Category: US State of Idaho

Source: US State of Idaho

Home Newsroom AG Labrador Secures Record Amounts for Idaho Consumers

BOISE, ID — Attorney General Raúl Labrador announced that his Consumer Protection Division (CPD)  returned a record amount to Idaho consumers through voluntary dispute resolution, without the need for lawsuits or court orders in the first six month of 2026. After Labrador reorganized the division in mid-2025 to strengthen investigations and consumer outreach, CPD mediations returned more than $1.1 million to Idaho consumers by the end of 2025.
This year is already on pace to exceed that total, with more than $956,000 returned to consumers through the end of June 2026. The last eighteen months have returned more money to Idaho consumers through voluntary mediation than all previous years combined since the Office began tracking these numbers in 2017. The division also brought 49 consumer protection enforcement cases in 2025, compared to 8 in 2023 and 17 in 2024, a 600 percent increase.
“My Consumer Protection Division is making a real difference for Idaho families and honest businesses,” said Attorney General Labrador. “These numbers show what this office was built to do: hold bad actors accountable and give Idahoans a fair shot at resolving disputes without the cost and delay of a courtroom. I’m proud of this team, and we will keep fighting for every Idaho consumer and good-faith business in the marketplace.”
The Consumer Protection Division receives complaints of every size involving fraud and marketplace deception, from contractor fraud worth tens of thousands of dollars to reports of misleading advertising. A team of three investigators, three attorneys, and support staff handles more than 2,000 complaints a year, submitted by phone, mail, online, and through the newly launched ReportScamsIdaho.com.
Voluntary mediation resolves disputes without a formal finding that the law was broken. It gives consumers and businesses a chance to compare facts, communicate directly, and reach a solution that preserves the marketplace relationship between them.
When a business’s conduct rises to a violation of the Idaho Consumer Protection Act, the Attorney General pursues formal enforcement, which can result in court judgments, penalties, and Assurances of Voluntary Compliance requiring businesses to correct their practices. The division also litigates multistate cases and class actions, including settlements involving tobacco, opioid manufacturers, and pharmaceutical price-fixing.

Source: US State of Idaho

Home Newsroom AG Labrador Pushes Federal Government to Further Crackdown on Illegal Robocalls

BOISE, ID — Attorney General Raúl Labrador and 48 other attorneys general today called on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to strengthen rules that would cut off scammers’ access to legitimate telephone numbers. Without that access, scammers can’t use real numbers to deceive and scam Americans. The Anti-Robocall Multistate Litigation Task Force asked the FCC to work on this issue in 2021, and members of this coalition are now responding to the FCC’s proposed rules.  
“Idahoans are tired of scammers swindling their families and flooding their phones with non-stop robocalls,” said Attorney General Labrador. “My Consumer Protection Division works daily to educate people on how to avoid scams, but we need to hold telecom providers accountable at the source for allowing that illegal traffic in the first place. I am urging the FCC strengthen it’s rules to cut off scammers before they can target Idaho families.”
Last year, Americans received approximately 29.6 billion scam robocalls and texts and lost nearly $2 billion to these scams. Scammers used to primarily illegally “spoof” other people’s phone numbers to make it look like a call was coming from a legitimate company or government agency. But scammers can’t easily do this anymore after the federal government and state attorneys general took action to cut down on illegal spoofing. Now, scammers often purchase legitimate phone numbers and use them to make robocalls.  
While most legitimate businesses use the same phone number for many years, scammers cycle through millions of brand new phone numbers, which helps them avoid detection by spam filters. In one North Carolina case, scammers made more than 17.3 million calls on a single day through one phone company – but they generally didn’t use the same number more than twice to make those calls, which is a common tactic among scammers.  
In addition to the steps the FCC is already taking, the bipartisan attorneys general are asking the federal government to do more, including:  

