Idaho

Idaho bill that would require children to opt in to vaccine registry heads to House floor – Idaho Capital Sun

Published

2 years ago

February 5, 2024

Idaho legislators advanced a bill on Monday that would require parents to opt in to the state’s vaccine registry, rather than Idaho’s existing policy that lets them to opt their children out.

Legislators on Idaho’s House Health and Welfare Committee on Monday advanced a bill that would require medical providers to only share the vaccination status of Idaho kids in a state-run database if their parents or caregivers say so.

Currently, Idaho’s immunization database, called the Immunization Reminder Information System, lets patients not be part of the database by opting out. If passed, the bill would take effect July 1, 2024.

Some health care professionals said the switch could leave Idaho medical offices with millions more in administrative costs.

Idaho Rep. Megan Blanksma, R-Hammett (Courtesy of the Idaho Legislature)

Idaho’s children immunization rates, which have been among the lowest in the nation for years, fell in recent years as more people opted out of vaccines required for school, Idaho Education News reported last fall. Before the pandemic, 86.5% of Idaho kindergartners, first- and seventh-grade students were vaccinated. By 2021-22, only 80.2% were, Idaho EdNews reported.

House Majority Leader Megan Blanksma, R-Hammett, who is sponsoring House Bill 397, said she worried that Idahoans vaccination data — including for adults — is in Idaho’s vaccine database without them knowing. She referenced own experience finding out that her children’s and mother’s vaccine records were in the state database without their permission, after she opted out for her children. She also said Idaho’s vaccine database originally was “opt in” based.

As she closed debate on her bill, Blanksma said many Idahoans who received vaccines “don’t know that the government was collecting your data on that vaccine” because they weren’t given an informed consent form.

“That’s what should scare us more than anything else … that there’s data collection that people don’t know about, are completely unaware of. And that’s what this bill fixes,” Blanksma said. “It makes sure everyone knows where their medical data is going.”

Blanksma also said in the hearing that Idaho’s opt-out rate was low because it is difficult to opt out, and the bill would ensure that medical “providers don’t opt you in.”

“It’s become more complicated, and less transparent,” she said. “… Anytime the government is collecting your data, it should be transparent.”

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How would the opt-in changes affect medical providers?

The change should not require more state and federal funds, the bill’s fiscal note estimates. Blanksma also told the committee that she doesn’t expect increased costs for providers. She said under Idaho’s current opt-in model, “they are already providing the data to the government.”

But Rebecca Coyle, who said she was an expert on immunization registries, said if you assume that this would cost $10,000 to update each system, it’d cost over $10 million across the more than 1,000 clinics connected to Idaho’s vaccine registry. The medical system today is built for an “opt-out system,” she said, and adding consent files to those systems would be costly.

“It’s going to push a cost over $10 million in costs back to citizens of this state,” Coyle said, “for fewer than 1,000 people who have opted out since 2010.”

Many rural clinics would likely “fail to comply” with the bill because of the high costs of changing the reporting system, said Dr. Cristina Abuchaibe, a doctor in eastern Idaho who represented the Idaho chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

“In order for every single potential patient to be given the choice, it will require extra staff and it will require fancier electronic medical record systems. To be perfectly honest with you, the rural areas don’t have the capacity to support,” Abuchaibe testified. “We’re barely surviving now with a lot of the physicians also doing a lot of the staff work and working as a team to be able to keep up.”

Idaho Family Policy Center Policy Associate Grace Howat, the only member of the public to testify in support of the bill Monday, said Idaho’s current opt-out practice “intrudes on the privacy of Idaho parents and intrudes on parental rights.”

“Parents are responsible for raising their children, not the state,” Howat testified.

Heather Gagliano, an Idaho mom and registered nurse, testified against the bill. She said she’s been fully informed of her rights to participate in Idaho’s vaccine registry for her two children over the years.

And as a public health professional who’s given thousands of vaccines, she said she’s seen the benefits of Idaho’s vaccine system’s ease of use for medical providers. But when kids immunization records are incomplete, or hand-written and often illegible, she has to delay care, Gagliano said.

