Idaho
Idaho Lawmakers Push For Medical Cannabis Legalization
Close up doctor holding marijuana bud
Just days following the Idaho Senate’s approval of a bill to revise the state constitution in a bid to halt voter-initiated attempts at legalizing cannabis, Idaho House lawmakers have introduced a bill that would legalize medical cannabis.
State Rep. Jordan Redman (R-Coeur d’Alene) sponsored a bipartisan medical cannabis legalization bill this week, named Sgt. Kitzhaber Medical Cannabis Act, along with Rep. Ilana Rubel (D-Boise).
Idaho has one of the strictest cannabis laws in the United States and is the only state with neither recreational nor medical cannabis legislation. But that may change with this bill, which would establish a legalized medical cannabis program in which its citizens might be able to use cannabis for medical purposes.
What’s Inside The Bill To Legalize Medical Cannabis In Idaho?
The bill aims to reschedule cannabis from Schedule 1 to Schedule 2 controlled substances in the Idaho code, and it makes efforts to legalize the use of medical cannabis for patients having valid medical conditions to provide therapeutic relief to patients suffering from illnesses such as cancer, epilepsy, chronic pain, PTSD, and others.
Patients above the age of 21, at the behest of a certified practitioner, can avail of a medical cannabis card that would be valid for one year. The licensed practitioners who prescribe the patients must be certified to prescribe Schedule 2 drugs.
In ensuring effective regulation, the bill envisions an electronic verification system to be run by the Idaho State Board of Pharmacy. It will issue and keep track of medical cannabis cards and also create patient and caregiver cards to ensure the effective regulation of the use of cannabis.
The bill creates limits on the possession, transportation, and use of cannabis products. Patients can possess up to 60 grams of raw flower with a THC content of up to 22% or 4,000 milligrams of THC, but public smoking remains prohibited.
Significantly, the bill provides legal protection for allowed users such that they cannot be held liable for the possession of cannabis within law-defined limits. However, the bill establishes strict punitive measures against illegal participation in the sale or distribution of cannabis, like criminal prosecution and cancellation of a medical cannabis card for life.
The bill also goes ahead to elucidate that growing, selling, or producing cannabis is prohibited in Idaho.
The bill also offers other provisions on practitioner education, prescribing practices, and discrimination protection in employment and medical treatment for medical cannabis patients. Medical cannabis is not required to be covered by insurers.
Enforcement and compliance are also addressed by rulemaking provisions and the creation of an annual report on the program’s effectiveness. The bill further stipulates that abuse, including the illegal sale or distribution of cannabis, will be met with harsh legal sanctions.
Finally, the bill places a high premium on the responsibility of the Idaho State Board of Pharmacy to oversee the functioning of the program, creating a system for smooth operation and control across the state.
Idaho Lawmakers Push To Prevent People From Having A Say In Cannabis Reform
The bill was introduced a few days after the Idaho Senate approved HJR4, a resolution that would take away voters’ ability to legalize cannabis through statewide ballot initiatives. The measure will be put in the 2026 election, and it will ask voters if the state constitution should be changed to allow only the legislature to legalize cannabis and other drugs.
Supporters of the ban on voters’ ability to legalize cannabis argue it protects Idaho’s values, while critics view the resolution as weakening democracy. “Whether or not one personally supports or opposes cannabis legalization, these overtly undemocratic tactics ought to be a cause of deep concern,” said NORML’s Deputy Director Paul Armentano in a press statement.
Later last year, Idaho activists with Kind Idaho also filed a ballot measure to decriminalize cannabis for personal use in the 2026 election. If passed, the measure would allow adults 21 and over to possess, produce, and cultivate cannabis for personal use but not for sale and public consumption.
Despite Idaho having some of the most draconian cannabis laws in the United States, where possession of even small amounts is a misdemeanor, public sentiment is becoming increasingly favorable toward medical cannabis. A 2022 survey showed that nearly 70% of Idahoans support legalizing medical cannabis.
Legislative attempts to legalize medical cannabis through ballot initiatives have repeatedly failed, and in 2021, the legislature attempted to ban future efforts to legalize it through a constitutional amendment, which also failed.
Minor changes have occurred, including the descheduling of the prescription medication Epidiolex in 2021 and the legalization of hemp cultivation and transport with up to 0.3% THC.
BOISE, Idaho — Idaho lawmakers have introduced legislation that would phase out state funding for the Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs while keeping the commission in place.
The proposal, introduced by Rep. Jeff Ehlers, would gradually eliminate general fund support for the commission by July 1, 2028. The commission would continue to operate but would need to rely on private funding.
Rep. Ehlers told the House Revenue and Taxation Committee on Thursday that the proposal came from recommendations by Idaho’s DOGE Task Force, which reviewed government programs and spending.
