Idaho
New lawsuit seeks to stop enforcement of Idaho library materials bill • Idaho Capital Sun
A group of lawyers on behalf of private Idaho schools, privately-funded public libraries, parents and their children have sued Idaho officials in federal court to stop the enforcement of House Bill 710, a law that codified the process libraries must follow if a patron were to deem a material harmful to children.
House Bill 710 was signed into law after years of attempts from the Idaho Legislature to restrict library material access. It took effect on July 1.
Under the new legislation, students, parents and legal guardians can fill out a written notice asking libraries to relocate a library item that they deem “harmful” to an area with adult access only. If a library fails to relocate the item within 60 days of receiving the relocation request, then one could sue the library for $250, as well as “actual damages and any other relief.”
According to House Bill 710, a “school” means any public or private school providing instruction for students in kindergarten through grade 12.
The plaintiffs include the Northwest Association of Independent Schools, Sun Valley Community School, Foothills School of Arts and Sciences, the Community Library Association and Collister United Methodist Church, and four parent plaintiffs and two of their children.
“Our coalition of independent schools, libraries, parents, students, and patrons is challenging this unprecedented government interference because it threatens the independence and core missions of our beloved community institutions across the state,” the plaintiffs wrote in a statement to the Sun.
The suit alleges the law violates the First Amendment rights of private schools and libraries and 14th Amendment protections for the fundamental liberty interest of parents.
The defendants named in the suit include Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador, Ada County Prosecutor Jan Bennetts and Blaine County Prosecutor Matt Fredback.
McKay Cunningham, an Idaho lawyer representing the plaintiffs, told the Sun that parents have a fundamental right to direct the education of their children under the U.S. Constitution.
“This fundamental right is no less true in Idaho despite the Idaho Legislature’s attempt to substitute its judgment for that of Idaho parents,” he said. “Our coalition of plaintiffs seeks to restore this right to its constitutional origins – Idaho parents.”
About the plaintiffs: A coalition of private schools, libraries, and parents
There are 11 plaintiff parties in this case, with three of them representing private school entities.
‘We are not getting rid of books’: How libraries across Idaho are implementing new materials law
The Northwest Association of Independent Schools is a nonprofit organization of private schools based in the Northwest and Canada. Its members in Idaho include the other plaintiffs, Sun Valley Community School and Foothills School of Arts and Sciences.
Sun Valley Community School serves pre-kindergarten to 12th grade to youth in Sun Valley. The Foothills School of Arts and Sciences is based in Boise, and it offers education to pre-kindergarten through ninth grade.
According to the lawsuit, the private school entities named in the lawsuit “make available to its students certain constitutionally protected, non-obscene materials that contain content described in (House Bill 710) that the Defendants and/or some Idahoans may find subjectively offensive, and that may therefore fall within the scope of H.B. 710’s prohibition.”
The fourth plaintiff includes The Community Library in Ketchum. The library is privately-funded, and any member of the public with a picture identification can sign up for a library card. According to the lawsuit, nearly 5,000 people from Idaho, nearly every state, and abroad hold library cards from the library. Because it is open to any member of the public, the library considers itself subject to House Bill 710.
The fifth plaintiff includes Collister United Methodist Church based in Boise. According to the lawsuit, the church is a Reconciling Ministry, meaning it is committed to achieving LGBTQ+ justice and inclusion in their churches. To further that goal, the church opened a lending library focused on books about LGBTQ+ people and topics for children and adults. Because any member of the public can borrow books from the church’s library, the church also believes it is subject to House Bill 710.
The next four plaintiffs are parents of minors. Two of them, Matthew Podolsky and Jeremy Wallace, are based in Boise. The two others, Mary Hollis Zimmer and Christina Leidecker, are based in Hailey.
Wallace and Leidecker’s two children are also plaintiffs named in the lawsuit using abbreviations to protect their identity.
Carey Dunne, a lawyer with Free + Fair Litigation Group representing the plaintiffs, said in a statement to the Sun that Idaho lawmakers are engaged in an unprecedented and “wildly unconstitutional” attempt to control speech in private institutions.
“Our coalition of schools, libraries, parents and students is asking the court to stop this government overreach before the first bell rings on the new school year – and before other states even think about following suit,” Dunne said. “A healthy democracy depends on vibrant, independent, private institutions. This new, dark turn for state censorship in America cannot stand.”
Bill sponsor Rep. Jaron Crane, R-Nampa, previously said that library legislation would not cause a book ban or financially strain Idaho libraries.
Bill cosponsor, Sen. Cindy Carlson, R-Riggins, previously told the Sun that the intention of the bill was to “protect the innocent minds of underage children.”
