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
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.
The USDA has issued a public health alert for various meat and poultry products containing FDA-regulated dairy that may have been contaminated with salmonella. The recall was originally issued on April 30th, but the contaminated product list could continue to grow as more products are identified.
The Food Safety and Inspection arm of the U.S. Department of Agriculture issued the public health alert and there have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of the products listed below, consumers are still advised to dispose of the items or return them to the place of purchase. Great Value and Pork King Good products sold at Idaho Walmart stores are included in the alert and recall.
Public Health Alert and Food Recall Issued For Pizza and Pork Rinds Sold in Idaho
As of right now, the food list includes pork rinds, breakfast pizzas, and chicken bacon ranch pizzas. The list could grow and the USDA advises consumers to check the list frequently. We will also update the list here when possible. The contaminated products carry a variety of ‘Best By’ and ‘Produced On’ dates, so check the lists carefully to make sure you don’t consume a contaminated product.
The nationwide brands to look for are Mama Cozzi’s from Aldi stores, Pork King Good, and Great Value at Walmart Stores.
Photo Credit USDA – 1
Photo Credit USDA – 1
You can also look through these label photos to see if you have the product in your freezer.
Photo Credit USDA Recalls
Photo Credit USDA Recalls
Photo Credit USDA Recalls
Photo Credit USDA Recalls
Photo Credit USDA Recalls
If you feel sick and have consumed a contaminated product, the USDA advise you to contact your health care provider.
Guy Fieri’s Top Idaho Moments On Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives
Food Network just posted a compilation video of Guy at these spots!
Gallery Credit: Shannon Buccola
-
World4 minutes agoAs Trump forces NATO to pay up, alliance races to close military gap with US
-
Politics10 minutes agoInside the US military playbook to cripple Iran if nuclear talks collapse
-
Health16 minutes agoFitness expert visits gyms nationwide, shouts out 4 clubs for ‘getting it right’
-
Sports22 minutes ago2026 INDYCAR Odds: Alex Palou Clear Favorite for Sonsio Grand Prix at IMS
-
Technology28 minutes agoGlobal scam crackdown leads to 276 arrests
-
Business34 minutes agoDisney’s ABC challenges FCC, escalating fight over free speech
-
Entertainment40 minutes agoWriters Guild staff union reaches deal, ending strike after nearly three months
-
Lifestyle46 minutes agoHe’s your ex, not your son. Unconditional love does not apply