Are you tired of winning yet? The Idaho Freedom Foundation (IFF) isn’t. The Idaho legislative session ended a few days ago, and by most measures, it was one of the most conservative sessions in recent history. We had some big wins (tax cuts, school choice, health freedom, immigration reform, etc.). But we also suffered some hard losses. We will always have more work to do.
Let’s first focus on accomplishing the mutual wins for Idaho and IFF. How did the conservative gains happen? Was it something in the water? Did legislators suddenly become aware of conservative principles? Did we just get lucky?
Luck doesn’t just happen. We can identify at least three prominent reasons for the rightward shift:
The Idaho Freedom Foundation had a role to play in all three areas. Let me explain.
Better Legislators
The Idaho Freedom Foundation is a powerhouse in championing freedom and protecting God-given rights in Idaho. Our Idaho Freedom Index is the gold standard for citizens and voters to know how their legislators vote on bills and budgets. In 2024, we distributed close to 40,000 copies of the Index, more than ever before. Freedom Index scores and grades are often used in campaigns for and against candidates who almost always tout conservative credentials. The Index provides proof positive for true conservatives; it is a game-changer.
Indeed, though the IFF does not engage in elections, our adjacent organizations, using our research and analysis, helped achieve fantastic primary and general election results in the last round. They informed voters of what was going on with Idaho government and their elected leaders. Because of these and others’ efforts, Idaho enjoyed a net gain of eight liberty-minded legislators joining the Idaho House and Senate in 2025.
We are confident that those gained seats translated into positive outcomes in Idaho’s legislature.
Legislators Voting Better
In 2024, we reintroduced the Idaho Freedom Foundation’s 2024 Idaho Report on Government Waste, aka the “Pork Report.” Years ago, the IFF published its first Pork Report and did another in 2019, but it was time we took another look at waste in the Idaho government. The Pork Report delivered over 60 examples of government waste emanating from Boise and all around the state.
These examples represent Idahoans’ hard-earned tax dollars being frittered away, all because government can’t control its spending and has poor incentives for preventing waste, fraud, and abuse.
Knowing how important the Idaho Freedom Index is for election success across Idaho’s mostly-conservative legislative districts, and seeing the examples of waste in Idaho government, the voting in the Legislature was much improved this year. For example, we observed 31 legislators scoring A or B Freedom Index grades for their votes on hundreds of rated bills. Last year, only 20 achieved an A or B freedom grade. So, not only did we have more conservative legislators, the voting behavior of the Legislature was more conservative, to boot.
Better Legislation
Finally, let’s take a look at the kinds of bills being proposed in the Legislature. Typically, we see a mix of good and bad bills proposed in committees and advanced to the floors of the Senate and House for consideration. This year, there were markedly more conservative bills and fewer stinky bills proposed. It’s true this is likely because of an improved composition of the Legislature, but it is noteworthy nonetheless.
In 2024, 139 bills having at least one floor vote were rated overall (not counting budget bills). Of them, 64 earned positive ratings, 58 were negatively rated, and 17 were neutral. The average rating of a bill in 2024 was minus 0.13. This year, the 2025 Legislature voted on 178 rated bills: 87 positive bills, 64 negative bills, and 27 neutral bills. The average rating was positive 0.16. Thus, the composition of the bills offered was markedly better this year for getting conservative results.
Better legislators (more conservatives), combined with legislators voting better (improved performance) and a better mix of bills to consider (fewer bad bill proposals), all worked to make 2025 one of the more successful conservative shifts in Idaho’s recent history. We applaud the conservative legislators who helped make it happen and urge the rest to “read the room” and improve their voting. Idaho is on a conservative path, similar to the U.S. trend under President Trump, and legislators would be wise to lead conservative, follow conservative, or just get out of the way.
Translation: Winning
Overall, the 2025 Legislature did some awesome things. School choice was finally passed (H93), welfare for illegals was abolished (H135), DEI in higher education was completely eliminated (S1198), robust health freedom protection was approved (S1210), far-left organizations will be prohibited from introducing drug-legalizing ballot initiatives (pending the approval of HJR4), and there was significant tax relief provided (H40) mostly on the income tax front.
Budgets still grew too much, but at least the growth was slower than it has been.
There were some losses, too. There was still a failure to repeal the grocery tax, a failure to hold Medicaid expansion fully accountable, a failure to repeal the Launch program, and yet again, the budget continued to grow even after years of government bloat.
Idaho and IFF’s Winning Agenda
The Idaho Freedom Foundation parlayed the 2024 electoral successes into wins for the 2025 legislative session. Late last fall, IFF announced its 2025 Idaho Freedom and Family Agenda. The Agenda is the list of conservative objectives the IFF worked to accomplish with lawmakers in the 2025 legislative session.
The 2025 Idaho Freedom & Family Agenda includes the following policy priorities:
You can see that all of the key items were achieved, at least in part. IFF-endorsed policies such as H135 stopped incentives for illegal immigration, S1198 and H397 helped eliminate wokeness in our schools, S1027 and H177 helped promote sound money policies, and H90 and H243 slashed bureaucratic growth and restrictions.
In addition, we fought to pass several bills. Bill H93 established education tax credits, creating a pathway for unregulated, robust, universal school choice in the future. Bill H40 also cut tax rates and removed taxes on gold and silver gains, furthering sound money policies and helping Idaho families.
However, we still have work to do to inform the public and Legislature on the problems with some taxes and policy. The House Revenue and Taxation Committee blocked a hearing for H260, which would have eliminated the grocery tax. Bill H83, which would have blocked illegal entry by foreign nationals, was watered down to near ineffectiveness to please special interests such as the Idaho Dairymen's Association and Food Producers of Idaho.
We need to keep working toward repealing taxes, promoting sound money, defending against illegal immigration, and fixing our bloated budgets, but that doesn't diminish the big wins in those areas.
Looking ahead to the 2026 session, conservatives should focus on rallying together to fight against powerful lobbying groups such as Big Ag, Big Pharma, the Idaho Association of Commerce & Industry, the Idaho Education Association, and all the lawmakers and bureaucrats who carry water for them. We must make conservative strides in these important policy arenas.
All in all, the Idaho Freedom Foundation applauds lawmakers for their efforts regarding each policy point to assist families and small businesses here in the Gem State. This year’s fantastic work at IFF and the Legislature’s recommitment to conservative values achieved amazing results.
These shared outcomes are only possible by sustaining our team of experts and all our operations through the support and trust of our partners. We deeply appreciate our partners’ support of all our efforts. Because of them, the 2025 legislative session was a very successful year in terms of legislative engagement and policy outcomes. A big “Thank You” to all our supporters!
Follow the Idaho Freedom Index here, and find the Idaho Freedom and Family Agenda here.
In liberty, with firm reliance on our Creator,
Ronald Nate, PhD
President, Idaho Freedom Foundation