 Require every company that is authorized to purchase and then resell phone numbers in North America to meet stronger certification rules and share how and to whom they are assigning numbers.  
Require these companies to submit regular reports about the sale and use of numbers, so law enforcement can trace illegal robocalls back to the source. These reports will also help law enforcement hold all the companies in the call path accountable for selling or transmitting numbers used to conduct illegal robocalls.  
Require people and entities that are applying to access phone numbers to confirm that they won’t use them to make illegal robocalls. 
Block the sale of phone numbers to entities that aren’t tied to a calling or texting service. Robocallers often buy these numbers without linking them to a legitimate phone service, since they don’t plan on using the numbers for legitimate calling and texting purposes.  
Prohibit number cycling, which is when an entity buys lots of numbers and then uses them on a rotating, sometimes single-use basis to avoid being detected by tools that flag numbers used to make illegal robocalls. 
Restrict the offering of trial numbers to discourage scammers from taking advantage of them to harm consumers.  

Attorney General Labrador encourages Idahoans to visit ReportScamsIdaho.com for more resources on reporting, identifying and avoiding scams, or to file a consumer protection complaint.  

Source: US State of Idaho

Home Newsroom AG Labrador Files Closing Brief in Federal Lawsuit Defending Idaho’s Pro-Life Law

BOISE, ID — Attorney General Raúl Labrador’s office filed its closing briefs in Seyb v. Members of the Idaho Board of Medicine, capping a trial in which a St. Luke’s physician asked a federal court to strike down Idaho’s Defense of Life Act. The full closing brief is available to the press here.
Four years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court settled this issue for good. In Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the Court held the Constitution says nothing about abortion and left the decision on how to regulate abortion to the states. Relying on that authority, Idaho enacted laws to defend unborn children while still allowing mothers to make difficult decisions when their own lives are at risk.
Dr. Stacy Seyb is now asking a federal judge to defy that ruling and hand doctors the power to decide when an unborn child’s life ends, based on nothing more than their own shifting, undefined standards. Seyb also asked the Court to allow abortions when a doctor diagnoses an unborn child with a significant disability. He told the court he sees no point in continuing a pregnancy under such circumstances, questioning at trial, “What is the point?” Attorney General Labrador’s filing calls this exactly what it is: an attempt to use the courts to grant legal cover for eugenics, a position that has no place in Idaho.
Seyb’s testimony at trial shows that he failed to learn what Idaho’s laws actually required, and that he operated on a fundamental misunderstanding of the requirements of the law. That failure to understand Idaho’s law is actively harming women. Idaho law already allows doctors acting in their good faith medical judgment to save a mother’s life, without requiring a physician to wait until her death is imminent before performing a life-saving abortion. The Idaho Supreme Court settled that standard more than three years before this trial began. But Seyb testified that he never read that ruling and remains confused about Idaho’s laws. That misunderstanding led Seyb to fly a patient to Utah for care he could—and should—have given her in Idaho, resulting in the patient being septic when she arrived in Utah. Unrebutted expert testimony at trial confirmed that Seyb’s decision to fly that patient to Utah, instead of legally performing the life-saving abortion in Idaho, increased her risk of complications and death.
“For years, pro-abortion advocates, the medical establishment, and the mainstream media have pointed to Dr. Seyb’s claims to allege that Idaho’s pro-life laws forced women out of state and put their lives at risk. The sworn testimony in this case tells a very different story. Dr. Seyb refused to understand the law and created the danger for his patients,” said Attorney General Labrador. “Idaho law allows physicians to make good faith medical judgments to perform abortions when necessary to save the life of the mother. It does not require death to be imminent as suggested by Dr. Seyb. We will continue to defend this truth against misinformation and deception.”
The brief also notes that Idaho’s law has coincided with a dramatic drop in maternal deaths since Dobbs. Idaho’s pregnancy-related mortality rate has plummeted from 18.7 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2018 to 4.29 in 2024, and Idaho’s combined rate over the past two years runs well below the national average.
Finally, the brief explains in depth that there is no historical support in the history and traditions of the United States to support Seyb’s arguments that Idaho’s laws are unconstitutional. Rather, the clear history in the U.S. prior to the now overturned Roe v. Wade decision is that states were always free to regulate abortion. Idaho’s laws protecting unborn life, while allowing for an abortion when necessary to save the life of the mother, are consistent with centuries of U.S. legal history and tradition.

