Author: KIFI

Par Kermani

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — The Natural Medicine Alliance of Idaho is entering what organizers describe as a “final big push” to place medical cannabis on the November 2026 ballot, following years of gridlock in the legislature.

The proposed Idaho Medical Cannabis Act would legalize the use of marijuana for patients with pre-approved medical conditions. Amanda Watson, Communications Lead for the Alliance, says the initiative is popular despite legislative opposition.

“We see lots of different people reaching out with various conditions. And there are lots of really incredible stories. And I think it’s a privilege not to have one of those stories. I hope that we can see some empathy from those, those folks who may or may not necessarily understand it as much, to be open-minded about what this could really do for patients in Idaho.” Watson said.

The Alliance has modeled its proposal after Utah’s medical cannabis law, though Watson notes they have made it more conservative. These measures include a limited number of production licenses to prevent market saturation and a total ban on public advertisements.

“We knew that we needed to have a very conservative approach that allowed for oversight, that allowed for restrictions that did not make this a free-for-all,” Watson said.

The push comes as the Idaho Legislature introduced new measures Friday to further restrict the citizen initiative process. Additionally, voters will decide on HJR 4 in 2026, a constitutional amendment that would give the legislature exclusive authority over the legalization of controlled substances.

Despite the legislative resistance, Watson points to internal polling showing that 83% of Idaho voters support a medical cannabis program. She says the campaign has seen particularly strong momentum in eastern Idaho and is now focused on meeting the requirements for the initiative to be placed on the ballot.

“This is our opportunity in a democracy to voice our opinion,” Watson said. “While disappointing that we were not able to get any traction with our legislature, we have it with the voting public, and we believe this will pass.”

The initiative was inspired in part by the experience of the late Dr. Dori Tunney, a pediatrician and cancer patient who advocated for legal access to medical cannabis for pain management before she died in 2024.

“It was a very difficult thing to manage,” said Watson. “And that kind of set off a light bulb where she felt this should be accessible.”

The Alliance has until the end of April to collect signatures from 6% of registered voters in each of Idaho’s 35 legislative districts. Organizers say they are maintaining regional offices and a presence at major community events across the state to meet the deadline.

“We are pushing and pushing and pushing until that final bell rings,” Watson said. “We really want people to be able to vote on this in November.”

For more information on how you can support the measure, click HERE.

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Seth Ratliff

UPDATED: MARCH 30, 2026

FORT HALL, Idaho (KIFI) — The Shoshone-Bannock Tribes are mourning the loss of William “Bill” F. Bacon, a longtime Tribal Judge and “tireless advocate” who passed away in a crash near Pocatello on Thursday, March 26. The Bannock County coroner’s office has confirmed Bacon was the victim in Thursday’s fatal passenger car vs. semi crash along I-15.

Tribal Leadership says Bacon will be deeply missed, and his legacy will continue to guide and benefit the Tribes for generations to come. Bacon is remembered for 37 years of transformative service to the Tribes.

Crash Details

According to ISP, the crash took place at 7:12 AM on Interstate 15 at mile marker 69. Police say Bacon was traveling north on I-15, driving a 2002 Nissan Altima. At the same time, a 2003 Freightliner semi-truck and trailer, driven by a 39-year-old male from Utah, was traveling southbound on I-15.

Police say Bacon’s Nissan Altima left the roadway, crossed through the median, and collided with the semi-truck head-on. Bacon was not wearing a seatbelt and died at the scene of the crash.

“My deepest condolences go out to Mr. Bacon’s family, friends, and the community whose lives he impacted in Southeast Idaho,” said Coroner Torey Danner.

The crash is under investigation by the Idaho State Police.

RELATED: Pocatello man killed in head-on collision with semi-truck on I-15

A “Steadfast Protector” of Tribal Rights

Bacon’s career was defined by his commitment to tribal sovereignty, serving 24 years as General Counsel and 12 years as Tribal Judge.

