School Choice and Medical Freedom
A Conversation with Sen. Christy Zito & Tea Party Bob
Podcast Notes by Bob Neugebauer
The Idaho legislative session is winding down with mixed results for conservatives. While a historic school choice bill passed, it falls far short of what’s needed, and the Medical Freedom Act awaits the governor’s signature amid questions about whether he’ll bow to special interests. My conversation with Representative Christy Zito revealed both the progress and obstacles in Idaho’s journey toward genuine liberty.
School Choice: A Modest Start Amid Educational Dysfunction
The recently passed school choice legislation allocates just $50 million to help families choose alternatives to public schools – a pittance compared to the $3+ billion annual public education budget.
“Not as many families or children would be able to participate in it as we had hoped,” Zito explained. “The thing to remember about the Idaho Legislature, and especially the Senate Ed Committee, is they are very pro-public education, and it’s really difficult to get anything through that committee that isn’t strictly public education.”
This resistance persists despite growing evidence that many public schools are failing students. While Idaho’s per-pupil spending exceeds $12,000 annually, private schools like Treasure Valley Academy in Fruitland deliver superior results for significantly less while maintaining highly engaged parent communities.
The problems in public education run deeper than funding. Zito, a former school board member, explained that the system itself often prevents improvement: “For so long, all we do is throw money at it, and then we test, saying it gives us accountability when we’re teaching children to test rather than to be able to think critically.”
Teacher tenure and union influence further complicate reform efforts. Zito noted, She believes the Idaho Education Association, affiliated with the National Education Association, creates obstacles to meaningful change.
Perhaps most concerning is the recent push to put childhood immunization schedules into Idaho code rather than administrative rules. “Now you have…made law and medical standard of care. Zito explained, noting that during committee testimony, Senator Bjerke admitted they were codifying these schedules because “in Health and Welfare, we have 800 pages of rules that we have to review every year, and we just don’t have time.”
This legislative shortcut means future changes to vaccination schedules would require new legislation rather than simpler administrative rule modifications – a dangerous rigidity in medical matters.
Medical Freedom: Will the Governor Stand Against Special Interests?
The Medical Freedom Bill (Senate Bill 1023) represents a critical test for Governor Little. The legislation would prevent government entities from mandating medical interventions like vaccines or masks as conditions for accessing businesses, schools, or government buildings.
After the governor’s heavy-handed COVID-19 response, which included shutting down churches while keeping liquor stores open, many Idahoans wonder if he’ll sign this protection of medical autonomy or bow to pressure from groups like the Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry (IACI), which opposes the bill.
“It’s always a good thing to determine what you can and cannot do,” Zito said regarding medical freedom. “I think that it’s my responsibility to keep myself healthy… it’s our responsibility to take care of ourselves and our family.”
Dr. Ryan Cole has publicly stated he will primary Governor Little if the bill isn’t signed, but Zito remains uncertain whether this will influence the governor’s decision. “Everything that happened during COVID didn’t seem to matter” to voters when Little sought reelection, she noted.
The Medicaid Expansion Crisis Looming Over Idaho
Perhaps the most significant fiscal threat facing Idaho is Medicaid expansion, which now consumes approximately $5.5 billion of the state’s $14 billion budget. Idaho relies on the federal government covering 90% of expansion costs, but without a “trigger” mechanism to end the program if federal contribution rates decrease, the state faces potential financial catastrophe.
“It will break the state,” Zito warned, noting that the program has far exceeded initial cost projections and enrollment estimates. “The numbers of people that would be on it, in theory, when it was voted in, were minimal but it didn’t take long to figure out that was not true.”
Despite these concerns, meaningful Medicaid accountability legislation was blocked this session, with only minimal reforms advancing.
Lobbyist Control and the Appointment Pipeline
Our conversation revealed how special interests maintain control over Idaho’s government. Zito noted how many elected officials, including Governor Little, first entered office through appointments rather than winning initial elections.
“I was really quite surprised when I started looking at the number of people who have climbed the political ladder that didn’t have to win that first election or beat an incumbent running against you.” Zito explained. “Those are your two most difficult races.
This appointment pipeline allows lobbyists and power brokers to select candidates who will serve their interests rather than those of ordinary Idahoans. Once appointed, these officials benefit from the power of incumbency in subsequent elections.
The Path Forward: Holding the Line on Liberty
Despite these challenges, Zito sees reasons for optimism in the growing number of committed conservatives in the legislature. She praised the work of the Idaho Freedom Caucus and representatives like Glenita Zeiderfeld, Josh Cole, Faye Thompson, Kent Marman, David Levitt, Clint Hostetler, and Lucas Kaylor, who consistently vote to limit government and protect liberty.
“If somebody doesn’t hold that hard right, that Overton window will shift even more,” Zito explained. “It’ll shift left and moderate even more. It’s just the natural progression of things.”
The ultimate solution, both Zito and I agree, lies with engaged citizens willing to closely monitor legislative actions and hold representatives accountable. The battles over school choice, medical freedom, and fiscal responsibility will continue, but they require Idahoans who understand that freedom isn’t granted by government – it must be vigilantly defended against government overreach.
Until more citizens recognize that their rights to educational choice, medical autonomy, and freedom from crushing taxation are worth fighting for, Idaho will continue facing the challenges we discussed. But with principled representatives like Christy Zito holding the line, there remains hope for the “Idaho way” to truly reflect the limited government and individual liberty our state is supposed to represent.