Source: US State of Idaho

Home Newsroom AG Labrador, Caldwell PD Announce Arrest for Alleged Possession of Child

BOISE, ID — Attorney General Raúl Labrador announced today that investigators with his Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit arrested 48-year-old Eusebio Capistran Ortega of Caldwell on one count of possession of sexually exploitative material, a felony under Idaho Code 18-1507(2)(a).
The investigation began after the ICAC Unit received a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The Idaho ICAC Task Force was assisted by the Caldwell Police Department, Canyon County Sheriff’s Office, and Boise Police Department.
“I’m grateful for the work of my ICAC Unit and our partnership with agencies like Caldwell PD, Canyon County Sheriff’s Office, and Boise PD,” said Attorney General Labrador. “Idaho families deserve to know we are working day and night to keep their children safe.”
“The exploitation of children is among the most horrific crimes law enforcement investigates. Those who produce, possess, or distribute child sexual abuse material (CSAM) are victimizing children and leaving lasting trauma that can follow them for a lifetime. Every child deserves to grow up safe, and every child predator deserves to be pursued relentlessly,” stated Caldwell Police Chief Rex Ingram. “I am incredibly proud of the professionalism and teamwork demonstrated by our detectives, RTIC personnel, SWAT, patrol officers, and our partners with the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. Because of their coordinated efforts, another suspect was located and arrested.  The Caldwell Police Department remains committed to working alongside our local, state, and federal partners to protect children, support victims, and bring those who exploit our most vulnerable to justice.”
Anyone with information regarding the exploitation of children is encouraged to contact local police, the Attorney General’s ICAC Unit at 208-947-8700, or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678.
The Attorney General’s ICAC Unit works with the Idaho ICAC Task Force, a coalition of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, to investigate and prosecute individuals who use the internet to criminally exploit children.
Parents, educators, and law enforcement officials can find more information and helpful resources at the ICAC website, ICACIdaho.org.
The charges listed above are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

Source: US State of Idaho

WASHINGTON—Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson cosponsored H.R. 9535, the Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act, a bipartisan bill aimed at making key improvements to the accessibility and cost of agricultural labor through the H-2A visa program. This legislation is sponsored by the House Committee on Agriculture Chairman Glenn Thompson.
“Ask any farmer or rancher, especially in the dairy industry, and they will tell you about the labor crisis they face. After years of working to build consensus to address this critical issue, I’m confident that the Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act is the legislative fix we need. President Trump has demonstrated the courage to act on this issue and has a proven record of protecting America’s farmers while removing violent criminal illegal aliens who have no place in our country. I’m grateful to Chairman Thompson for his leadership and look forward to finally getting this solution across the finish line to bring lasting reform and certainty for our agricultural producers,” said Rep. Simpson, an original cosponsor. 
“The Idaho Dairymen’s Association thanks Congressman Mike Simpson for being an original cosponsor of the ‘Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act.’ We are deeply grateful that the Congressman is once again showing that he is willing to lead on securing a workforce for Idaho’s dairy farms.  Idaho’s farm families are the backbone of our state and having access to a secure, stable agricultural workforce is key to the economic success of those farms and our rural communities,” said Rick Naerebout, CEO of the Idaho Dairymen’s Association.
“America’s farmers and ranchers need a reliable, legal workforce to continue feeding our nation. The Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act is a practical step toward strengthening our agricultural workforce and ensuring the long-term viability of U.S. agriculture,” said Matt Dorsey, President of the Idaho Farm Bureau Federation.
“America cannot have food security without a secure agricultural workforce. The Snake River Sugarbeet Growers Association strongly supports the Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act and thanks Congressman Mike Simpson for his unwavering leadership on this issue. For years, Congressman Simpson has been a relentless champion for agriculture, fighting to ensure farmers have the workforce they need to continue producing food here at home. This legislation is a critical step toward strengthening our nation’s food security, supporting family farms, and ensuring American agriculture remains competitive for generations to come,” said Samantha Parrott, Executive Director of the Snake River Sugarbeet Growers Association.
“Simplot has operations that touch every aspect of agriculture including seed production, farming and ranching, plant sciences, phosphate mining and fertilizer manufacturing, food processing, commercial product development and distribution. As a true mine-to-plate company we have a unique view of the food and agriculture supply chain that allows us to see what works and what impedes progress.  Agricultural labor has presented significant challenges for decades and we are pleased to see bipartisan solutions from the U.S. House of Representatives to address issues long due for updating and modernization. We commend Chairman G.T. Thompson and Congressman Mike Simpson for their strong leadership and hope for the speedy passage of the Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act,”  said Garrett Lofto, President and CEO, the Simplot Company. 
“The Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act provides stability and certainty for Idaho onion growers to protect the production of the crop and manage rising costs associated with the current labor program. By streamlining the H-2A program, this common-sense legislation ensures a reliable workforce and keeps our local and rural farms operational,” said Jarom Jemmett, President of the Idaho Onion Growers’ Association.
This bipartisan legislation is supported by the American Farm Bureau Federation, the Western Growers Association, the National Milk Producers Federation, and more than 400 other agricultural groups across the entire industry, including 18 Idaho organizations.
Congressman Simpson recently joined Chairman Thompson, other cosponsors, producers, and stakeholder groups at a press conference to discuss the Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act. You can view the full press conference here.
The full text of the bill is available here.

