I fight so that our kids can receive a well-rounded education that will help them to think critically.  Education means everything to our kids and our future.  I fight to make higher education affordable. I'll continue to fight against the bloated bureaucratic growth and the excessive spending on "social programs" and campus adornments that do not prepare our kids for a successful future in an ever-challenging world.  

 

I have continued to stand with our fantastic teachers in supporting increased wages and money for state level insurance. 

 

• Sponsored a key piece of legislation that will fundamentally change our students' current understanding of America and her founding.  This is also designed to coincide with the celebrating of America 250! This bill (now law!) requires that students receive instruction on certain key principles, concepts, and documents from and about the American Founding and the history of Communism. 

• Supported the incredibly popular Parental Choice Tax Credit. Applications for this program far exceeded expectations, proving that Idaho parents want choices in education when our current options simply will not work for every child! Now we will see education innovation really begin, and the possibilities are endless.

• Supported the bill which disallows taxpayer funds from being spent on teacher's union activities. The legislature fully supports our teachers and their unions; we just want to make sure there's a separation of their union and taxpayer dollars.

• Sponsored the Idaho Student Safety and Educator Disclosure Act which requires transparency on issues of staff misconduct to protect our children. 

• Supported the Children's School and Library Protection Act because we can’t tolerate pornography / obscenity directed at children.

• Created a new dyslexia program designed to reach and help over 20% of our kids that are often improperly diagnosed. This is expected to drastically improve our children’s education.

• Repeatedly voted over the years to increase teacher pay, education funding, and better benefits for teachers.

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I am a major supporter of lower taxes, especially lower property taxes! When people attain the ultimate goal of paying off their primary residence, they should own it free and clear and not continue to be burdened by property taxes. I will keep working for property tax relief! Here are bills I have sponsored over the years:

2026

• HB 961 – Property Tax Elimination – This would eliminate ALL property taxes on a primary place of residence. The loss of property taxes off the payrolls would be equal to approximately $932,000,000. This loss would be replaced with a sales tax increase of 1.75 percent.

2025

• HB 40 – $253M lowered individual & corporate income tax rates from 5.695% to 5.3%. 

• HB 304 – $100M shifted from state revenue to a property tax reduction fund & school facility fund.

• HB 231 – $50M increased the annual grocery tax credit to $155 per person to offset sales tax on food.

2024​

• HB 521: provided over $1 billion dollars in property tax relief by doing the following: 

1. Income tax reduction: from 5.8 to 5.695.  this is roughly $60-$65 million in income tax relief.

2. Property tax direct relief: $75 million was taken and run through the formula set up in 2023 with HB292.  This resulted in approximately $75 million in property tax relief on top of the property tax relief that was completed this past year. 

3. School facilities fund: $125 million of general fund money was taken to be able to bond on for the next 10 years.  This amounts to $1 Billion.  This will be distributed to all the school districts for facility needs.  As the Governor has said, this certainly results in property tax relief.  But it’s also a substantial investment in education.  It helps to reduce the likelihood of additional property tax increases through bonds & levies.

2023​

• HB 292: $355M provides 3 years of homeowner property tax relief    

  • Year 1: School district facilities fund = $135 million  

  • Year 1: Homeowners Property Tax Account = $190 million 

  • Year 1: Property Tax Relief to All Property Owners = $50 million  

• HB 236: $50M in additional property tax relief​

2022​

• HB 436: $350M tax rebate; individual & corporate tax rate reduced from 6.5% to 6%

• HB 1: $500M tax rebate; individual & corporate tax rate reduced from 6% to 5.8% (special session)

My focus remains clear: families first! I continue to pass legislation that restores parental rights and upholds our traditional family values. The family is the core of our communities. We must do all we can to strengthen the family!

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In line with traditional family values, I stand for human life. It is sacred and should always be protected. I have always stood and fought to save the lives of our preborn children. I have supported every single piece of pro-life legislation! Here are bills I have worked to pass that protect the family and human life.​

• House sponsor for Idaho’s Heartbeat bill, which is one of the most significant pieces of pro-life legislation passed and signed into law. This legislation protects the unborn by halting all abortions after a heartbeat is detected at 6-weeks. This legislation protects the mother’s life. It also allows for exceptions with the rare occurrence of rape and incest.

• Sponsored the Medical Parental Rights Act in 2024 which ensures that parents will always be allowed to oversee the medical care of their minor children. Follow-up amendments were passed this session to clarify that no one who is acting reasonably to provide non-emergency care will be held in violation.

• Sponsored a bill (which is now law) that criminalizes trafficking a minor across state lines for an abortion with the intent of concealing the crime from the minor’s parents. Parental rights are always paramount! 

• Sponsored bill preventing removal of an abused child from the home and instead requires the offending adult to be removed. This allows children to remain in a safe, familiar environment instead of being put in foster care.