In a Facebook post, the Shoshone-Bannock Tribal leadership shared several of Bacon’s notable achievements, characterizing him as a “steadfast protector” of Tribal rights. Alongside his legal team, he secured landmark victories that fundamentally reshaped the legal landscape for Indigenous people.

Restoring Treaty Rights: Bacon played a pivotal role in the U.S. Supreme Court effort that overturned the 1896 Ward v. Racehorse decision, restoring off-reservation hunting and fishing rights denied since Idaho’s statehood. Tribal leadership says he also successfully defended those rights in multiple Idaho Supreme Court challenges.

The FMC Landmark Case: He served as counsel in the historic FMC Corporation litigation regarding hazardous waste storage. To this day, Tribal leadership says it remains unique in U.S. legal history as the only one to satisfy both Montana exceptions for tribal jurisdiction over non-Indians.

Tribal Independence: Bacon also secured a multi-million-dollar fuel tax victory, further supporting the Tribes’ fiscal independence.

A graduate of Northwestern University and the University of Idaho, Bacon was a member of the U.S. Supreme Court Bar Association and, in 2023, received the Martindale-Hubbell Distinguished Attorney award.

Beyond the courtroom, Bacon deeply embraced Shoshone-Bannock culture, participating in traditional sweat lodge and sundance ceremonies. In a statement released Friday, Tribal leadership expressed deep gratitude for Bacon’s lifetime of dedication.

“Bill Bacon’s legacy is written in restored treaty rights, protected sovereignty, and resources secured for our people through his leadership and collaboration with his legal team,” said Chairwoman Donna Thompson. “He has been more than counsel—he has been a steadfast guardian of our future and a dear friend of the Tribes.”

Bill Bacon is survived by his wife, Lisa, and their three daughters.

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Seth Ratliff

BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) — A controversial proposal that would criminalize those using public bathrooms that don’t match an individual’s biological sex is heading to Governor Brad Little’s desk. House Bill 752 passed the Idaho Senate on Friday morning. Should Governor Little sign it, it would mark a significant 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, HB 752 would extend these restrictions to all government and public buildings.

Under the proposed legislation, it would be illegal for any individual to “knowingly or willfully” enter 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 has sparked a fierce divide within the Statehouse. Opponents have lambasted the legislation as an ‘unacceptable and discriminatory misuse of the criminal justice system.’

Supporters argue the bill is meant to keep women and girls safe and keep biological men out of areas designed for women. The bill’s sponsor, Senator Ben Toews, R-Pocatello, says he believes the legislation is a matter of protecting Idahoans.

“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.

The bill faced unanimous opposition from the Senate’s six Democrats, joined by one Republican holdout, Senator Jim Guthrie (R-Pocatello). Guthrie questioned the practicality and humanity of the mandate, arguing that transgender people will get in trouble no matter what they do.

“We seem to be really focused on this space and ignoring the fact that there are people just like us,” Guthrie argued. “What are they supposed to do? I think stuff like this is harmful.”

ACLU Calls for Gubernatorial Veto

Immediately following the vote, the ACLU of Idaho issued a statement calling on Governor Brad Little to veto the bill, labeling it “dangerous and unprecedented.”

“This bill’s proposed punishments for using public facilities are extreme and unnecessary. A trans person who enters a restroom that aligns with their gender identity could receive the same punishment as someone convicted of a violent crime,” said ACLU of Idaho spokesperson Taylor Munson.

The ACLU further argued that the government’s responsibility is to protect the dignity and freedom of all Idahoans, regardless of gender identity. Governor Little now has 5 working days to sign or veto the bill. If the governor does not sign or veto the bill within five days, while the legislature is in session, the bill automatically becomes law without a signature.

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Sean Dolan

Originally posted on IdahoEdNews.org on March 26, 2026

By: Sean Dolan

BOISE, Idaho — Slapping an “of Idaho” onto the end of a political action committee’s name doesn’t necessarily mean the money it spends comes from within the Gem State. 