Source: US State of Idaho

BOISE, ID — The U.S. Supreme Court today upheld Idaho’s Fairness in Women’s Sports Act, ruling that schools may determine eligibility for women’s and girls’ sports based on biological sex without violating Title IX or the Equal Protection Clause. Attorney General Raúl Labrador’s office successfully defended the law before the Court in January. The 6-3 decision confirms that Idaho, along with the 26 other states with similar laws, may keep women’s and girls’ sports teams reserved for biological females.
“Today’s decision is a victory for common sense, fairness, and the countless girls and women who dedicate themselves to athletics,” said Attorney General Labrador.“Idaho led the nation by becoming the first state to protect women’s sports, and I’ve never wavered in defending that law. The Supreme Court has now confirmed that states can preserve fair competition and protect the opportunities that generations of women fought to secure. Every parent can rest assured that our law protects their daughters competing in Idaho.”
Idaho enacted the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act in 2020 as the first law of its kind in the nation. The legislation requires that public athletic teams, such as high schools and universities, designated for females be based on biological sex at birth. The ACLU sued immediately and lower courts blocked enforcement from the day the law passed. When Attorney General Labrador took office in January 2023, he made defending the law a top priority, and requested that the U.S. Supreme Court review the case. The Court agreed to hear the case in July 2025, consolidating it with a similar case from West Virginia. Oral arguments were held January 13, 2026.
Writing for the majority, Justice Kavanaugh held that Title IX’s reference to “sex” means biological sex, and that its regulations have permitted schools to maintain separate sex-specific teams since 1975. On the constitutional claim, the Court held that the State’s interests in safety and competitive fairness are substantially related to limiting women’s and girls’ teams to biological females, and that states are not required to grant individual exceptions for biological males who identify as female.
Since taking office, Attorney General Labrador has made protecting women and girls a defining priority of his tenure, successfully defending Idaho’s laws at every level of the federal court system.
The post U.S. Supreme Court Upholds Idaho’s Fairness in Women’s Sports Act, Sides with AG Labrador appeared first on Idaho Office of Attorney General.

