Courtesy Idaho Capital Sun

BY: CLARK CORBIN – APRIL 6, 2023 

On the final day of the 2023 session, the Idaho House of Representatives narrowly failed to override Gov. Brad Little’s veto of a controversial bill that would have prohibited libraries from providing “harmful materials” to minors. 

On Wednesday, Little vetoed House Bill 314, writing in a letter to legislators that the bill’s ambiguity would lead to unintended consequences for libraries and their patrons. Little also called out a section of the bill that would have allowed minors, their parents or guardians to sue for $2,500 for a violation of the bill. 

“Allowing any parent, regardless of intention, to collect $2,500 in automatic fines creates a library bounty system that will only increase the costs local libraries incur, particularly rural libraries,” Little wrote. “These costs will be forced onto property taxpayers of Idaho or cause libraries to close to minors altogether.”

The Idaho House voted 40-30 to pass House Bill 314 on March 31, before going at recess to see if Little would veto any late-session bills.

Idaho Legislature adjourns on 88th day of 2023 session

When legislators reconvened Thursday at the Idaho State Capitol in Boise, the Idaho House voted 46-24 — without any debate — to override Little’s veto. It would have taken 47 votes, or two-thirds of the members present, to override the veto. 

With the failed override behind them, legislators had little left to act on Thursday, and the Idaho House and Idaho Senate voted to adjourn for the year “sine die” a few moments later. 

“There have been several votes on that (library materials) issue and everybody knew where they were at, and it was just time to be done and go home,” House Speaker Mike Moyle, R-Star, told the Idaho Capital Sun on Thursday. 

Legislators had finished passing the state budget and wrapped up most of the year’s business March 31 before going into recess. Thursday marked the 88th day of the 2023 legislative session, which gaveled in on Jan. 9 with Little’s State of the State address. 

After the gavel fell, Moyle described it as a productive session where the Republican supermajority delivered on many of its biggest issues.

“We did some great things, from property tax relief, to awesome spending for education that’s never been heard of, we provided through property tax (legislation) to help build buildings in the future, judicial confirmation and judicial council fixes,” Moyle said. “We have been very blessed and had a great year. It’s been a lot of good stuff that’s getting done.”

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