Rep. Jordan Redman, R-Coeur d’Alene, made a motion that the committee send the bill to the House floor and recommend that it pass. Only the committee’s three Democrats opposed the vote, after a failed motion by House Minority Leader Ilana Rubel, D-Boise, to hold the bill in committee.

House Bill 397 now heads to the House floor, where lawmakers could debate it before sending it through to the Idaho Senate.

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What is the Immunization Reminder Information System, or IRIS?

Idaho’s IRIS system is similar to those used by other states. It helps health care providers remind people when they, or their children, are due for vaccines. Child care providers can access it to verify a child’s vaccine status. It also maintains a record so that, for example, a patient with a short memory doesn’t get a tetanus booster shot every year.

The records are stored securely and made accessible only to health care providers, child care providers and schools. Individual patients also can request their own records, or opt to have their records excluded from IRIS.

Idaho Republican leadership sent a letter to former Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden in 2021 accusing the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare of unlawfully using the state’s vaccine-record keeping system, calling for the agency to destroy its records on adult immunizations. An attorney for the Idaho Office of the Attorney General replied later that year that the department wasn’t unlawfully using the system and that lawmakers were wrong.

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Idaho

Big Sky tournament: No. 1 Idaho too much for Weber State in middle quarters

Published

19 hours ago

March 8, 2026

Press Room

Big Sky tournament: No. 1 Idaho too much for Weber State in middle quarters

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Weber State guard Lanae Billy (32) drives against Idaho’s Ana Pinheiro in the women’s Big Sky tournament quarterfinals Sunday, March 8, 2026, at Idaho Central Arena in Boise.

Ava Nash, for WSU Athletics

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Weber State’s Antoniette Emma-Nnopu (7) eyes an entry pass to Nicole Willardson (25) as Idaho’s Kyra Gardner (3) defends in the women’s Big Sky tournament quarterfinals Sunday, March 8, 2026, at Idaho Central Arena in Boise.

Ava Nash, for WSU Athletics

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Weber State guard Hannah Robbins, right, drives past Idaho’s Ana Pinheiro in the women’s Big Sky tournament quarterfinals Sunday, March 8, 2026, at Idaho Central Arena in Boise.

Ava Nash, for WSU Athletics

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Weber State guard Fui Niumeitolu (12) lofts a floater over Idaho’s Kyra Gardner (3) in the women’s Big Sky tournament quarterfinals Sunday, March 8, 2026, at Idaho Central Arena in Boise.

Ava Nash, for WSU Athletics

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Weber State guard Sydney White (22) tries to set up a play against Idaho’s Ella Uriarte (5) in the women’s Big Sky tournament quarterfinals Sunday, March 8, 2026, at Idaho Central Arena in Boise.

Ava Nash, for WSU Athletics

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Weber State guard Lanae Billy (32) shoots against Idaho’s Kyra Gardner (3) in the women’s Big Sky tournament quarterfinals Sunday, March 8, 2026, at Idaho Central Arena in Boise.

Ava Nash, for WSU Athletics

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Weber State guard Lanae Billy gets back on defense after making a 3-pointer against Idaho in the women’s Big Sky tournament quarterfinals Sunday, March 8, 2026, at Idaho Central Arena in Boise.

Ava Nash, for WSU Athletics

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Weber State forward Arizana Peaua (11) shoots over Idaho’s Debora dos Santos in the women’s Big Sky tournament quarterfinals Sunday, March 8, 2026, at Idaho Central Arena in Boise.

Ava Nash, for WSU Athletics

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: Weber State guard Lanae Billy (32) drives against Idaho’s Ana Pinheiro in the women’s Big Sky tournament quarterfinals Sunday, March 8, 2026, at Idaho Central Arena in Boise.

: Weber State’s Antoniette Emma-Nnopu (7) eyes an entry pass to Nicole Willardson (25) as Idaho’s Kyra Gardner (3) defends in the women’s Big Sky tournament quarterfinals Sunday, March 8, 2026, at Idaho Central Arena in Boise.

: Weber State guard Hannah Robbins, right, drives past Idaho’s Ana Pinheiro in the women’s Big Sky tournament quarterfinals Sunday, March 8, 2026, at Idaho Central Arena in Boise.

: Weber State guard Fui Niumeitolu (12) lofts a floater over Idaho’s Kyra Gardner (3) in the women’s Big Sky tournament quarterfinals Sunday, March 8, 2026, at Idaho Central Arena in Boise.