The Citizens Alliance of Idaho PAC on Wednesday reported a $400,000 contribution from Citizens Alliance Political Action Committee Inc., a super PAC based in Fairfax, Va., just outside of Washington, D.C.

That’s on top of a $50,000 donation the super PAC made last month to the Idaho PAC, for a total of $450,000 this year.

The only other itemized contributions the Citizens Alliance of Idaho PAC has reported this year are $100 donations from Jilene Burger of Idaho Falls — a Republican running against Rep. Marco Erickson, R-Idaho Falls, in May — and Robert Shillingstad of Hayden.

According to the Citizens Alliance of Idaho PAC’s website, the group wants to bring honesty and integrity to state politics by getting legislators to sign “The Citizens Alliance of Idaho Pledge.”

Forty-two have signed on, including Republican Reps. Cornel Rasor, Heather Scott, Dale Hawkins, Vito Barbieri, Jordan Redman, Joe Alfieri, Elaine Price and Republican Sens. Phil Hart, Doug Okuniewicz, Ben Toews and Carl Bjerke.

A screenshot from Idaho Sunshine shows that nearly all of the Citizens Alliance of Idaho PAC’s contributions this year come from out-of-state companies. (Photo courtesy of the Idaho secretary of state’s website)

According to the PAC’s website, legislators who sign the pledge agree to vote in support of:

The right to self defense

Individual medical freedom

Election integrity

Expanding education freedom

The right to due process

The pledge was inspired by the Idaho State Constitution and the U.S. Constitution, the website states. A video on the site provides more information.

“Talk is cheap and so are political promises, hidden agendas and special interests,” a narrator says over a video clip of a cowboy wrangling livestock. “That’s why we created the Citizens Alliance of Idaho pledge, affirming the values Idahoans have been livin’ by for over a hundred years.”

Who’s funding the super PAC?

As the Citizens Alliance super PAC is a national committee, the Federal Election Commission provides data on its funding and spending.

For the two-year period of 2025 and 2026, the super PAC reported $1.79 million in donations.

Of that, $1.29 million came from one business, POM of Pennsylvania LLC, which is associated with Pace-O-Matic, Inc., a business that describes itself as the “nation’s leading developer of skills games.”

There is a debate over whether the “skill games” that Pace-O-Matic produces are gambling devices, according to a November story from the Pennsylvania Capital-Star, part of the nonprofit States Newsroom, which also owns the Idaho Capital Sun.

In the 2025-26 filing period, two Idaho residents contributed to the Citizens Alliance super PAC.

Eagle resident Dan McKnight contributed $2,500 and Camp Hill resident Lynn Bradescu donated $1,000. Bradescu is a conservative realtor who ran for Boise City Council last year, as BoiseDev reported. That $3,500 from Idaho residents accounts for 0.2% of the super PAC’s funding in 2025.

During the 2024 election cycle, the super PAC donated $435,000 to the Citizens Alliance of Idaho PAC. The Idaho PAC spent $67,107 on independent expenditures to support or oppose legislative candidates in 2024 and reported $446,961 in expenditures that year to Mobilize the Message LLC, based in Fort Walton Beach, Fla.

“If anything, the only special interests represented by the Pledge are the citizens of Idaho,” the Citizens Alliance of Idaho’s website states.

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Ryan Suppe

By: Ryan Suppe and Kevin Richert

Originally posted on IdahoEdNews.org on March 27, 2026

The Senate Education Committee on Friday rejected eleventh-hour amendments to a bill cutting state funding for the Idaho Digital Learning Alliance (IDLA) and advanced the legislation unchanged.

House Bill 940 now goes to the full Senate. The House passed the bill on a 48-22 vote Wednesday. 