Source: US State of Idaho

Rep. Simpson Applauds Supreme Court’s Women’s Sports Decision

Washington, June 30, 2026

WASHINGTON—Today, Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson released the following statement in response to the United States Supreme Court’s formal decision in Little v. Hecox and West Virginia v. B.P.J.
“Today is a historic day for female athletes in America,” said Rep. Simpson. “The Supreme Court’s decision in State of Little v. Hecox and West Virginia v. B.P.J. has confirmed what we have known all along: men have no place in women’s sports. Idahoans owe a debt of gratitude to Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador and Idaho State Representative Barb Ehardt for leading the charge to protect women’s sports and fight for common sense. More than anything, today’s ruling is an incredible step toward preserving and protecting Title IX for future generations.”
Rep. Simpson has been a strong advocate for protecting women’s sports. In January, Rep. Simpson joined a rally to save women’s sports on the steps of the United States Supreme Court. He also recently signed an Amicus Brief supporting Idaho’s law and defending the integrity of women’s sports. Additionally, Rep. Simpson has supported and cosponsored several key bills to prohibit males from participating in athletic programs or activities designated for women.

Source: US State of Idaho

Home Newsroom AG Labrador and Cities Across the Treasure Valley Warn Idaho Consumers About Planning and Zoning Fraud Scheme

BOISE, ID — Attorney General Raúl Labrador is warning Idaho consumers about a new scam targeting permit applicants in the Treasure Valley. Criminal scammers are stealing public information submitted to municipal planning and development departments, then contacting applicants with forged emails and invoices demanding payment. The cities of Boise, Meridian, Nampa, and Caldwell have all reported the scam hitting their planning departments.
“Idaho’s growth has made families a target,” said Attorney General Labrador.“Scammers are pulling public permit records and sending fake invoices designed to look official and counting on people to panic and pay first, ask questions later. Call the city directly before you send a dime to verify and report every attempt to my office.“
These emails have all the similarities of other scams – official logos, names of city employees, correct names of contractors and correct addresses, project details, etc. And, like other scams, these emails insist that a project will be stalled or cancelled if payments aren’t made immediately. But that payment won’t go to the local government or a contractor. Instead, it will likely vanish overseas into scammer accounts. As with most transnational criminal organizations, payment is requested by wire transfer, gift cards, or via a cryptocurrency ATM, all-too-familiar hallmarks of modern scams. 
“As scams continue to evolve, we encourage our customers to please reach out to us to confirm any requests for funds,” said Rodney Ashby, Planning and Zoning Director for the City of Nampa.  “The scammers are using our logos and contact information to send fraudulent invoices. We hope that sharing this information helps others from falling prey to these targeted schemes.”
“Phishing scams continue to be a concern, and we want to be clear that the city will never request payment by wire transfer for planning application or permitting fees,” said Maureen Brewer, Director of Boise’s Planning and Development Services. “We encourage our customers to exercise tremendous caution and if there are any doubts whatsoever, contact our team directly before making a payment.” 
To report scams or to file consumer complaints, or to learn more about scam prevention, please visit ReportScamsIdaho.com.

