Month: April 2026

KIVI Staff

By: KIVI Staff

Posted 8:50 AM, Mar 31, 2026

NAMPA, Idaho (KIVI) — The City of Nampa said goodbye to Mayor Rick Hogaboam on Tuesday as neighbors gathered at the Ford Idaho Center to honor his life and legacy.

A changing of the guard at Hogaboam’s casket marked the beginning of a memorial centered around faith, family, and public service.

“Today is the most difficult thing I have ever had to do as a mother,” Hogaboam’s mother, Michong Chong, said. “No mother should ever have to see their son go before them.”

Chong told service goers that the loss is still hard to understand.

“He told me how much he loved new job as a mayor,” Chong said. “He was so excited. To make a better place to live, anyway he could.”

Former Nampa Mayor Debbie Kling was among those invited to the stage as the service turned from music to personal tributes.

“Your dad would want you to know how much he loved you. He was so proud of you, each and every one of you,” Kling said.

Before he became mayor, Hogaboam served as senior pastor of Sovereign Grace Fellowship in Nampa. Those closest to him say his life in public service shaped how he led.

ALSO READ | ‘A sign of life’: Nampa teens plant memorial trees at West Park to honor the late Mayor Rick Hogaboam

“He used to be our pastor when he first moved to Idaho,” friends Randy and Sue said.

A photo from his office offered a glimpse into how Hogaboam viewed the job, showing a countdown clock reminding him exactly how much time he had left to serve his community as mayor.

The memorial turned deeply personal when Hogaboam’s 13-year-old son, Ezra, stepped forward to read Psalm 23.

Tuesday night’s service made it clear that Hogaboam will be remembered not just for the office he held, but for the people he led, served, and left behind.

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Seth Ratliff

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Governor Brad Little has signed a new bill into law criminalizing the use of public bathrooms not matching biological sex. The new law marks a sweeping expansion of the state’s existing trans bathroom ban.

While the 2023 law already mandates that Idaho schools regulate bathrooms and locker rooms based on biological sex, the newly signed law expands those restrictions to state-owned buildings and other public spaces. 

House Bill 752 will create criminal charges for any individual who “knowingly or willfully” enters a bathroom or locker room that does not correspond with their biological sex. The bill introduces strict criminal consequences. A first-time violation is classified as a misdemeanor, while a second offense would be a felony.

The bill was quickly signed after reaching the Governor’s Desk on Monday afternoon, March 30th.

Polarized Senate Debate

This bill has been one of the most talked-about — and controversial — of the session, with strong feelings on both sides of the aisle.

The bill’s sponsor, Senator Ben Toews (R-Pocatello), defended the legislation during Senate hearings, framing it as a measure designed to keep women and girls safe and keep biological men out of areas designed for women.

“Actually, what we are trying to solve here is not targeting any group of people or one person. It’s dealing with sexual predators and very real issues,” Toews told lawmakers in the Senate hearing.

Critics argue it targets transgender people and could lead to harassment or discrimination. The law takes effect July 1st, 2026.

Protests and the Trans Day of Visibility

The Governor’s signature arrived just as advocates gathered across the state for Trans Day of Visibility. Rallies in Boise, Idaho Falls, and Pocatello served as both a celebration of the community and a protest against a legislative session many described as a “direct attack” on their rights.

“Trans folks in Idaho are under attack,” said Hannah Pearson-Kleinheider, a non-binary resident at the Idaho Falls rally. “Even if people don’t really think about us all the time, we’re here. So we’re going to still keep being here.”

The rallies coincided with the passage of another piece of legislation affecting transgender Idahoans, the “Pediatric Secretive Transitions Parental Rights Act.” The bill would require educators and mental health professionals to disclose information to parents if a child is questioning their gender identity. The bill has passed both the Idaho House and Senate and is headed to Governor Brad Little’s desk.

Advocates like organizer Leah McNeal expressed grave concerns regarding the safety of children in unsupportive homes. “Forcibly outing a child… it’s going to have catastrophic effects,” McNeal said. “I worry about the mental health of some of these kids.”

Evelyn Byrd, another attendee in Idaho Falls, said she came to push back against “harmful recent legislation” and to help others feel safe within the community. Byrd encouraged those outside the LGBTQ+ community to set aside internet-based assumptions and engage in direct conversation.

Despite the political tension, organizers emphasized a theme of “trans joy.” In Idaho Falls, volunteer de-escalation teams monitored the event, which remained peaceful and focused on resilience.

“We wanted to give my community a place to kind of celebrate who we are in spite of the things that are happening,” Mcneal said. “We’re not going anywhere. We’re going to stay strong.”

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