The bill would cut about half of IDLA’s $26 million budget through a number of policy changes. It would eliminate the virtual course platform’s elementary programs and cut state funding for driver’s education. It would also prohibit “custom sections,” courses taken by students who are all from a single district, unless the district can’t find a teacher for the course.  

On Thursday, Sens. Codi Galloway, R-Boise, and Cindy Carlson, R-Riggins, proposed significant changes to the bill, including one that would have lowered the threshold for IDLA courses to qualify as a custom section. 

Senate Education members voted Thursday to hold the bill until Friday giving them more time to consider the proposed amendments. “I appreciate being able to have the extra time to look at this,”  Sen. Kevin Cook, R-Idaho Falls, said Friday before making a successful motion to send the bill to the Senate floor as is. 

Three school district superintendents, IDLA’s superintendent, the Idaho Association of School Administrators (IASA) and the Idaho School Boards Association spoke against the amendments. 

Andy Grover, IASA’s executive director, said districts lean on IDLA’s custom sections to fulfill graduation requirements — including recent courses that the Legislature required without providing additional funding to hire new teachers. 

“Somehow, we have teachers out there that just do nothing during the day,” Grover said. “That almost never works, and we have to look to IDLA to meet those needs.”

HB 940 defines a  “custom section” as an IDLA course in which 100% of enrolled students come from the same school district. One of Galloway’s proposed amendments would have brought the threshold down to 50% for districts with fewer than 1,500 students and 25% for districts with 1,500 or more students. The state wouldn’t have funded IDLA enrollments for students from the same district beyond these percentages. 

IDLA Superintendent Jeff Simmons said Friday that custom sections have been “sold to legislators as an abuse” of the platform’s funding model, but they’re “typically being used to fill gaps that schools are unable to meet.” 

“Many of these gaps were created by this Legislature as new graduation requirements such as middle school career exploration and digital literacy,” Simmons said. 

Another amendment, proposed by Carlson, would have made IDLA’s state budget “subject to appropriation,” and would have prohibited the platform from drawing on a public school stabilization fund when enrollment increases mid-year. 

The budget-setting Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee already included similar language in IDLA’s appropriation next fiscal year, but the amendment to HB 940 would have made it permanent — effectively capping the platform’s enrollment unless the Legislature agreed to increase it. 

“The appropriation bill that many of you haven’t seen has intent language that sets aside code and makes policy,” said Sen. Janie Ward-Engelking, D-Boise. “This would be policy made by the germane committee.”

Ward-Engelking supported advancing HB 940, without the amendments, but “I do worry about the cuts,” she said. “I hope that we can still provide all these services to our students.”

Carlson said the amendments would have made the bill better. Carlson also said she was surprised that superintendents who testified Friday were on board with advancing the bill, as long as it didn’t have amendments. “I’m surprised that they are not screaming about this bill.”

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News Team

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Chubbuck’s new Raising Cane’s is set to open next Tuesday on the corner of Yellowstone Avenue and Bullock Street. While the wait is nearly over for local “Caniacs,” city officials are warning that the highly anticipated arrival of Raising Cane’s will bring a massive influx of traffic.

The new restaurant is expected to draw crowds so large that the Chubbuck Police Department and the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) have implemented a specialized traffic management plan.

“We are excited to welcome Raising Cane’s to our community and anticipate increased traffic volumes during the grand opening. While we cannot predict exact customer behaviors, our Public Works and Police Departments are prepared to assist Raising Cane’s in mitigating impacts, and we ask everyone to please be patient during this period,” Mayor Burch said on Facebook.

To prevent gridlock on one of the city’s busiest streets, agencies are coordinating a strict flow pattern. If you are planning to attend the grand opening or are driving nearby, take note of these temporary restrictions:

No Left Turns: Drivers cannot turn left into the Raising Cane’s parking lot from Bullock Street.

Right-In Only: Access from Bullock Street will be restricted to right-turns only.

