into Idaho politics six years ago. The reason a handful of former allies constantly hammer me on social media essentially comes down to this: I refuse to hate who they hate.

And it goes well beyond the Capitol. People who cannot master their emotions are easily manipulated. I’ve written before about how so much political discourse—especially online—is nothing more than outrage bait, designed to make you angry so that you’ll click a link or sign a petition or donate money to some cause.

How much of our online conversation consists of raging about things over which we have no control? Did you see what President Trump posted? What about Iran?? Why isn’t anyone talking about the Epstein files???

Conservatives used to repeat Ben Shapiro’s maxim that “facts don’t care about your feelings.” Yet much of today’s discourse is driven almost entirely by feelings. Years ago, YouTuber CGP Grey explained how social media algorithms are built to amplify anger. If that was true then, it’s even more powerful now:

Most of us have limited ability to shape events at the national or global level, yet we devote enormous energy to being angry about them. Remember the Serenity Prayer:

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change
Courage to change the things I can
And the wisdom to know the difference.

When we pour anger into matters beyond our control, we waste time and energy. Our emotions should guide us toward action, not inaction.

Look at who is actually effective in Idaho politics—who is advancing a clear agenda. Is it the people constantly sparring on social media, chasing every outrage like a dog after squirrels, and spiraling down ragebait rabbit trails? Or is it those who remain calm and steady, letting events roll off them like water off a duck’s back?

Perhaps Rudyard Kipling said it best:

If you can keep your head when all about you   
    Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,   
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
    But make allowance for their doubting too;   
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
    Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
    And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;   
    If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;   
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
    And treat those two impostors just the same;   
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
    Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
    And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
    And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
    And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
    To serve your turn long after they are gone,   
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
    Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,   
    Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
    If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
    With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,   
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,   
    And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!

Ask yourself: Is politics a tool to accomplish defined goals? Or is it simply an outlet for anger? If you can take emotion out of the equation, using your passion to hone decisive action in service to your goals rather than driving you every which way the wind blows, then you will be successful in your endeavors.

For my part, the only thing that ultimately matters is preserving life and liberty for my posterity. Everything else is a sideshow.

How about you?

Editor’s note:  This article originally appeared in the Gem State Chronicle.  I encourage our readers to visit their website and consider subscribing.  Find this and other informative articles at the Gem State Chronicle here: About – Gem State Chronicle

Guest Columnist Idaho Senator Brian Lenney: Idaho’s AI Chatbot Safety Bill Won’t Protect Your Kids. But It Might Be the First Brick in a Digital ID State.

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Observer Staff
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January 30, 2026

Idaho’s AI Chatbot Safety Bill Won’t Protect Your Kids. But It Might Be the First Brick in a Digital ID State.
Vague language, toothless penalties, and a surveillance framework disguised as “parenting help” is on the way to the Senate floor.

By: Idaho Senator Brian Lenney

Questions I asked myself early this morning:

  1. Idaho’s considering AI chatbot safety laws now?
  2. Why can’t mom and dad tell their kid to just put the d*** phone down?
  3. Do we really need the state legislature defining what a chatbot is allowed to say to your 14-year-old?

I’m talking about a bill that passed out of committee this morning and is on its way to the floor: Senate Bill 1297:

Image

Basically, it says that AI chatbots have to tell kids they’re not human, refer them to suicide hotlines, and stop simulating romantic relationships with minors.

Noble enough on paper, right?

But the bill never requires anyone to verify who’s actually a minor, the penalties are a rounding error for companies worth hundreds of billions, and the platforms genuinely wrecking kids’ mental health aren’t meaningfully covered anyway.

The bill is so vague that “reasonable measures” just means whatever the AI operator feels like doing until someone sues them (which only the AG can do, by the way, so good luck with that timeline).

The part that actually should scare you though is that the second you build infrastructure to verify minors online, you’ve built infrastructure to verify everyone. So before this passes, someone should answer: where exactly does this stop?

That’s not a slippery slope argument, that’s Australia right now.

They sold it as “protecting kids.” What they actually built was a nationwide biometric ID system where adults hand over face scans to watch cat videos.

So now, Idaho wants to go that direction too?

All for a chatbot bill with $500k penalties that billion-dollar companies will gladly pay without blinking, while covering platforms that aren’t even the ones destroying your kid’s mental health?

Instagram’s still on the phone. Snapchat’s still sending streaks at midnight. TikTok’s algorithm still knows your daughter better than you do. But sure. Let’s regulate whether a chatbot admits it’s not human.

Be the parent.

That was always the answer.

