News & Commentary

Too many Idahoans have been negatively affected by our criminal justice system--a system that still relies on out-of-date, "tough on crime" policies and punitive approaches to justice that don't work and aren't right for Idaho.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.

Too many Idahoans have been negatively affected by our criminal justice system--a system that still relies on out-of-date, "tough on crime" policies and punitive approaches to justice that don't work and aren't right for Idaho.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. RobRob

BOISE — Idaho’s Add the Words Coalition is denouncing Idaho’s Attorney General Lawrence Wasden signing onto an amicus brief filed with the U.S. Supreme Court on August 23, 2019. The friend-of-the-court brief encourages this country’s highest court to rule against three individuals who were fired for being LGBTQ+. The three cases include the first transgender civil rights case to be heard by the high court.“Once again, Attorney General Wasden has shown that he is out-of-touch with the majority of Idahoans who support the idea that

After a long, hard-fought legislative session defending LGBTQ+ rights and fending off discriminatory bills, we’re excited to celebrate and be in community with our LGBTQ+ friends and allies at several Pride events taking place this summer.

BOISE--An Idaho judge ruled today in Professor Aliza Cover’s case against the Idaho Department of Correction (IDOC) seeking information about Idaho’s lethal injection drugs, finding that IDOC and its current Deputy Director Jeff Zmuda behaved frivolously and that its Public Information Officer Jeff Ray denied Cover’s request in bad faith. The court ordered IDOC to disclose many but not all of the records Professor Cover sought and imposed a $1,000 fine on Ray.Among the many previously undisclosed documents that the court ruled IDOC must immediately turn over is a document that identifies the source of the lethal injection drugs used in Richard Leavitt’

BOISE—Today, Senate President Pro Tem Brent Hill sent a letter to members of the media regarding his desire to find “a balanced solution” between non-discrimination protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Idahoans and religious rights. While acknowledging that conversations had taken place in the last year regarding potential amendments to the Idaho Human Rights Act, he also indicated that no legislation will be introduced during the 2019 session.

January 7, 2019 marks the kick-off of the 2019 legislative session. With Governor Brad Little stepping into his newly elected role, many new state agency leaders and significant changes to the make-up of the Idaho Legislature, we at the ACLU of Idaho are even more committed to ensuring that our elected officials and policy makers defend and protect civil liberties for all in Idaho.With the start of a