1 – Complaint for Injunctive and Declaratory Relief_NWAIS
BOISE, Idaho (Idaho Capital Sun) — Day use access fees at all Idaho state parks will be waived for Idaho residents on July 4 as part of a celebration of America’s 250th anniversary, Gov. Brad Little announced Friday, as reported by the Idaho Capital Sun.
“As we prepare to mark 250 years of American independence, there is no better way to celebrate than by getting outside with our loved ones and enjoying the freedoms and natural treasures that define our great nation,” Little said Friday. “Idaho’s state parks showcase the very best of our state, and we are proud to welcome families, friends and visitors to explore them free of charge during this special occasion.”
While day use fees for Idaho residents will be waived, normal camping and reservation fees will apply, officials said.
Idaho has 28 state parks, which offer a variety of recreational and outdoor activities including hiking, horseback riding, skiing, bird watching, rock climbing, fishing, boating, swimming, bicycling and more.
State officials with the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation are in the process of unveiling improvements and enhancements at several state parks, including Lucky Peak State Park outside of Boise, which recently opened a new dog beach and accessible kayak launch on the Boise River.
Other state parks include Bruneau Dunes State Park and Observatory, Harriman State Park, Bear Lake State Park and City of Rocks National Reserve, which is a national reserve and state park that attracts climbers from all over the world to its dramatic granite rock spires.
Little said the July 4 fee waiver is a part of a larger effort to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence being signed in 1776.
Copyright 2026 KMVT. All rights reserved.
We’re lucky to live in a place as safe as the Treasure Valley. Despite our growth, one of the things that makes our area so special is the way that we look out for one another–for our neighbors! That’s a principle that seems to have held on as Boise has boomed.
Despite low crime rates, there seems to always be one incident or so that makes us scratch our heads.
A recent string of fraud incidents in the Treasure Valley area is one of those.
Nampa Police initially warned the public of this because cases of fraud began to ‘mushroom’. Then, it took an interesting turn–people that HAD their credit cards were being ‘taken to the bank’, so to speak.
In a statement originally released on April 30th by the Nampa Police Department, officials advised the following:
We are not sure how the suspects are gaining access to the victim’s credit cards. There is a growing fraud scheme, “ghost tapping”, that scammers are using to access victims’ credit cards. This is possibly occurring in these instances. “Ghost tapping” uses stolen credit card details in Apple Pay or Google Pay, then remotely relays the tap signal over the internet to a ‘mule’ at a store, allowing them to make high-value purchases that appear completely legitimate. (We’ll share more information on ghost tapping in a later public service announcement that will also suggest ways to protect yourself.) The app used by these criminals obscures the actual credit card number, making it harder for investigators to link a victim to a particular crime. Keep in mind that victims still have their physical credit cards while suspects use the stolen card information to make purchases, which also affects how victims are alerted. So far, local investigators have not been able to identify a common theme among the victims (e.g., a specific bank, a website they visited, a gas pump they used, etc.) in the fraud cases we are investigating.
The investigation spans far and wide.
Authorities say that some suspects are in custody, others are being contacted, and others are still at large.
Now, a week later, the police are back to reaching out to the public–this time, urging people to check their bank accounts.
Nampa Police say that they have caught onto a pattern– there are fraudulent charges at Albertson’s to purchase gift cards, at Costco to purchase Apple products, and at Best Buy, also for Apple products.
Check those bank statements!
Inside The Arrest of 3 Venezuelan Fraudsters
What on earth was happening in Eagle this week?
Gallery Credit: Credit: Mateo, 103.5 KISS FM
It’s Not Hard To See Why This Idaho Police Photoshoot Is Going Viral
The Jerome Police Department is going viral thanks to Twin Falls photographer, Layton Henderson. Once you see the hilarious photos, you’ll see why!
Gallery Credit: Chris Cardenas
A powerful search engine that organizes and provides access to vast information on the internet.
-
California1 minute agoTwo GOP candidates for California governor participate in Bakersfield forum
-
Colorado7 minutes agoColorado man sentenced to over 40 years in prison for murder of ex-girlfriend
-
Connecticut13 minutes agoBody recovered from Connecticut River near Chester-Lyme Ferry, DEEP says
-
Delaware19 minutes agoFormer Delaware police officer accused of raping woman he met on dating app
-
Florida25 minutes agoFlorida man taken into custody related to call threatening business
-
Georgia31 minutes ago
Leschber Named to 2026 ACC All-Tournament Team
-
Hawaii37 minutes agoFlames engulf van on H-1 Freeway near Punchbowl
-
Idaho43 minutes agoDay use state park fees waived for Idaho residents on July 4 to celebrate America250