Preferred Route: Officials are urging fans to access the restaurant via Hurley Drive rather than turning directly from US-91.

Clear Zones: Motorists are strictly prohibited from blocking intersections or letting lines back up onto the highway.

City officials noted on Facebook that Raising Cane’s has a “devoted fan base that tends to show up in a big way,” and they expect Tuesday to be no exception. Whether you’re hunting for a Box Combo or just trying to get to work, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

Allow extra time while traveling on US-91 near Bullock Street, especially during daytime hours.

Be mindful of intersections and keep them clear so traffic can continue flowing.

Follow all posted traffic control signs.

Use Idaho 511 for any traffic updates.

Raising Cane’s is scheduled to open Tuesday, March 31. Crews will be monitoring traffic throughout the week to keep things running smoothly.

Heads Up “Caniacs”: New Location in Idaho Falls

“Caniacs” in East Idaho have more to look forward to. Representatives for Raising Cane’s and the City of Idaho Falls have confirmed that a second East Idaho location is officially on the way.

Construction has already begun in the Best Buy parking lot (west side of 25th Street). Crews are currently digging the foundation, and full-scale building construction is expected to launch next month. Once completed, the new restaurant will be located at 22-36 S 25th East, giving Idaho Falls residents their own “One Love” fix closer to home.

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Seth Ratliff

BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) — Governor Brad Little has signed Senate Bill 1250 into law, officially blocking the release of crime scene photos of the victims of the 2022 University of Idaho murders and similar future tragedies.

The legislation aims to close a loophole in public records requests that could have allowed sensitive images of the deceased to become public. The bill, which unanimously passed the Idaho House and Senate, was championed by the family of Kaylee Goncalves, one of the four students killed in the November 2022 attack.

“This change will help protect grieving families from the additional pain of having sensitive photos released that should remain private,” wrote Governor Little on Facebook. “I applaud Alivea and the Goncalves family for their incredible advocacy in the face of immense tragedy.”

According to the bill’s statement of purpose, the law explicitly prevents images of deceased crime victims from being disclosed through public records requests. The Goncalves family applauded the passage in an interview with NewsNation.

“It was long overdue, not personally for this case, but just for victims of rights in general in Idaho and, you know, other states,” Kaylee’s sister, Alivea Goncalves, told NewsNation Thursday.

The new law will take effect on July 1, 2026.

Unsettling Kohbergher DMV Footage Surfaces

Kohberger Caught in Casual Conversation With DMV Worker About Murders He Committed (Storyful)

The signing of the bill coincides with the release of security footage involving confessed killer Bryan Kohberger, who pleaded guilty in June 2025 to the murders of Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin.

The video, captured on November 18, 2022—just five days after the murders—shows Kohberger at a Pullman, Washington, DMV office. He was there to switch his white Hyundai Elantra’s registration from Pennsylvania to Washington plates, after investigators say his car was spotted driving past the victim’s King Rd. home multiple times on November 15th.

The nearly 15-minute video, sent to Storyful by the Washington State Department of Licensing, shows Kohberger speaking with a local DMV employee. After telling Kohberger how safe she typically feels in Washington, the employee brings up to the local impact of the killings.

“I really like it though; I like how small, quiet, and I would say safe [it is],” the employee tells Kohberger. “But the whole Moscow thing kind of makes it feel a little less [safe].”

Kohberger remains “stony-faced,” offering brief responses as the clerk unknowingly discusses the very crime he had committed just days before.

Kohberger was arrested over a month later, at his parents’ home in Pennsylvania. He was later sentenced to life in prison on July 23, 2025, as part of his plea deal to avoid the death penalty.

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Kaeden Lincoln

By: Kaeden Lincoln

Originally posted on IdahoEdNews.org on March 26, 2026

Idaho Gov. Brad Little signed a bill instructing the Idaho Department of Education to develop a statewide framework for integrating generative artificial intelligence (AI) into classrooms.

