House Supports Boise State Volleyball Team, Opposes Transgender Policies
In a significant move on Tuesday, the Idaho House unanimously expressed backing for the Boise State University women’s volleyball team while opposing current transgender athletic participation policies. Representative Barbara Ehardt, a Republican from Idaho Falls and the resolution’s sponsor, introduced House Concurrent Resolution 2, which, although nonbinding, urges the NCAA and Mountain West Conference to abolish their transgender policies.
Ehardt commended the Boise State volleyball team for demonstrating "great courage and integrity," particularly following incidents last fall when the team forfeited three matches against San José State University due to a transgender athlete’s presence on the opposing roster. The last of these forfeits occurred during the Mountain West postseason tournament, effectively ending Boise State’s season and diminishing their chances of NCAA tournament qualification.
The resolution passed with a 61-8 vote along party lines, with no debate from lawmakers. However, House Assistant Minority Leader Steve Berch, absent during the voting, later expressed that he would have opposed the resolution, criticizing it for urging total revocation rather than a review of the policies.
Meanwhile, the State Board of Education’s budget proposal drew scrutiny from legislators. Governor Brad Little is seeking a $72.4 million budget for the board, a 30% increase, largely for workforce training programs. As the board looks to expand staffing from 61 to 89 positions to enhance educational oversight, lawmakers raised concerns over the program’s efficiency and necessity.
Additionally, a new bill banning most non-official flags in public school classrooms was introduced by Rep. Ted Hill, aiming to limit distractions from political or ideological symbols. This proposal is expected to return to the House Education Committee for further discussion.
Overall, these developments highlight a growing legislative focus on education and gender policies within Idaho.
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