News & Commentary

The following information comprises ACLU of Idaho Policy Director Kathy Griesmyer's testimony to the Senate State Affairs Committee in opposition of HB 440 on March 9, 2020.

BOISE — The American Bar Association along with a leading national death penalty scholar, a coalition of media organizations, a legal association, and an advocacy group, filed amicus curiae, or “friend of the court,” briefs with the Idaho Supreme Court in support of ACLU of Idaho client Aliza Cover in her lawsuit against the Idaho Department of Correction for its refusal to turn over public information about the source of drugs used in lethal injections. The briefs express support for Professor Cover’s assertion that IDOC wrongfully withheld public information about the executions of two inmates in 2011 and 2012, an act that an Idaho district court agreed was done “frivolously” and in “bad faith.” The case is now on appeal to the Idaho Supreme Court.

Too many Idahoans have been negatively affected by our criminal justice system--a system that still relies on out-of-date, "tough on crime" policies and punitive approaches to justice that don't work and aren't right for Idaho. We believe in the power of Idahoans stories to shape the conversation around criminal justice reform in our state. Together, we can transform Idaho's criminal justice system to be more fair, equitable and rooted in community based solutions. John

BOISE — Idaho’s House Judiciary and Rules Committee elected to hold Idaho House Bill 465 in committee on February 25, 2020, a move applauded by ACLU of Idaho.

BOISE – Lawmakers in Idaho are targeting transgender youth with a proposed ban on their participation in school sports in accordance with their authentic identity. This bill was passed largely along party lines on February 26, 2020 and heads to the Senate side before going to the governor’s desk.

David ran into law enforcement when he was 16 when he was falsely accused of robbing his own house. Since then, he has not been able to dodge his record, making obtaining a career and education difficult.

Lawmakers in Idaho are targeting transgender youth with a proposed ban on their participation in school sports.

The ACLU of Idaho commends the the Senate for passing the Fair Chance Employment Policy 21-13-1, showing that a strong bipartisan coalition of Idaho lawmakers is ready to finally address the flaws in its criminal justice system head-on.If passed, Senate Bill 1318 would allow formerly incarcerated people to have a more fai