New direction of the legislature

BOISE, Idaho – How do you become a legislator in Idaho? First, win your election in November. Before the gavel falls in January, you are asked to attend a three-day orientation here at the Statehouse.

• A three-day orientation session will be held this week at the Idaho Statehouse.
• Freshman lawmakers in 2025 have a lot to think about ahead of the upcoming session.

(Below is the transcript of the broadcast story)
The 2025 Idaho Legislature will welcome the 68th Idaho Legislature, which includes two dozen freshmen. According to official figures, there are seven new senators and 18 new members of the House of Representatives, including retired businessman Kent Marmon of District 11A in Caldwell. I asked Mr. Marmon what the challenges of a crash course are.

“Lots of information,” Marmon said. “We’re busy visiting all of these departments and finding out what they do, how they serve the Legislature and the people of Idaho, and there’s a lot of information that we need to take away. Luckily we have a nice notebook with powerpoints and people we can call to help.”

There is a lot of important information in the freshman course – things like drafting bills, the Idaho Code, sessional laws, and constitutional laws. There is a lot to learn between now and January.

Rep. John Shirts of House District 9A is an Air Force JAG officer and still lives on his family farm in Weiser.

“Agriculture was a big topic for me,” Shirts said. “I wanted to have an impact on our farmers and ranchers. Water rights, fentanyl inspired me, as you know it kills so many people in our state.”

Rep. Rob Beiswender agrees that you have to think quickly and quickly.

“Solving your problems involves putting a lot of pieces together,” Beiswender said. “You have to be on a committee and address your concerns. You try to mix everything together, who you can trust, who you can work with, who you can’t ally with. There are a lot of things going on there.”

Idaho’s 2025 legislative session will officially begin in January with the governor’s State of the State address, and we will be there.