The Idaho Freedom Index is a tool for Idahoans to hold legislators accountable for their actions while they are in Boise. It is nearly impossible for the hardworking people of this state to follow what happens during the legislative session on a day-to-day basis. In an effort to ensure that residents are informed in a manner that is concise, the Idaho Freedom Foundation created the Freedom Index.

The most important thing to note: The Freedom Index does not grade legislators. The Freedom Index analyzes legislation based on 12 conservative metrics and depending on how legislators vote on bills, they earn their ranking. For example, the first metric asks, “Does it [the bill in review] create, expand, or enlarge any agency, board, program, function, or activity of government? Conversely, does it eliminate or curtail the size or scope of government?”

If a bill raises taxes it is going to receive a negative score. If a bill lowers taxes it will receive a positive score, and so on for all 12 metrics. It’s really simple.

The Idaho Freedom Index analyzed more than 100 of the most significant bills introduced during the 2016 legislative session. Unfortunately for them, many legislators voted against their self-proclaimed conservative principles and found themselves at the bottom of the rankings.

The Freedom Foundation does not advocate or intimidate legislators to vote a certain way on any legislation. To say otherwise is ludicrous. Unlike other organizations that do work on behalf of a specific group or special interest, the Freedom Foundation is only beholden to the 12 conservative principles that the Foundation believes will produce real solutions for Idaho.

Over the last several months, legislators who ranked low on the Freedom Index have been complaining that the Freedom Index is in someway skewed, unfair or untrue. What is truly unclear is whether said legislators find traditional conservative principles to be skewed, being held accountable is unfair, or if they feel their voting record is untrue.