U.S. Supreme Court(Melissa Davlin/Idaho Reports) By Ruth Brown, Idaho Reports  The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments Wednesday in a lawsuit between the U.S. Department of Justice and the state over Idaho’s abortion laws debating the current legality of stabilizing women in need of emergent care.  The DOJ sued the state in 2022 after Idaho’s abortion ban went into place, following the overturning of Roe v Wade, saying the strict regulation could put the life of a mother in danger. The DOJ cited the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, or EMTALA, which is a federal law requirin ..read more

(Logan Finney/Idaho Reports)   By Ruth Brown, Idaho Reports  The administrator of the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation said the division’s budgeting issues may lead to waitlists for services and programs for Idahoans with disabilities, as well as administrative problems for councils and commissions that receive funding through the division.   During an Idaho State Rehabilitation Council meeting on Tuesday, administrator Jane Donellan said she expects a budget shortfall in fiscal year 2025. Donellan explained to the council that its case management system did not align ..read more

(Logan Finney/Idaho Reports) By Ruth Brown, Idaho Reports  Legal counsel for Idaho’s Legislative Services Office disagrees that Idaho won’t be able to pay vendors who provide certain services to Medicaid clients.   In an April 12 letter obtained by Idaho Reports, LSO attorney Elizabeth Bowen wrote to lawmakers that House Bill 398 regarding Medicaid waivers shouldn’t disrupt current services for Idahoans, contradicting concerns expressed by Gov. Brad Little earlier this month.  The bill is intended to reduce Medicaid costs and increase oversight by requiring legislative appr ..read more

By Ruth Brown, Idaho Reports  Budget and administrative uncertainty at the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation could affect other state entities, the State Independent Living Council learned at a Thursday meeting. Left unchecked, those issues could render SILC unable to function.  The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation accepts federal funding, which is then distributed to other state entities, such as SILC, by contract. SILC uses those funds to help advance its mission of helping those with disabilities live independently.   Every three years, SILC must submit a plan ..read more

Next Wednesday, the United States Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on whether the state of Idaho has the right to set an abortion ban that may conflict with the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act, or EMTALA. The act is a federal law that applies to emergency rooms in hospitals that accept Medicaid, and it mandates that those facilities must provide treatment to stabilize patients in emergencies. The U.S. Department of Justice argues that sometimes those treatments could include abortions. The State of Idaho, represented by Attorney General Raúl Labrador, argues that the ab ..read more

by Ryan Suppe, Idaho Education News Idaho school and library officials over the next couple months will grapple with a complex question: What content does their community consider “harmful” to children? The recently enacted House Bill 710 — which seeks to restrict library material accessible to children — relies on an existing state law that defines obscene books, magazines, movies and other content as “harmful.” While the law historically has deterred shopkeepers from selling copies of “Playboy” to curious teenagers, it now applies to librarians, as well.  It’s unclear ho ..read more

U.S. Supreme Court Building in Washington, D.C. (Troy V. Shreve/Idaho Reports) by Mia Maldonado, Idaho Capital Sun The U.S. Supreme Court has allowed Idaho to enforce House Bill 71, a law banning Idaho youth from receiving gender-affirming care medications and surgeries. In an opinion issued Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court granted the state of Idaho’s request to stay the preliminary injunction, which blocked the law from taking effect. This means the preliminary injunction now only applies to the plaintiffs involved in Poe v. Labrador — a lawsuit brought on by the families o ..read more

by Logan Finney, Idaho Reports Financial uncertainty that recently came to light at the Idaho Division of Vocational Rehabilitation turned out to be too complex for legislators and staff to untangle in the waning days of the session. Director Jane Donellan told the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee last week her agency, which coordinates job training to help disabled Idahoans in the workforce, unexpectedly ran out of spending authority for the fiscal year and was unable to pay vendors for their services. The budget setting committee quickly advanced a supplemental appropriation, but then ..read more

(Logan Finney/Idaho Reports) By Ruth Brown, Idaho Reports   Providers and advocates for disabled Idahoans remain concerned about the passage of a Medicaid waiver bill and how vague language could prevent funding implementation.  H 398 is intended to reduce Medicaid costs and provide more oversight by requiring legislative approval of waivers and state plan amendments. Waivers are granted when the state agrees to waive some program requirements to meet the needs of individuals in a certain group, such as those at risk of being institutionalized without home care, or developmental ..read more

EMS volunteers in Moscow train with Life Flight on landing zone operation and safety in 2022 (Courtesy photo Moscow Volunteer Fire & Ambulance) By Ruth Brown, Idaho Reports  One of the many bills that never made it out of the statehouse before lawmakers adjourned for the year included one to make emergency medical services an essential government service.  SB 1416 passed the Senate in a 26-9 vote, but it never got a hearing in the House State Affairs Committee. The bill started in the Senate Health and Welfare Committee.  Currently, the state of Idaho does not deem EMS an es ..read more