Bannock County: Legislative Bills We’re Watching

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Observer Staff
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(Bannock County Press Release, February 20, 2026; Cover photo credit: Bannock County)

With the 2026 legislative session officially underway, several new bills have caught the eye of our county officials. While this isn’t an exhaustive list of everything we’re tracking, these highlights focus on the proposals that would most directly impact our daily county operations.

This legislation increases the daily reimbursement the State of Idaho pays counties for housing state-committed inmates and parole violators in county jails before transfer to state facilities. It raises the rate to a flat $80 per day, up from the current $55 for the first seven days and $75 thereafter, helping close the gap with counties’ average daily cost of $106.37.

Sheriff Manu says: I support this legislation as a way to shift the cost of housing state-committed inmates from county taxpayers to the state, easing the financial burden on local governments.

This legislation would allow citizens to carry weapons into when entering city or county buildings, including courthouses, while maintaining that firearms are not allowed within courtrooms.

Sheriff Manu says: I do not support this legislation because it has the potential of costing our county more than $1 million to set up the courthouse to safely protect each courtroom separately. Each county should have the ability to decide how to provide a safe environment within their own jurisdiction.

This bill requires mosquito abatement districts to obtain permission from property owners before spraying chemicals on a private property. It outlines legal recourse and financial penalties for districts that are not in compliance.

Commissioner Hough says: I do not support this legislation because it amounts to an unfunded mandate by creating a burden county abatement districts to track opt-out properties. It would also reduce the effectiveness of mosquito control, resulting in uneven, patchwork protection against mosquitoes and mosquito-borne diseases.

This Joint Memorial opposes any Utah proposal to tax transportation fuels sold outside its borders, finding it would unfairly raise fuel costs for Idaho families, farmers, and businesses and raise constitutional and interstate tax concerns.

Commissioner Bullock says: I support this memorial as a way to discourage Utah from imposing a fuel tax that would unfairly burden Idaho and Arizona residents.

The purpose of this legislation is to exempt photographs or images of decedent individuals from public disclosure.

Coroner Danner says: I support this legislation as a means of protecting the privacy of decedents and their families.

This legislation removes the requirement to display registration stickers on vehicles. It establishes that a valid license plate and registration are sufficient for legal operation on Idaho roads.

Assessor Hymas says: I am mixed on this legislation because it reduces administrative costs and streamlines compliance through the removal of physical stickers, but it simultaneously creates enforcement challenges by making it harder for officers to identify expired registrations at a glance.

Proposed legislation not yet assigned a bill number:

  • Consolidating Elections

This legislation would combine the May Election in odd numbered years into the November Elections in odd numbered years.

Clerk Dixon says: I do not support this legislation because merging these cycles would create overly complex ballots that confuse voters and lead to “voter fatigue.” Furthermore, it would place an unsustainable burden on election staff by creating a singular, massive operational peak that disrupts consistent year-round administration.

  • Legal Notices in Newspapers

This bill would require local governments to publish legal notices on a state-run website instead of paying local newspapers to publish them.

Commissioner Moser says: I support this legislation because it expands public access to notices by using widely used government websites and reduces taxpayer costs currently spent on newspaper advertisements.

Funding Available to Districts, Charters, Other Community Organizations to Support Out-of-School Programs

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Observer Staff
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(Idaho Department of Education Press Release, February 20, 2026)

BOISE – Local education agencies and community-based organizations in Idaho are again invited to apply for funding to support out-of-school programming with the Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) grant program. The Idaho Department of Education will award approximately $1.5 million in five-year grants to operate programs in the 2026 – 2027 school year.

The CCLC grant program helps schools to provide academic and social enrichment opportunities during out-of-school hours with a broad array of additional services, such as literacy, STEM, art, music, drug prevention, and youth development activities that complement existing academic programs. Federal funds are made available through Title IV, Part B of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and are administered by the Idaho Department of Education. Currently, the 21st CCLC program funds 41 grants that serve 88 schools statewide.

Applications for the latest round of grant funding will open March 6. Local education agencies, community-based organizations, tribal organizations, and other public and private organizations are eligible to apply.

Organizations interested in applying for grant funding are invited to attend one of two Idaho Department of Education-hosted Request for Application virtual workshops to learn more about the grant program and application process.

For additional information and to access application guidance and an application scoring rubric, please visit the 21st Century Community Learning Centers webpage on the Idaho Department of Education website at https://www.sde.idaho.gov/about-us/departments/student-engagement-safety-coordination/21st-century-community-learning-centers/.

