More pieces of legislation were prepared for Idaho's 2025 session than in the last 30 years
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Members of the Idaho Senate work from the Senate floor on the morning of March 10, 2025, at the Idaho Capitol Building in Boise. (Pat Sutphin for the Idaho Capital Sun)
It has been at least 30 years since an Idaho legislative session has featured as many prepared pieces of legislation as the recent 2025 session at the State Capitol in Boise.
During the entire 2025 session, legislators and bill drafters prepared 1,378 pieces of legislation, according to the official Sine Die report compiled and published by the Idaho Legislative Services Office.
That's 140 more pieces of legislation than during the previous year's legislative session.
Idaho legislators had so many pieces of legislation prepared – including draft bills, memorials, resolutions and proclamations – that it is difficult to find online records of another session that featured more pieces of legislation.
According to an Idaho Capital Sun review of online legislative records and previous Sine Die reports that tracked the volume of legislation dating as far back as 1994, the 2025 session is the only time that more than 1,300 different pieces of legislation have been prepared in Idaho.
The 1994 session came close, with 1,265 pieces of prepared legislation, according to a table embedded in the 2003 Sine Die report.
Online legislative records only date back to the late 1990s and early 2000s, so documenting and comparing legislative trends prior to that time period becomes more difficult.
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Model legislation makes its way into Idaho
At any rate, the increase in legislation this session was so pronounced the House Minority Leader Ilana Rubel, D-Boise, noticed it stood out before the session ended for the year April 4.
Idaho House Minority Leader Ilana Rubel, D-Boise, speaks from the House floor on March 10, 2025, at the Idaho Capitol Building in Boise. (Pat Sutphin for the Idaho Capital Sun)
In an interview with the Sun in March, Rubel blamed some of the increase in the amount of legislation on an influx of out-of-state model legislation.
Model legislation, or form legislation, is where an organization or advocacy group writes a bill template that can be easily introduced in different states simply by making a few minor wording changes or localizing a bill, the Sun previously reported.
'A lot of this is being driven, frankly, by these out-of-state bill mills,' Rubel told the Sun in March.
Examples of form legislation that has appeared in Idaho and multiple states include bills restricting transgender athletes from participating in women's sports and the Texas-style immigration bill allowing local law enforcement officials to check the immigration status of people being investigated for a crime.
From the 1,378 proposed pieces of legislation that were prepared for legislative committees and legislators, 790 bills, proclamations, resolutions or memorials were officially introduced in 2025, Idaho Legislative Services Office staffers wrote in the Sine Die report.
In the end, 341 of those bills became law this year, and most will take effect July 1.
Idaho legislative sessions, by the numbers
Here is a closer look at the 2025 Idaho Legislative session, and how it compares to other recent sessions.
Length of session
2025: 89 days
2024: 94 days
2023: 88 days
2022: 81 days
2021: 311 days, longest legislative session in Idaho history
2020: 75 days
Number of pieces of legislation prepared for legislators or committees
2025: 1,378
2024: 1,234
2023: 1,155
2022: 1,046
2021: 1,226
2020: 1,,053
Source: 2025 Idaho Sine Die report
Idaho Sine Die report
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That's what motivates and drives us in this economic reform round table," he told reporters on Monday. "This productivity challenge has been bedevilling our economy for a couple of decades. The weakest decade for productivity growth in the last 60 years was the Coalition decade. That is the situation we inherited. It will take some time to turn around. "We have a lot of work to do." Treasurer Jim Chalmers is warning there is no quick fix for productivity as the government is set to commence its much-hyped round table. "Productivity has been elusive over the last couple of decade, but it will be essential to the couple of decades ahead. That's what motivates and drives us in this economic reform round table," he told reporters on Monday. "This productivity challenge has been bedevilling our economy for a couple of decades. The weakest decade for productivity growth in the last 60 years was the Coalition decade. That is the situation we inherited. It will take some time to turn around. "We have a lot of work to do." 'Boring' Aussie dad's first move after winning lottery A self-described "boring guy" headed straight to Google after landing $1.6 million as one of four division one winners in the Saturday Lotto. The Armidale father went through all the questions in his head via the search engine, admitting he was unable to sleep after the huge win. 'It's all a bit surreal. When I checked my ticket on my online account, my first reaction was 'Holy dooly!'. It was crazy to see right in front of me," he told lottery officials. 'A thousand thoughts started going through my mind. I was wondering whether it was real or not, and what I needed to do now." A self-described "boring guy" headed straight to Google after landing $1.6 million as one of four division one winners in the Saturday Lotto. The Armidale father went through all the questions in his head via the search engine, admitting he was unable to sleep after the huge win. 'It's all a bit surreal. When I checked my ticket on my online account, my first reaction was 'Holy dooly!'. It was crazy to see right in front of me," he told lottery officials. 'A thousand thoughts started going through my mind. I was wondering whether it was real or not, and what I needed to do now." World leaders move to avoid unwanted Trump scenario European and NATO leaders announced they will join Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House to present a united front in talks with Donald Trump on ending Russia's war in Ukraine. Leaders from Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Finland are rallying around the Ukrainian president after his exclusion from Trump's summit on Friday with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Their pledge to be at Zelensky's side at the White House on Monday is an apparent effort to ensure the meeting goes better than the last one in February, when Trump berated Zelenskyy in a heated Oval Office encounter. 'The Europeans are very afraid of the Oval Office scene being repeated and so they want to support Mr Zelensky to the hilt,' said retired French Gen. Dominique Trinquand, a former head of France's military mission at the United Nations. 