Source: US State of Idaho

Home Newsroom Labrador Letter: A Second Amendment Win at the Supreme Court

Dear Friends,
This week, the United States Supreme Court struck down a Hawaii law that made it a crime for concealed carry permit holders to walk onto private property open to the public unless the owner had first given express permission. In a 6-3 decision in Wolford v. Lopez, the Court ruled that the law, known as the “Vampire Rule,” violated the Second Amendment. Violating it was a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in prison. The Court held that while private property owners may restrict firearm possession on their own property, the state itself cannot impose that restriction as the default rule for everyone.
I was part of getting this case to the Court in the first place. Along with Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, I led a coalition of 17 states in an amicus brief urging the justices to take up Wolford and reverse the Ninth Circuit, which had upheld Hawaii’s law even though the Second Circuit had struck down a similar restriction in New York under Antonyuk v. James. Two federal appeals courts had reached opposite conclusions on the same constitutional question, and only the Supreme Court could resolve which one was right.
This is not the first time I have made this fight. I have led coalitions challenging Maryland’s ban on America’s most commonly owned rifle, California and Washington’s bans on standard ammunition magazines, and a Massachusetts law that let police arrest a New Hampshire man simply for telling them he was legally carrying a firearm while traveling. Every one of these cases rests on the same principle: the right to bear arms belongs to the people, not because government permits it, but because government is bound to protect it. No government, federal or state, has the authority to take what it never had the power to give.
Hawaii’s law turned that principle on its head, treating a guaranteed liberty as a regulated privilege. Our brief explained that the law had no grounding in the historical tradition the Supreme Court requires under its Bruen decision. At the time of the founding, citizens were free to carry arms in public spaces and onto private property open to the public unless the owner expressly forbade it. Hawaii inverted that tradition entirely, and we warned the Court that if it let Hawaii get away with it, the approach would become a blueprint for restricting the rights of law-abiding gun owners nationwide.
This week, the Court agreed with us, and the win reaches well past Hawaii. California, New York, New Jersey, and Maryland have similar “Vampire Rule” laws restricting concealed carry on private property open to the public, and this decision is now the controlling precedent for legal challenges to those laws going forward.
Justice Samuel Alito, writing for the majority, stated plainly: “This regime hobbles what the Second Amendment protects: the right of Americans to carry arms for self-defense as they go about their daily lives. We hold that the law is unconstitutional.” Justice Amy Coney Barrett, in a concurring opinion, wrote: “[A] majority’s opposition to a constitutional right is not a permissible basis for restricting it. After all, ‘[t]he very purpose of a Bill of Rights was to withdraw certain subjects from the vicissitudes of political controversy’ and ‘to place them beyond the reach of majorities and officials.’”
This was never just about Hawaii. It was a test of whether a state could nullify a constitutional right simply by redefining it, and whether that blueprint could spread across the country. I joined this fight because the Second Amendment does not stop at a state border. An Idahoan does not surrender constitutional rights by crossing into another state, and no state has the authority to treat those rights as optional.
I will always defend the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Idahoans, and of every American when those rights are under attack. Constitutional rights are not confined by geography or subject to the political preferences of state governments. This victory belongs to every citizen who understands that the right to keep and bear arms is a constitutional guarantee, not a privilege that disappears the moment you cross a state line.
Best regards,

Source: US State of Idaho

Home Newsroom AG Labrador Leads Multistate Coalition to Second Amendment Victory at U.S. Supreme Court

BOISE, ID – Attorney General Raúl Labrador led a coalition of states to a major Second Amendment win today at the United States Supreme Court in Wolford v. Lopez. In a 6-3 decision, the Court struck down Hawaii’s law, known colloquially as the “Vampire Rule,” which barred concealed carry permit holders from entering private property open to the public with a firearm without first obtaining the owner’s express permission. Violating the law was a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in prison. The Court held that while private property owners may restrict firearm possession on their own property, the state itself cannot impose that restriction as the default rule for everyone.
“States do not have the discretion to decide which constitutional rights their citizens may exercise,” said Attorney General Labrador. “The Second Amendment puts explicit restrictions on government itself. Constitutional rights are not a menu from which states may select only the options they find politically convenient.”
California, New York, New Jersey, and Maryland have similar “Vampire Rule” laws restricting concealed carry on private property open to the public. Today’s decision will be the controlling precedent for legal challenges to those laws going forward.
Justice Samuel Alito, writing for the majority, stated plainly: “This regime hobbles what the Second Amendment protects: the right of Americans to carry arms for self-defense as they go about their daily lives. We hold that the law is unconstitutional.”
Justice Amy Coney Barrett, in a concurring opinion, wrote: “[A] majority’s opposition to a constitutional right is not a permissible basis for restricting it. After all, ‘[t]he very purpose of a Bill of Rights was to withdraw certain subjects from the vicissitudes of political controversy’ and ‘to place them beyond the reach of majorities and officials.’”
Attorney General Labrador, along with Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, led a coalition of state attorneys general in filing an amicus brief supporting petitioner Jason Wolford in this case.
Read the Supreme Court opinion here.
AG Labrador Leads Coalition Urging Supreme Court to Strike Down Hawaii’s Unconstitutional Public Carry Ban
RAUL LABRADOR AND AUSTIN KNUDSEN: 2nd Amendment Doesn’t End At State Lines