Applicants seeking additional information can contact Sheena Strickler or Christian Brown at: sstrickler@sde.idaho.gov or cbrown@sde.idaho.gov. Applications are due to the Idaho Department of Education by April 3.

The Simpson Standard: Taxes, Veterans’ Affairs, and Water

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Observer Staff
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(U.S. Representative Mike Simpson, February 22, 2026)

It was a great week in Idaho’s Second District. I mentioned in last week’s edition that my office was gearing up to host a Veterans Resource Fair. I was grateful to meet with some of Idaho’s heroes at the fair. Check out what the Veterans Resource Fair means to Idahoans here.

Yes, it’s that time of year again – it’s tax season. In addition to preventing the largest tax hike in American history, President Trump and House Republicans are providing real relief for families. We locked in the doubled Standard Deduction and further boosted it to $31,500 for families. This is just one of the many tax relief wins in the Working Families Tax Cuts. Learn more below!

Another week, another community funding project highlight. This week, I’m proud to highlight the funding I secured for the Idaho Water Center Project in Boise. This funding will support the Idaho Water Center, equipping it to gather vital water quantity and quality data for future water use. Funding for this project, along with fourteen other community funding projects, has been signed into law by President Trump.

Delivering for Hardworking Idaho Families

Idahoans and Americans will be keeping MORE of what they EARN thanks to the Working Families Tax Cuts. Earlier this week, I attended a roundtable hosted by the United States Chamber of Commerce and the Pocatello Chamber to discuss this legislation, which is now the Law of the Land.

This legislation may have been the most important vote I’ve cast since coming to Congress. I have spoken with Idaho seniors who receive Social Security and will pay no federal tax on their benefits, with Idaho farmers who will no longer be burdened by the death tax on family-owned farms and ranches, and with Idaho parents who will benefit from the permanent increase to the Child Tax Credit.

Strengthening American Manufacturing

I enjoyed touring the Teton Toyota and Volkswagen in Idaho Falls to discuss some MAJOR tax relief wins in the Working Families Tax Cuts, including a $10,000 deduction on auto loan interest for cars made in America. The deduction is effective for tax years 2025 through 2028.

Fun fact(s): the Toyota Tundra is the most American-made truck on the market! Additionally, this Volkswagen vehicle behind me was made right here in the USA!

Bringing Tax Dollars Back to Idaho

In Idaho, we know how valuable water is to our economy and way of life. However, to ensure future generations can adequately address agricultural, urban, and rural water needs, we must invest in critical infrastructure.

I am proud to partner with the University of Idaho in supporting this timely and much-needed project. Read more about this project and community support here.

Sen. Risch: Idaho’s Role in American Energy Independence

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Observer Staff
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(From the Desk of Sen. James Risch, February 22, 2026)

When Americans think about the future of energy, they should think about two things: Idaho and nuclear power.

As demand to power our homes, our phones, and new technologies continues to grow, our country needs a supply of energy that is reliable, affordable, and available around the clock.

Nuclear energy has the potential to deliver on all three, if we let it. To meet the moment, we must support domestic deployment and commercialize next-generation technologies faster than ever before.

Idaho is leading that charge.

We are home to the Idaho National Laboratory, the nation’s premier nuclear research facility. Their work is driving cutting-edge technologies that will reshape our energy landscape and power America for decades to come.

But expanding our nuclear fleet is about more than keeping the lights on. It is central to our national security, energy independence, and to lowering costs for Idaho families.

Supporting nuclear energy and keeping Idaho at the tip of the spear in energy innovation is a top priority of mine in the Senate. I’m working to:

  • Cut red tape to decrease costs of proven technologies,
  • Accelerate investment in advanced nuclear reactors; and
  • Ensure America—not our adversaries—is the undisputed world leader in nuclear power.

Nuclear energy is America’s creation. As your Senator, I will continue working to strengthen Idaho’s leadership in this critical resource.

For the latest press releases and constituent services visit risch.senate.gov.

To receive email updates on what I’m working on as your Senator, click here.

To connect with me on Twitter, visit my Twitter page.

To connect with me on Facebook, visit my Facebook page.

Land Use & Development Update: Modernizing Bannock County’s Rules

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Observer Staff
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(Bannock County Press Release, February 20, 2026; Cover photo credit: Bannock County)

We’re moving into the next phase of the Land Use & Development Ordinance (LUDO) rewrite. Our goal is to replace eight confusing, overlapping sets of rules with one clear, consistent document that works for everyone.

We are currently in the beginning of Phase 2: Legal Review & Advisory Workshops. This phase allows time for the county’s legal team to review the initial draft and provide revisions while the Planning & Development staff workshop the draft with the Advisory Committee, Planning Council, and Commission. Staff will then prepare an updated draft based on the feedback they receive from these groups.