: Weber State guard Sydney White (22) tries to set up a play against Idaho’s Ella Uriarte (5) in the women’s Big Sky tournament quarterfinals Sunday, March 8, 2026, at Idaho Central Arena in Boise.

: Weber State guard Lanae Billy (32) shoots against Idaho’s Kyra Gardner (3) in the women’s Big Sky tournament quarterfinals Sunday, March 8, 2026, at Idaho Central Arena in Boise.

: Weber State guard Lanae Billy gets back on defense after making a 3-pointer against Idaho in the women’s Big Sky tournament quarterfinals Sunday, March 8, 2026, at Idaho Central Arena in Boise.

: Weber State forward Arizana Peaua (11) shoots over Idaho’s Debora dos Santos in the women’s Big Sky tournament quarterfinals Sunday, March 8, 2026, at Idaho Central Arena in Boise.

Weber State women’s basketball showed plenty of fight but Idaho showed why it’s the No. 1 team in the Big Sky on Sunday afternoon.

Using middle-quarter dominance, Idaho built a 21-point lead through three quarters and had enough cushion to withstand a big Weber State push on the way to a 66-52 victory in the Big Sky tournament quarterfinals at Idaho Central Arena in Boise.

Weber State (11-22) got 14 points apiece from its two seniors each putting a cap on their two-year stint in Ogden. Guard Lanae Billy and forward Antoniette Emma-Nnopu each tallied 14, with Emma-Nnopu adding seven rebounds and four assists.

Junior post Nicole Willardson totaled 10 points and a career-high 11 rebounds for the Wildcats. Those three players combined to shoot 9 of 17 from the 3-point line.

A back-and-forth first quarter bled into the start of the second quarter when Willardson made a 3 to put WSU ahead 15-14. But Idaho’s pressure began to wear on Weber, with the Vandals (27-5) keeping the Wildcats from quality shots while beginning to dominate the post.

Idaho paint players Debora dos Santos and Lorena Barbosa combined for 12 points in the frame; the Vandals outscored WSU 22-6 after Willardson’s 3 and took a 36-21 lead into halftime when WSU left Barbosa open for a straightaway 3 at the horn.

“They were a lot more aggressive this go-round. They really cranked it up, they were denying up on us … they just really sped us up first half, is what it felt like,” WSU head coach Jenteal Jackson said. “We went into a little more iso ball, which is not typical of us. Just needed to slow down, take a breath, run our offense and run a bunch of our actions that we needed to make them guard.”

The third quarter was much of the same. Idaho guard Ana Beatriz Passos Alves da Silva knocked down a 3 to give the Vandals a 54-30 lead with 30 seconds left in the quarter.

Emma-Nnopu ended the quarter with one of her three 3s, though, and unknowingly began a 20-6 run for Weber State. WSU burst out of the final break with a pair of buckets to precede a Willardson 3, then a Sydney White steal leading to a Billy triple seven seconds later. That made it 56-43 with 7:30 left.

Later, White made a 3, then another steal led White to find a rolling Arizana Peaua for a layup to cut the score to 60-50 with 4:00 remaining.

WSU’s gas ran out there, though. Hope Hassmann drove for a bucket on one of Idaho’s 17 offensive rebounds to all but put the game away at 65-50 with 3:00 left on the clock.

Hassmann and Kyra Gardner each also scored 14 to lead Idaho, with Hassmann adding six assists and five rebounds. Ana Pinheiro and dos Santos each scored 12 points.

Idaho advances to play Tuesday, facing the winner of Monday’s game between Idaho State and Sacramento State.

After starting Big Sky play with nine straight losses, WSU finished by winning four of six before the defeat to Idaho, but finished in ninth place.

Weber turns to next season returning five scholarship juniors while replacing the two seniors. WSU lost three players before the season began with knee injuries.

“It’s always tough when kids who are really playing well and peaking are done. It’s been a joy to coach them,” Jackson said of the seniors. “We’re going to miss them a lot.”