READ MORE | Idaho DOGE Task Force recommends defunding Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs
The bill would also eliminate the commission from a list of organizations eligible for a state income tax charitable contribution credit.
Rep. Steve Berch questioned why the legislation would remove both state funding and the tax credit option, saying it could make it more difficult for the commission to raise money.
“I hate to use this word, but I’m really offended by this specific effort to make it that much more difficult for private citizens to be able to contribute to the Hispanic commission,” Rep. Berch said in committee. “I don’t think this can be justified from a financial point of view, and quite frankly, I don’t think it can be justified from a moral point of view.”
In response, Rep. Jason Monks said that it would be more “offensive” to not allow further discussion of the bill before a final decision is made.
The proposal comes after an earlier attempt this session to eliminate the commission entirely. In January, Rep. Heather Scott presented a draft bill that would have removed all references to the commission from Idaho law and dissolved it by July 1, but that measure failed to advance out of committee.
The committee ultimately voted on Thursday to introduce the legislation, allowing it to be printed and advanced for further debate.
This story has been, in part, converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Shanea Fulks is the owner of Seven Sisters Closet Revival, a new consignment store at 260 South Woodruff in Idaho Falls. Take a look inside in the video above. | Rett Nelson, EastIdahoNews.com
Do you want to know what’s happening in the eastern Idaho business scene? We’ve got you covered. Here is a rundown of this week’s business news across the valley.
BIZ BUZZ
IDAHO FALLS
New consignment shop in Idaho Falls offers vintage clothes for customers and booth space for sellers
IDAHO FALLS – Curating vintage clothing is Shanea Fulks’s passion, and she’s sharing it with the community through a new business venture.
Seven Sisters Closet Revival opens Saturday at 260 South Woodruff inside Parkwood Plaza in Idaho Falls. It offers racks of vintage clothes for customers and booth space for others to sell their items.
“You get a rack with shelves, and you can come in throughout the week and sell things,” Fulks tells EastIdahoNews.com. “The things you’ll see in the middle of the store are pieces that I have curated. I hand-pick all the things I bring to the store.”
See some of the items in the video above.
Fulks says she’s had multiple people walk in already who are excited about the shop.
The store will have a grand opening this weekend. Fulks is partnering with the Greater Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce for a ribbon-cutting and open house at noon on Friday. A local band will be performing during the event.
Then on Saturday, a grand opening celebration will begin at 2 p.m. Several vendors and live entertainment will be available. Fulks says she’s looking forward to interacting with the community.
Fulks has been selling items from her personal collection online for years. After helping a mother and daughter find a formal dress during an interaction at another shop in town several years ago, Fulks says she realized there was a need for a store like this.
After about a year of working with real estate agents, Fulks says the Parkwood Plaza space formerly occupied by a beauty salon called Blush became available, and it was an ideal fit.
“It’s just been a whirlwind and we’re just trying to get it going,” says Fulks.
Fulks’ interest in fashion stems back to childhood. She lost her dad and stepdad to suicide at a young age and grew up in a household that struggled to make ends meet. As a result, she says they bought clothes at Goodwill and other secondhand stores.
She remembers being made fun of because of the clothes she wore. In time, she learned to embrace her uniqueness and developed an interest in vintage clothes.
“I’ve just always been attracted to old sweaters, military jackets (her dad served in Vietnam),” Fulks says. “I like to help people feel confident wearing something unique, even if it’s not trendy. Be bold and wear whatever you want.”
The idea of making the most of your circumstances and embracing who you are is inspired by her experience with suicide, and it’s reflected in the art that’s on display in her store.
“Part of the theme in my store is ‘Stay. We need you,’” she says.
The business name refers to her family. She comes from a blended family of six girls and four boys. When she and her husband were married, they had a daughter — the seventh sister.
Fulks says she’s looking forward to offering great deals to customers. She has two sons with autism who love art, and she wants to host art-themed events for people with special needs. She’d also like to host tea parties and other events in the future.
“I want people to come and feel like they belong,” she says. “I’m going to allow people to do karaoke. When you’re here, I want you to feel like you can have fun.”
Seven Sisters Closet Revival will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
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Gov. Brad Little has signed House Bill 533, which would remove the need for license plate stickers on Idaho vehicles.
The legislation, introduced earlier this session by Rep. Jon Weber (R) of Boise, eliminates the requirement for registration stickers on Idaho license plates. Weber stated during the bills intorduction that officers can verify the status of license plates without the stickers, potentially saving the state around $300,000.
During the bill’s introduction, some lawmakers argued that it could increase the workload for law enforcement.
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The new law is set to take effect in July.
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