Term
(208) 332-1339
Campaign Phone
2089490279
I am committed to addressing everyday problems that are presented to me and sponsoring legislation to solve those problems, like my bills to support survivors of sexual and domestic violence, to provide protections for people with dementia/Alzheimers when they experience an emergency, and to protect children and advocate for better systems to support foster families. I will continue to be a strong, reasonable voice, advocating for human rights and dignity, high quality schools, an economy that works for everyone, affordable housing, quality health care for everyone, and protecting access to our public lands.
I am the Senate Democratic leader, completing my second term in the Idaho Senate after serving 6 years in the House where I served on Joint Finance & Appropriations, Transportation & Defense, and Judiciary & Rules Committees. In the Senate, I serve as Co-chair of the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee, Health & Welfare, Judiciary & Rules, and State Affairs. I also serve on the Governor’s Criminal Justice Commission, Public Defense Commission, and Foster Care Oversight Committees. I have a solid understanding of the state budget process, criminal justice reform, and health care systems. I also serve as an advisory board member of the National Institute for Civil Discourse.
Extremism: The legislature has devolved from less government and local control to divisive culture wars where the GOP continues to initiate harmful bills intruding on personal freedoms from the bedroom to the boardroom. Fear-based, extremist attacks on public schools, teachers, librarians, and higher education are used to destabilize public schools in favor of private schools and costly voucher schemes. Strict abortion bans have led to an exodus of OBGYNS and made it dangerous to be pregnant in Idaho and damaged the entire health care system. Extremist attacks on the LGBTQ community have created such a hostile living environment that many people are moving out of state and young people don't want to raise families here.
YES. I believe that it is a woman’s fundamental right to determine when and if to have a child, but at the VERY least a pregnant patient should be able to receive abortion care if they are facing life threatening emergencies or long term health complications. It is shameful that the Idaho Legislature has criminalized doctors and enacted laws to allow a rapist's family members to sue a doctor for up to $20,000 for performing an abortion on a victim of rape or incest. So much for the so-called rape exception. Due to these laws, we have lost 22% of our OBGYNS, half of our high risk pregnancy doctors, and 3 labor and delivery units. These are decisions best left to the patient, their physician, and their support circles, NOT the government.
It has been an honor to serve District 19 and our entire state. I take this responsibility very seriously and work very hard to be responsive to my constituents and their concerns. I value human dignity and the rights of everyone to be who they are and live the life they choose free from government overreach.