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Idaho

Big Idaho Potato Truck Tour brings four-ton spud to Grand Junction

Published

1 day ago

March 8, 2026

Press Room

Big Idaho Potato Truck Tour brings four-ton spud to Grand Junction

Throughout the afternoon and evening Tuesday in Grand Junction, bewildered drivers on North Avenue pulled over into the Texas Roadhouse parking lot to gawk at a giant potato.

The Big Idaho Potato Truck rolled into town as part of its 35-state national tour promoting Famous Idaho Potatoes. Upon the trailer sits a four-ton, 13-foot-tall, 10-foot-wide potato, impossible not to see for passersby.

Famous Idaho Potatoes won’t say whether the titanic tater is actually real — just that it would take 7,000 years to actually grow a spud this spectacular, one that’s the equivalent of one million french fries or 20,217 servings of mashed potatoes. They prefer to leave it up to each person whether they believe that much effort and time have actually been spent on one potato.

“We gracefully embark on a seven-month-long journey across the U.S. promoting Idaho potatoes and representing over 700 family-owned farms,” said Jenna, a Famous Idaho Potatoes brand ambassador traveling with the prodigious potato. “We do numerous types of events. (On Wednesday), we’re headed to Colorado Springs to another Texas Roadhouse. We also do NASCAR events and parades. We’ll be at the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Atlanta. We’re doing the Fourth of July in Philadelphia for the 250th year of America. We’ll be returning home in September.”

This is the 14th cross-country trip for the voluminous vegetable, and the second for Jenna. The truck has been to all 50 states, even being shipped to Hawaii for five weeks in 2024. It’s also been in Canada.

“It was only projected to be one year to celebrate the Idaho Potato Commission’s 75th year, and there was a postcard that had a big potato on it, being hauled just like this,” Jenna said. “Someone came up with the idea of, ‘Let’s make that real!’ It became so popular that, now, it’s on its 14th journey. We hope to continue doing it and continue bringing smiles and potatoes.”

Each year, the massive Murphy’s route is determined by a tour director based in Boise. There are many eight-hour driving days between locations. The Tater Team that transports the Big Idaho Potato must always be vigilant about weather conditions, as well.

“We try to stay primarily East Coast, just because Idaho needs some representation around there,” Jenna said. “We don’t really get to do a lot of home-base activities, but it’s fun. It’s a journey.”

Grand Junction was chosen as a stop this year because it was along the route. Merchandise and swag were provided inside the Texas Roadhouse, including stickers, memorabilia, lanyards, and a station to craft porcupines using potatoes, sunflower seeds, googly eyes and glue.

Sometimes, the Big Idaho Potato Truck Tour works with food banks in the markets it visits, presenting them with checks. No such collaboration took place with this Grand Junction visit, but Jenna said such charity could work out when the truck returns to town — potentially on its way back to Idaho later in the year.

Jenna said the sight of confused and amused people discovering the enormous earth apple is a constant source of joy.

“It surprisingly never gets old,” she said. “Even getting gasoline is a whole thing. It takes about 20 minutes to hand out those stickers and pens, and people have questions and want to take pictures. No matter where we stop, we want people to have a great experience.”

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Idaho

JFAC approves Idaho National Guard education funding

Published

2 days ago

March 7, 2026

Press Room

JFAC approves Idaho National Guard education funding

BOISE — The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee voted Friday to partially restore funding to the Idaho National Guard’s education reimbursement program. The near-unanimous vote arrives after the body twice voted against making the reimbursement funding available but failed to come to a consensus on Idaho Military Division enhancements.

With this matter unresolved, JFAC once again took up the issue of funding for the National Guard’s State Education Assistance Program (SEAP), which provides enlisted soldiers and airmen up to $8,000 per year for tuition and fees at Idaho institutions.

Rep. James Petzke, R-Meridian — who has repeatedly voiced support for restoring the reimbursement funding — brought forward the motion Friday to provide a general fund enhancement of $190,800 to SEAP for fiscal year 2027. This amount allows the program to maintain 69% of funding, up from the 39% it would have been reduced to as a result of JFAC’s 5% cuts for next fiscal year.

Though the vote sailed through without comment from committee members Friday, Petzke has couched the funding as necessary as Idaho lags behind neighboring states (including Oregon, Washington and Utah), which each offer 100% tuition reimbursement through their own education programs.

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