• Supported legislation ensuring that taxpayer dollars are not to be used to change a person’s sex in any way that is not consistent with one’s biological sex. Governor Little also called for this legislation.

• Sponsored legislation making birth records available to adoptees once they turn 18.

As a female athlete, and as coach to thousands of female athletes, I could see that the future of women's sports was in jeopardy. So I took bold action: I authored, sponsored, carried and passed the very first "Fairness in Women's Sports Act", which banned biological men from invading and dominating women in sports.

 

This bold action began a nation-wide movement to stand up for female athletes and their right to compete.

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Since passing this bill in Idaho a short time ago, I have helped 18 states (so far) all across the Country to pass similar legislation to protect women's rights in sports. 

 

This past June 23, 2022, I flew back to Washington DC for the 50th anniversary celebration of Title IX.  It was an amazing event as I was able to speak and visit with so many people from fantastic organizations from across this country that has been there to help with my “Fairness in Sports Act” legislation throughout the States.  Former Congresswomen Tulsi Gabbard also participated.  It was fun for me to visit with her.  I let her know that our Republican party was open to her joining us!   But my highlight of that trip was being invited by our upcoming House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Congressman Jim Banks to participate on (not just testify in front of) a special Congressional hearing concerning Title IX on its 50th anniversary.  Without a doubt, this was a highlight of my political career.  I sat at the panel with other Congressmen, including the aforementioned, Utah Congressman Burgess Owens, Florida Congresswomen Kat Cammack, New York Congresswomen Claudia Tenney, and others.

 

While there I was able to meet with our Congressional Delegation.  Joining me was our Idaho athletes who have joined the lawsuit in supporting the Fairness for Women’s Sports Act.  These gals had to run against a biological male, June Eastwood, who annihilated our women.  We were also joined by the three Connecticut gals who inspired my legislation as well as members of our pro family, pro religious freedom groups.  Everyone also joined me as we then went to meet with Senator Marsha Blackburn – ‘what is a woman?’  Overall, these were fantastic and productive meetings.  Please remember that this legislation is important on so many levels that go beyond sports.  As the left tries to redefine what a woman is, they are also refining what a mother is and our role in the family.  This fight is important on so many levels and that, my friends, is why I am engaged in the fight. 

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Our Declaration of Independence declares that our rights are inalienable, or that they come from God, not man. Our Founders understood this and made it a point to include our freedom of speech, freedom of religion and freedom to peacefully assemble. You cannot have one without the others. I have ALWAYS stood to protect these rights!

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I have also brought legislation to protect these rights:

• The Campus Free Speech law protects a student’s free speech rights on college campuses. This legislation prevents universities from creating speech zones or allowing only certain speakers on campus to be heard. 

• "Coach Kennedy's Law" passed in 2023 protects our First Amendment right to freedom of religion and the ability to exercise our individual expression without fear of repercussion at a public college, school district or charter school.

• Sponsored a resolution affirming that prayer is a vital part of our legislative activities and calling for an official time of prayer. 

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All my life, I have supported our INL and their pursuit of innovation, nuclear energy and small modular reactors. I have also been incredibly supportive of our water resources throughout Idaho and especially the hydro power here in Idaho Falls.

See the legislation I authored here:

• https://legislature.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/sessioninfo/2019/legislation/HCR009.pdf

• https://legislature.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/sessioninfo/2020/legislation/HCR031.pdf

I fight to ensure that our right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed in any way. 

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NRA - Lifetime "A" rating as one who is a pro-gun/pro-hunting advocate and stands strongly for the right to keep and bear arms.

ISAA - Consistently respond with 100% pro-gun answers to the Idaho Second Amendment Alliance surveys.

The fight for better healthcare for everyone is ongoing. We need to take a more innovative approach to customizing our health insurance plans according to our needs.

• Just as we customize our home and car insurance, we should be able to do the same for health insurance. Increased personalized health insurance options will make rates more competitive and patient-friendly, which will lead to decreased insurance premiums.

• Currently, only "in network" doctors can be used (which is silly!). All doctors, especially our own doctor, should be accessible. 

• Medical procedures, whether from hospitals or doctors, should be honest and transparent up front. We have a right to see what each exam and procedure will cost before we receive the health services. ​

These three simple changes will dramatically improve the quality of our healthcare and lower our healthcare costs.

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Healthcare paid for by taxpayers should be guarded against fraud and abuse. This is why I supported HB 913 which implemented work requirements for Medicaid recipients. This was passed and signed by the governor.

I come from a farming family, and Idaho is an agriculture state.  I have always supported our Idaho farmers and the use of our natural resources - such as water - to make this happen.  That is why I have received the following awards and endorsements:

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• Farm Bureau - Friend of Agriculture;

• Food Producers - ALL Star Award;

• ID Water Users Association - 100% voting record  

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I have also worked HARD to support legislation that secured monies for water in Eastern Idaho. In 2025, we passed $30 million to help monitor aquifers and pay for vital water infrastructure projects.