The framework will serve teachers just as much, if not more, than students, said State Superintendent Debbie Critchfield.

Critchfield once asked a classroom of fourth graders if they use AI every day. All of them raised their hands, she told reporters after the bill signing ceremony.

“The surprised group in the room were the adults,” Critchfield said. The framework the Idaho Department of Education develops, she said, should “force adults to catch up with kids.”

Before Little signed Senate Bill 1227, the state had no guidelines for AI use in schools. The law is open-ended so it can adapt over time.

“We didn’t tie down the bill,” said Sen. Kevin Cook, R-Idaho Falls. Cook, a software engineer, sponsored the bill in the Senate.

The law requires the framework to be “human-centered,” transparent and safe.

By “generative AI,” the bill means chiefly text, image and video generation, according to the bill’s own definition.

It excludes AI models that “have the primary goal of classifying data, such as those in automated vehicles.”

“You can make the argument that the AI genie is out of the bottle,” Little said. “Nobody’s putting that genie back in the bottle.”

Little referred to Moore’s Law, an observation made by former Intel leader Gordon Moore in 1965, which essentially proposed that semiconductors, the computer component that enables AI to “think,” would shrink to half their size every two years.

“Everybody thought it wasn’t going to happen,” Little said of Moore’s Law, “and it just continued to happen.”

Idaho Governor Brad Little after signing an AI education bill on March 26, 2026 at the Idaho Capitol. (Kaeden Lincoln/IdahoEdNews)

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Danielle Mullenix

We are expecting a warm-up into the weekend across Eastern Idaho and Western Wyoming, with possible record highs climbing back into the 70s by Sunday. Friday will start with a light breeze and cooler air, but turn into blue skies by the afternoon. This will be followed by another cold front on Monday, which should bring some scattered showers to the region. This is accompanied by another complete pattern change with the pattern turning cooler and wetter for the second half of next week.

We start Friday morning with high clouds drifting through southeastern Idaho. High temperatures today will range from the upper 50s across the central mountains and eastern highlands to the low 60s across most of the Snake River Plain and Magic Valley. Highest wind gusts will be around 15-20mph. Partially cloudy conditions for the bulk of the region, with blue skies spilling into the afternoon hours. Lows will settle back down into the lower 40s and 30s overnight.

Quiet weather will be the continuous throughline for our weekend forecast, with winds decreasing each day and temperatures rising. High temperatures for Saturday begin climbing back up into the 60s and 70s fairly quickly, with dry weather remaining consistent. Sunday temperatures remain in the upper 60s and low 70s with wind gusts climbing back up into the 25-35 mph range.

The next cold front will arrive by Monday afternoon, so expect to dress for cooler, wetter weather by the top of next week.

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Dylan Carder

REXBURG, Idaho (KIFI) – The Rexburg Area Chamber of Commerce is celebrating a century of helping business grow in the area. Thursday night, the chamber held its annual Farmer Merchant Banquet at Madison High School.

Around 500 people filled the gym to celebrate the milestone and raise money for future chamber events. The event honored some of the outstanding businesses and leaders in the Rexburg and Sugar City area with prizes and awards.

This year’s banquet also celebrated the Chamber’s 100th anniversary. Chamber Chairman of the Board, JC Weber says it is “a big deal for any organization to make it 100 years.” The Rexburg Area Chamber of Commerce was formed in 1926 on Main Street where the Key Bank is today.

With 100 years under its belt, Weber believes the future of the Chamber will be “bigger and better.”

“We have continual growth. We are so excited to see the growth in all of those that are coming to this area.” Weber reports the Chamber is seeing record membership this year.

Weber is a lifelong resident of Rexburg. He says his business has seen the benefits of Chamber membership.

“When I bought the Circle of Love from by parents six years ago, they said the number one thing you need to do is be part of the Chamber of Commerce. You only get out of something as much as you are willing to put in.”

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