In Idaho, children are important. In fact, our organization, Idaho Children are Primary (ICAP) was formed to promote the welfare of Idaho’s kids and families. Our goal is to give Idahoans a view of how their elected representatives performed by asking the question, “Is this good for Idaho’s kids?” In the 2024 session, ICAP rated twenty-five bills. Sixteen bills were voted on in the House, or Senate or both. Some of those bills, we believed could help children’s health, education or well-being, and others could cause significant harm.
We tracked how each legislator voted on these bills. The Kids Matter Index (KMI) shows the results of that tracking by creating individual scorecards. Voters can look up their legislator’s scorecard and see how they voted in supporting children’s health, education and well-being by visiting 2024 Legislator Index
This session, six of the nine bills ICAP scored as SUPPORT passed the Idaho Legislature and were signed into law. These included:
• A reconstituted Maternal Mortality Review Committee. H399
• Increasing coverage for low-income pregnant mothers to 12 months post-delivery. H633
• Making it easier for homeless shelters and counselling centers to serve runaway youth. S1328
• Clarifying classroom management techniques. H581
• Outlining restrictions on foster placements in currently unregulated congregate care settings, including short-term rentals, hotels, and group homes. S1379
• And creating a Foster Care Ombudsman to advocate for foster youth and families. S1380
Additionally, four of the seven bills ICAP opposed, did NOT advance, and did NOT become law.
• Making the Immunization Registry (IRIS) opt in. H397
• Allowing guns in schools. H415 S1418
• Tax credits for private school tuition. H447 H743
• Repeal of Medicaid Expansion. H419
Idaho has one of the highest percentages of children in our population, of all states in the nation. We bring experts together to evaluate proposed legislation and rate the bills as “Support” or “Oppose”. We evaluate each bill in the interests of all children, because if it is good for kids, it is
good for Idaho. We encourage all Idahoans, regardless of party affiliation, to look at what the candidates stand for, by what they voted for. Check out the Kids Matter Index and see how your candidates scored in voting for or against kids’ best interests.
Ask your candidates:
Do they support using public money for private and religious schools? What accountability?
Do they trust librarians to do their jobs? Is the threat of civil lawsuits for our librarians the best way to implement a policy?
Do they think guns in schools make our students safer? Why/why not?
How do they protect our most vulnerable children in the foster care system?