January 26, 2026
Two Weeks In: What’s Happening at the Idaho Legislature
By: ID Senator Tammy Nichols
The first two weeks of Idaho’s legislative session are behind us, and the work is officially underway. Early session is about setting priorities, protecting taxpayer dollars, and making sure government stays accountable to the people it serves.
A major focus right now is the state budget. While I am not a member of JFAC, the Joint Finance Appropriations Committee is actively meeting with state agencies and reviewing spending requests. This is where legislators can ask tough questions and look closely at how taxpayer money is being used. Idaho families expect fiscal responsibility, and the budget process is where that responsibility starts.
At the same time, committees are reviewing agency rules. This step is critical. Agencies shouldn’t get a free pass to make policy on their own. The Legislature must approve these rules, and if either the House or the Senate rejects a rule, it does not take effect. This process is to help rein in government overreach and ensures agencies stay within the law.
All of my committees have now met at least once, including Agriculture, Education, and Commerce and Human Resources. That means bills, presentations, and policy discussions are, or will be moving forward across the board.
I was honored to accept an award recently from The Foundation for Government Accountability for carrying House Bill 239 last session with Rep. Ehardt, which returned control over sex education to families by requiring parental opt-in.
I’ve also had a full schedule of meetings over the last two weeks, working on several important issues. Much of my time has been spent approving presentations and organizing upcoming work for the Agriculture Committee. We held our first Ag Committee meeting last week, which included a presentation from Idaho sugar beet growers. Agriculture is the backbone of Idaho’s economy, and it’s important that policy decisions reflect the real-world needs of our farmers and producers. The Ag industry as a whole, with a few exceptions is struggling right now because of sales and costs.
Another positive development is that bills from our Child Custody and Domestic Relations Task Force that I co-chair, are beginning to move through the House Jud and Rules committee. These bills focus on strengthening families, protecting children, and improving fairness and accountability in family law. Seeing this work move forward is encouraging. Our white paper to summarize our findings is also now available to the public and can be found here.
I have also been helping to raise awareness about a growing public safety issue: Norway rats, sometimes called “Eagle rats.” These are not ordinary rats. They cause serious property damage and carry disease. Even more concerning, they are spreading beyond one area and moving into other communities. This is a real issue that deserves attention before it becomes a much larger problem. I put together a legislative and public informational meeting last week. I invited the House Ag Chairman, the Idaho State Agriculture Director , Ada County Commissioner Davidson, and Ada County Pest and Abatement to come and speak and discuss how to best handle this situation and what steps need to be taken in legislation. I am currently collaborating on a bill draft with these individuals and others to tackle this issue.
This past Saturday, I attended the March for Life in Boise. It was a beautiful, sunny day, and close to a thousand people gathered peacefully to show support for families and for babies at all stages of life. It was encouraging to see Idahoans standing up for life, but we have a fight coming our way.
This will be an important issue for voters, because there is a ballot initiative being circulated to gather signatures that could appear on the November ballot. This proposal would overturn Idaho’s pro-life laws and could allow abortions up through birth, along with other extreme and harmful outcomes. I strongly encourage Idahoans to decline to sign the “Reproductive Freedom and Privacy Act” petition and to take time to understand what it truly does.
Looking ahead, I will be introducing this week an update to Idaho’s Son of Sam law in Senate Judiciary and Rules. Criminals should not be allowed to profit from their crimes, and victims should not be harmed again by watching offenders make money from the pain they caused.
The session is off to a strong and busy start. I remain focused on limited government, fiscal responsibility, and policies that protect families, communities, and Idaho values. I look forward to keeping you updated as the session continues.
In Liberty,
Senator Tammy Nichols
District 10
