State senators, representatives and about 100 people gathered for a legislative wrap-up on Friday at Candlelight Christian Fellowship.

Sens. Carl Bjerke and Ben Toews, and Reps. Joe Alfieri, Jordan Redman, Tony Wisniewski, Elaine Price and Ron Mendive were among the speakers.

Unity was the theme as they often agreed with or talking points. 

“Conservatives in the Senate have the same concerns as conservatives in the House,” Toews said.

At two points in the night, they were asked to raise their hand or stand if they agreed with the elimination of property taxes in the state, and the statement “Abortion is murder." They all raised their hands.

Toews and Redman said they were both proud of their efforts to reduce the costs of housing.

“These bills are deregulation,” Redman said.

Questions ranged from the topic of medical marijuana, illegal immigration to the “Bathroom Bill” that was recently signed into law. 

The Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer, farmer's water rights and water usage attributed to data centers and Artificial Intelligence were also discussed.

Mendive said a water rights agreement representing a victory over the federal government was a true achievement.

“A huge victory with the Coeur d’Alene Tribe was over water settlements,” he said. “The Tribe was being used by the federal government to take water rights from the state.” 

He spoke of a class action lawsuit and an agreement that assured Idaho’s water rights and the Coeur d’Alene Tribe's reserve rights that “benefited all parties.”

Price said she worked to enhance Senate Bill 1232 which would replace Section 19-5301, also known as the Idaho Son of Sam Law. which has been on the books since the 1970s and establishes regulations on monetary gains from a criminal’s exploits.  

“Son of Sam laws have challenged speech, but not financials.” Price said. “We worked to protect 1st Amendment rights and also to protect victim’s families with civil claims.” 

Price said she was unable to get major legislation passed but looked forward to the next session.

Chemtrails came up for the second straight year.

“There is confusion between contrails, chemtrails and cloud seeding,” Wisniewski said. 

He said contrails were the thin lines of water vapor left behind from place engines and that cloud seeding primarily happens in Southern Idaho.

Chemtrails were a separate matter. 

“Chemtrails are an effort to change the weather,” he said. 

Wisniewski said chemtrails are being used by the federal government and international institutions to reflect or change sunlight in order to affect global warming.

“It is a real thing in my opinion,” he said. 

One person asked about concealed carry rights to school grounds in Idaho. Toews said he would support a bill aimed at doing so. It was added later that Idaho school boards can enforce their own view of on-campus concealed carry.

Kratom and medical marijuana came up, too.

Redman said he would work to protect the natural kratom leaf being sold throughout the state while also trying to eliminate artificial alternatives.

“I don’t believe marijuana has a place in Idaho,” Redman said.