'It's a power struggle and a position of strength that might work with Trump,' he said. Read more from Associated Press here. European and NATO leaders announced they will join Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House to present a united front in talks with Donald Trump on ending Russia's war in Ukraine. Leaders from Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Finland are rallying around the Ukrainian president after his exclusion from Trump's summit on Friday with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Their pledge to be at Zelensky's side at the White House on Monday is an apparent effort to ensure the meeting goes better than the last one in February, when Trump berated Zelenskyy in a heated Oval Office encounter. 'The Europeans are very afraid of the Oval Office scene being repeated and so they want to support Mr Zelensky to the hilt,' said retired French Gen. Dominique Trinquand, a former head of France's military mission at the United Nations. 'It's a power struggle and a position of strength that might work with Trump,' he said. Read more from Associated Press here. Rush hour chaos as city-bound lanes closed Sydney has been plunged into traffic chaos after a five-vehicle crash on the Anzac Bridge, with cars backed all the way up to Leichhardt. The crash happened in the eastbound lanes about 6.30am on Monday. Live traffic cameras show three of the four eastbound lanes are blocked, and the gridlock stretches back almost 3km down the A44. The right-hand westbound lane is also blocked by emergency response vehicles. An Ambulance NSW spokesman said five vehicles were involved in the crash; three cars, a motorbike and a truck. All people who needed to be checked by paramedics had minor injuries, the spokesman said. The male motorbike rider was still however taken to the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. Images show at least four police vehicles and two road crews are on scene. A damaged dark-coloured sedan stopped sideways across two lanes was put onto a tow truck about 7am. There is also a cement truck which appears to have been involved in the crash. Live Traffic NSW are advising motorists to slow down to 40km/h and plan for their commute to take extra time. - NewsWire Sydney has been plunged into traffic chaos after a five-vehicle crash on the Anzac Bridge, with cars backed all the way up to Leichhardt. The crash happened in the eastbound lanes about 6.30am on Monday. Live traffic cameras show three of the four eastbound lanes are blocked, and the gridlock stretches back almost 3km down the A44. The right-hand westbound lane is also blocked by emergency response vehicles. An Ambulance NSW spokesman said five vehicles were involved in the crash; three cars, a motorbike and a truck. All people who needed to be checked by paramedics had minor injuries, the spokesman said. The male motorbike rider was still however taken to the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. Images show at least four police vehicles and two road crews are on scene. A damaged dark-coloured sedan stopped sideways across two lanes was put onto a tow truck about 7am. There is also a cement truck which appears to have been involved in the crash. Live Traffic NSW are advising motorists to slow down to 40km/h and plan for their commute to take extra time. - NewsWire Qantas set for big fine after illegally sacking workers Australia's largest airline is staring down the barrel of another nine-figure fine for illegally sacking more than 1800 workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Federal Court will hand down a hefty penalty to Qantas on Monday in what will be the latest court blow for the airline after a scandal-plagued recent tenure. Qantas outsourced its baggage handlers, cleaners and ground staff in 2020, in a move the court ruled was designed to curb union bargaining power in wage negotiations. It appealed the ruling to the High Court but the decision was not overturned, paving the way for Monday's penalty. The Transport Workers Union has sought the maximum penalty of $121 million, while Qantas has urged Justice Michael Lee to impose a "mid-range" penalty between $40 million and $80 million. Qantas will cop the fine on top of a $120 million compensation payment it has made to the ground staff for their economic loss, pain and suffering since their jobs were outsourced during the pandemic. It has argued the actions were a mistake, not a deliberate breach of the law. Qantas also sold tickets to cancelled flights for several years, triggering more legal turmoil and a $100 million fine after it was sued by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. The carrier, which was under the control of Alan Joyce at the time of the illegal sacking, lost billions of dollars during the pandemic, which decimated the aviation sector. But the former CEO did not address the scandal when he spoke at an aviation conference on Thursday, instead spruiking his ability to keep the airline afloat in unprecedented times. "But here's the real insight: resilience isn't a reaction … it's a decision made years in advance, often when it's uncomfortable, even unpopular," he said. "Qantas was the only major Australian airline not to go bankrupt during or after the pandemic … that wasn't luck. That was resilience." Australia's largest airline is staring down the barrel of another nine-figure fine for illegally sacking more than 1800 workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Federal Court will hand down a hefty penalty to Qantas on Monday in what will be the latest court blow for the airline after a scandal-plagued recent tenure. Qantas outsourced its baggage handlers, cleaners and ground staff in 2020, in a move the court ruled was designed to curb union bargaining power in wage negotiations. It appealed the ruling to the High Court but the decision was not overturned, paving the way for Monday's penalty. The Transport Workers Union has sought the maximum penalty of $121 million, while Qantas has urged Justice Michael Lee to impose a "mid-range" penalty between $40 million and $80 million. Qantas will cop the fine on top of a $120 million compensation payment it has made to the ground staff for their economic loss, pain and suffering since their jobs were outsourced during the pandemic. It has argued the actions were a mistake, not a deliberate breach of the law. Qantas also sold tickets to cancelled flights for several years, triggering more legal turmoil and a $100 million fine after it was sued by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. The carrier, which was under the control of Alan Joyce at the time of the illegal sacking, lost billions of dollars during the pandemic, which decimated the aviation sector. But the former CEO did not address the scandal when he spoke at an aviation conference on Thursday, instead spruiking his ability to keep the airline afloat in unprecedented times. "But here's the real insight: resilience isn't a reaction … it's a decision made years in advance, often when it's uncomfortable, even unpopular," he said. "Qantas was the only major Australian airline not to go bankrupt during or after the pandemic … that wasn't luck. That was resilience."
