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Committee approves code-cleanup bill removing Idaho Women's Commission after public testimony urging reactivation
Summary
The State Affairs committee voted to send SB 12-36 to the Senate floor with a do-pass recommendation. Sponsor said the measure removes obsolete, unfunded code; opponents including AAUW, League of Women Voters and local residents urged reactivation instead of elimination.
The State Affairs committee voted to send SB 12-36 to the Senate floor with a recommendation that it do pass after public testimony urging the legislature not to erase the statutory framework for the Idaho Women's Commission.
Senator Brian Lenny, sponsor of the code-cleanup bill, said the commission was defunded 17 years ago and that the bill simply removes obsolete language from Chapter 60, Title 67 of the Idaho Code. "This is one of those provisions the Idaho women's commission was defunded 17 years ago," Lenny said, adding the change would not affect budgets or staff because the body no longer operates.
Opponents told the committee the commission still matters. Dr. Mary Mosley, president of the American Association of University Women of Idaho, said she opposed SB 12-36 and warned that abolishing the code would "send a negative message to the women of Idaho," recounting the commission's founding in 1965 and its role in advancing women's rights.
Remote witness Kathy Dawes cited a 2024 Idaho Justice Project report showing a large increase in women's incarceration and urged lawmakers to keep the statutory vehicle that could address gender-specific policy needs. Marcia Bravo, speaking for the League of Women Voters, noted the legal framework still exists and argued it could be reactivated and funded without new legislation.
Committee members debated the merits of retaining dormant statutory language versus clearing obsolete code. Some senators said existing private organizations and changed public-sector representation reduce the need for a state commission; others contended the commission could play a useful role if reactivated and funded.
Senator Den Hartog moved to send SB 12-36 to the floor with a do-pass recommendation. The motion carried; the clerk recorded Senators Rucki and Burnt as voting no. The committee did not record a full roll call in the transcript beyond those two recorded nays.
What happens next: SB 12-36 will go to the Senate floor for further consideration. Advocates who urged preservation of the statutory framework signaled they would press for reactivation if the legislature does not amend or restore the commission in the future.