How can you get involved? Public Hearings will be scheduled in late April to early June.

Public hearings are your chance to share feedback on the proposed ordinance draft. Testimony can be shared in person or via email. More details will be published when the hearings are scheduled.

In the meantime, you can review the proposed changes and see the summaries of public input online at bannockcounty.gov/ourfuture.

Bannock County Veterans Memorial Building Re-Opens Ballroom

By
Karyn Simmons
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February 23, 2026 (Cover photo credit: Bannock County Veterans Memorial Association)

Pocatello–The Bannock County Veterans Memorial Building today hosted a ribbon-cutting to mark the grand re-opening of their iconic main-floor ballroom a year after water damage forced it to close.

Building Historian Miguel Diaz Dominic welcomed the community to the ceremony, declaring that in reopening the building “we do more than unlock doors–we reopen a promise…We recommit ourselves to the values this building represents: service, unity, remembrance, and freedom.”  He thanked the volunteers who keep the building going: “This memorial building is sustained entirely by veteran volunteers…They show up early.  They stay late…They go above and beyond–not for recognition, not for reward–but because service is part of who they are…Through their dedication, this space becomes more than brick and mortar.  It becomes a place of fellowship, remembrance, healing, and unity.”  Dominic also thanked Idaho Fire and Flood for their “outstanding work and dedication” in completing the building renovations: “Your support has ensured that this memorial will continue to honor our veterans, serve our community, and stand as a symbol of remembrance and unity for generations to come.”

Building Manager Teresa Vialpando spoke next.  She thanked all the volunteers and donors, especially the anonymous donor whose generous contribution made the repairs possible.  She also thanked Idaho Fire and Flood for their commitment to the renovation.

Finally, Pocatello-Chubbuck Chamber of Commerce Trailblazer Gary Seymour came to the podium and acknowledged the Building’s contributions to the community.  He invited his fellow Trailblazers, Memorial Building staff and volunteers, and representatives of Idaho Fire and Flood to join him at the front of the room to cut the ribbon.

Idaho Fire and Flood provided sandwiches, chips, and ice cream for all attendees after the ceremony.  Glean Coffee sponsored coffee and lemonade.

During the lunch, Idaho Fire and Flood founder Mason Clinger shared the story of his company’s involvement with the renovation project.  He explained that since one of the company’s core values is helping and serving others, they make a point of completing a variety of service projects throughout the year.  One such project was assisting with exterior cleanup and landscaping at the Building.  Through that project, he became impressed by the Building’s impact on the community.  Idaho Fire and Flood employee Lance Larsen spoke more directly about the renovation project, stating that they felt “honored to be able to help the Memorial Building.”  He gave a shout-out to the donors and community support that made the project possible, mentioning that staying within budget was the biggest challenge.

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AG Labrador’s Office Arrests Two Individuals in Idaho for Alleged Exploitation of a Child

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Observer Staff
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(Attorney General’s Office Press Release, February 20, 2026)

BOISE, ID — Attorney General Raúl Labrador has announced that investigators with his Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit arrested two Idaho men on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, for possession of child sexual exploitation material.

Laith Aaseby, 24, of Lewiston was arrested on 5 counts of possession of child sexual exploitation material. The ICAC Unit was assisted in this arrest by Moscow Police Department, Lewiston Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Coeur d’Alene Police Department, Post Falls Police Department, and the Idaho State Police.

John Conklin, 39, of Pocatello was arrested on 10 counts of possession of child sexual exploitation material. The ICAC Unit was assisted in this arrest by Pocatello Police Department, Idaho Falls Police Department,  and Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office.

“Every arrest my ICAC Unit makes removes another threat from Idaho streets and brings us closer to ensuring children can grow up safe from exploitation,” said Attorney General Labrador. “The law enforcement partnerships we’ve built across Idaho make it possible to take swift action when children are at risk, and we’re grateful for every agency that shares our commitment to protecting Idaho’s kids.”

Anyone with information regarding the exploitation of children is encouraged to contact local police, the Atto rney General’s ICAC Unit at 208-947-8700, or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678.

The Attorney General’s ICAC Unit works with the Idaho ICAC Task Force, a coalition of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, to investigate and prosecute individuals who use the internet to criminally exploit children.

Parents, educators, and law enforcement officials can find more information and helpful resources at the ICAC website, ICACIdaho.org.

