August 14, 2026
Beyond the Capitol
A Summer of Legislative Work; Learning, Leading, and Representing Idaho
By: ID Senator Tammy Nichols
This summer has been busy in a good way! I’ve had the opportunity to travel, learn, meet some incredible people, share ideas, and bring some back to Idaho that can help with my legislative work.
In Florida, I attended the ALEC Annual Meeting, where I served on the Environment, Energy and Agriculture Committee. We discussed agriculture, energy, natural resources, regulation, and private property rights issues that matter a lot to Idaho.
I also participated in conversations on child protections, custody, and CPS, where I was able to share some of the work being done through our Idaho Child Custody and Domestic Relations Task Force and talk about Benji’s Law. I always appreciate these opportunities because we aren’t just learning from other states, we also get to share what Idaho is doing.
We also heard from Dr. Mehmet Oz, who spoke about fraud and waste in government programs and the importance of accountability with taxpayer dollars.
One of the biggest highlights for me was seeing several pieces of legislation I have worked on involving adoption and protections for birth mothers approved as model legislation. Other states can now use those ideas as a framework for their own laws, which was pretty exciting to see.
My next trip was to Washington, D.C., where about 30 Idaho lawmakers attended a briefing hosted by the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs. We heard directly from senior Trump Administration officials on agriculture, public lands, health policy, trade, technology, border security, federal regulation, and more, with plenty of opportunity for questions.
While there, I also met with the Heritage Foundation and Alex Adams at the Department of Health and Human Services. I really value those smaller meetings because they give me a chance to ask more detailed questions and make connections I can use later when working on policy.
I also had the chance to meet Dick Heller, whose landmark Supreme Court case helped affirm the individual right protected by the Second Amendment. That was definitely a memorable moment. And yes, we squeezed in a little sightseeing too!
My third trip was to Georgia with Live Action, where I was honored to receive an award for my work on adoption and birth mother legislation passed in Idaho.
We also heard from speakers on adoption, abortion, IVF, assisted suicide, declining birth rates, family trends, home ownership, and other issues affecting families today. Those conversations gave me a lot to think about as we look ahead to future policy in Idaho.
The Legislature may not be in session, but the work doesn’t stop. Summer gives me a chance to slow down a little, dig deeper into issues, build relationships, and prepare for what comes next.
My goal is pretty simple: learn as much as I can, share what Idaho is doing well, and bring home ideas and information that can help us do an even better job.
In Liberty,
Senator Tammy Nichols
District 10
