Coeur d’Alene, Idaho — The Idaho Freedom Foundation awarded its 2016 Maurice Clements Legacy of Freedom Award to State Rep. Kathy Sims to honor her dedication to liberty.

IFF recognized Sims, a state lawmaker from Coeur d’Alene, for her continued efforts to hold the line on taxes and big government, as well as her fight to bring greater transparency to urban renewal agencies across the state.

Freedom Foundation Vice President Fred Birnbaum, who presented the award at an event Saturday night in Coeur d’Alene, thanked Sims for her staunch defense of conservative principles.

“Rep. Kathy Sims has stood as a tireless advocate for conservative policies that lift individuals, families, small businesses and entrepreneurs,” Birnbaum said. “The Legislature is all the better because Rep. Sims serves there and sticks to her values.”

The Freedom Foundation highlighted Sims’ votes against tax hikes, in addition to her pro-Second Amendment and pro-small business advocacy.

Sims, who operates a large auto dealership in North Idaho, served as a key voice during the 2015 and 2016 legislative sessions against a state regulation that could have shuttered small auto dealers by requiring them to stay open a specific number of hours each week.

After Maurice Clements passed earlier this year, the Freedom Foundation created the Maurice Clements Legacy of Freedom Award to honor his commitment to liberty. Sims is the first recipient of the award.

Clements was a longtime conservative activist and a former state lawmaker. He, along with fellow limited government icon Ralph Smeed, founded and operated the forerunner to IFF, the Center for the Study of Market Alternatives.

Note: Maurice Clements is featured in the photo attached to this post.