FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 6, 2025
BOISE, IDAHO – As the 2025 legislative session commences, Idaho Family Policy Center is excited to unveil our 2025 legislative agenda for this upcoming session, this includes:
- Ban Indecent Drag Shows and Other Sexual Exhibitions in Public Places Where Children Are Present
This legislation would create civil liability for organizers and performers who participate in indecent sexual exhibitions when children are in the audience.
- Read the Bible in Public Schools Without Instruction or Comment
This legislation would require daily Bible reading – without instruction or comment, and with appropriate conscience protections – in every state-funded public school.
- Establish Sabbath Overtime Pay for Hourly Workers
This legislation would require employers to pay overtime for work performed on Sunday – with limited exceptions.
- Recognize the Personhood of Preborn Children in State Law
This legislation would allow parents to claim preborn children as dependents for state tax purposes and expecting fathers to pay child support for preborn children.
- Support Pro-Life Pregnancy Resource Centers (PRCs)
This legislation would expand the state special charitable tax credit to drive even more private donations to Idaho pregnancy resource centers.
A statement from Blaine Conzatti, President of Idaho Family Policy Center:
As always, Idaho Family Policy Center will be at the Capitol, advocating the conservative Christian values that have made our state and nation great. We’re optimistic that we will see big victories for our pro-family, pro-faith, and pro-freedom legislative agenda.
On indecent drag shows in public places: It’s illegal for children to patronize strip clubs, and we don’t allow them to hang around adult movie stores. So why do we allow sexualized drag exhibitions in places like public parks and community libraries? It’s time to make sure children are protected by taking care of this issue once and for all.
On Bible reading in schools: For nearly 100 years, Idaho children heard the Bible read by their teachers at the start of every school day. We’ve all witnessed the devastating effects of removing the Bible and prayer from public schools. That is why it’s critical – now more than ever – that the Idaho Legislature takes this historic opportunity to bring the Bible back into the classroom.
On sabbath overtime: Our Lord set aside the Sabbath as a day of rest—and nearly every state in our nation once recognized this truth by enforcing “blue laws” that prohibited unnecessary commerce and labor on Sundays. By requiring employers to pay overtime for work performed on Sunday, our state legislature can help encourage rest, worship, and time with family and community.
On recognizing personhood of preborn children: When our Heartbeat law took effect on August 18, 2022, the elective abortion rate in Idaho effectively dropped to zero—a significant victory for which we praise God. But we still have a long way to go to ensure that every preborn child is granted equal protection and recognized as a full person under state law. One way to achieve this is by reforming our state tax laws to recognize preborn children as equal to those already born and by expecting fathers to provide child support for their preborn children.
On supporting pregnancy resource centers: Pregnancy resource centers specialize in providing free ultrasounds, baby supplies, medical care, and counseling, all with the goal of building strong families and strong communities. Additionally, many of the women and families they serve are facing unplanned or crisis pregnancies—and without the services provided by pregnancy resource centers, these women and their children would be added to the rolls of state social assistance programs. It is only fair that we expand the state special charitable tax credit to also include donations for Idaho pregnancy resource centers.
Media Contact:
For questions or to schedule an interview, please contact our Communications Manager Morgan MaGill at (208) 260-5844 or [email protected].