The charges listed above are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

Guest Columnist Idaho Senator Christy Zito – The Stand Your Ground Shield Act

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Observer Staff
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February 21, 2026

The Stand Your Ground Shield Act

By:  Idaho Senator Christy Zito

ID Senator Christy Zito (photo credit: Christy Zito)

I believe deeply in personal responsibility, constitutional liberty, and the God-given right to defend your life and your family. I do not take lightly the authority we hold in the Legislature and I certainly do not take the power of the State lightly when it is brought against one of our own citizens.

Over the years, I have watched good people endure the crushing weight of prosecution not because they were criminals, but because they found themselves in a moment where they had to make a split-second decision to protect life. Even when they were ultimately vindicated, the cost financial, emotional, and reputational was staggering.

SB1298, the Idaho Stand Your Ground Shield Act, is about restoring balance. It is about ensuring that when an Idahoan acts within the law to defend their home, family, or themselves, the government does not become another threat they must survive.

Liberty is not theoretical. Due process is not symbolic. And justice should never depend on whether someone can afford to defend themselves.

This week, the Senate I introduced an important step toward restoring balance and fairness for Idahoans who lawfully defend themselves, their families, or their homes.

SB1298 reinforces a foundational Idaho principle:

When Idahoans act within the law to defend life and home, the law should stand with them not bankrupt them.

This is about preserving the State’s ability to prosecute real violence while ensuring that lawful self-defense doesn’t become a life sentence of debt, lost employment, and permanent reputational harm.

It is a bill about balance, fairness, and the practical meaning of “presumed innocent.”

If a law-abiding citizen acts within Idaho’s existing self-defense laws, they should not be financially ruined just because they were accused.

It is a problem when “the process becomes the punishment.”

Idaho has strong self-defense statutes. SB1298 does not expand when force may be used. The standards for justified force remain the same as they are in existing Idaho law.

The problem is procedural.

In many cases, self-defense can only be fully resolved at trial—after arrest, charges, attorney fees, months (or years) of court dates, reputational damage, and lost work. Even if someone is completely vindicated, the cost can be crushing.

This will also save taxpayer dollars by avoiding the state’s trial expenses.

That reality creates a system where the “best defense” is often available only to those with enough money to survive the process.

SB1298 creates a structured pretrial immunity hearing, allowing a judge to examine credible self-defense claims early, before families are destroyed by litigation.

Civil courts use summary judgment to decide cases without a trial when the facts are undisputed and the law is clear.

Idaho courts already recognize that once self-defense is properly raised, the burden is on the State to disprove it beyond a reasonable doubt. Idaho’s own pattern jury instruction says exactly that. (isc.idaho.gov)

SB1298 simply moves a meaningful evidentiary checkpoint earlier, so innocent Idahoans aren’t forced to “go broke to be found right.”

Reimbursement: making the innocent whole

SB1298 also addresses reimbursement of reasonable costs when a person is found not guilty on the grounds that their conduct was lawful self-defense.

That distinction matters. The goal is not to “reward” wrongdoing or technical acquittals; it is to recognize a basic fairness principle:

If the State prosecutes someone who is ultimately found to have acted lawfully under Idaho’s self-defense standards, Idaho should not leave that citizen financially wrecked for exercising a fundamental right.

Florida and Texas show the path

Florida has a statutory framework that expressly provides immunity from criminal prosecution and a pretrial hearing mechanism. Florida law also places a defined burden on the party attempting to overcome immunity at that hearing. (Online Sunshine)

That’s the type of clarity SB1298 will bring to Idaho. This clarity will protect lawful citizens and preserve the State’s ability to prosecute unlawful violence.

Texas law includes strong justification provisions for the use of deadly force in certain circumstances. Texas also provides civil immunity for the use of justified force. (Texas Statutes)

At its core, the goal is to maintain a strict self-defense standard while preventing law-abiding people from being destroyed by litigation when they acted lawfully.

A structured pretrial process could help courts and counsel test whether the case truly requires a full jury trial. Saving the defendant and the state money by avoiding a lengthy trial.

Trials are expensive for counties, courts, jurors, prosecutors, and public defense systems. Idaho has faced serious scrutiny over public defense capacity in the last decade. (American Civil Liberties Union)

SB1298 does not eliminate arrests based on probable cause. It simply ensures that after charges are filed, a citizen with a credible claim can request a structured, early hearing.

Idaho already uses judicial checks, such as probable cause hearings and grand juries. SB1298 recognizes a basic principle: If the State has a procedural pathway to establish probable cause, a defendant with a credible self-defense justification should have an early judicial review as well.

God bless,

Senator Christy Zito
District 8

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