Idaho Reports Idaho Public Television

This week is Children’s Mental Health Acceptance Week. Producer Ruth Brown spoke with Brenda Willson, executive director of FYIdaho, about the range of mental health resources available for parents and children in Idaho.

Power struggles between the legislative and executive branches are nothing new, but this year, those fights are starting to have real impacts on the state’s operations. Kevin Richert of Idaho Education News and Dr. Jaclyn Kettler of Boise State University discuss the results of the session for Gov. Brad Little, the upcoming primary elections, and more.

Idaho legislators have looked for several years at modifying the process by which cities can annex land and expand their boundaries. Associate producer Logan Finney sits down with Kelly Packer, executive director of the Association of Idaho Cities, to discuss the changes signed into law this year and why she thinks they will cause issues down the road.

The national spotlight is centered on whether Idaho’s abortion ban conflicts with federal law. Senate Minority Leader Melissa Wintrow shares her view on the oral arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court. Then, Attorney General Raúl Labrador gives his take on how the hearing went. Plus, Division of Financial Management administrator Alex Adams discusses how budgeting issues at Vocational Rehabilitation could affect clients.

The U.S. Supreme Court last week allowed an Idaho state law to take effect that bans gender-affirming care for transgender minors while litigation over the law moves through the courts. Associate producer Logan Finney sits down with Dr. Marvin Alviso, a family medicine doctor in Boise who offers gender-affirming care for adolescents and kids, to discuss what that medical care looks like and how the landscape is changing now that the law is in effect.

This week, Dr. Marlene Tromp from Boise State University discusses the future of higher education in Idaho amid discourse about student loan debt and workforce readiness. Plus, McKay Cunningham from the College of Idaho discusses arguments coming up before the U.S. Supreme Court regarding whether the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act, or EMTALA, overrules Idaho's state abortion ban.