The Gem State Brief

Curated by Locus Lectorum

March 12, 2026 • Estimated Reading Time: 3 minutes

✍️ By Our Members

GSB Episode 6 -- Caleb Pirc

"GSB Episode 6 -- Caleb Pirc" — Caleb sits down with Caleb Pirc to talk about the IFPC first lawsuit, the foundation of law, and how Christians can effect change in Idaho. (GSB Staff)

Idaho Legislature to consider repeal of Medicaid expansion

State Capitol | March 9 | GSB Legislative Tracker

Earlier this week Representative Jordan Redman of Coeur d'Alene introduced a bill in the Idaho House of Representatives to repeal the expansion of Medicaid eligibility. Medicaid expansion was passed in 2018 by ballot initiative. With reduced funds this year, legislators say cutting the expansion of Medicaid services is preferable to making cuts in core Medicaid programs.

This story is the latest in a series, view the full thread here → 🧵


HP announces they are leaving Boise at the end of 2027

Boise | March 5 | BoiseDev

As part of an emphasis on consolidation, HP plans to reduce their number of facilities, with Boise among the locations slated to close.

House passes bill to require all local law enforcement agencies to work with ICE

State Capitol | March 6 | GSB Legislative Tracker

House Bill 659 has been sent to the Senate after passing the House. This bill would require every Idaho law enforcement agency to take part in the ICE 287(g) program, where ICE partners with local law enforcement, allowing local police departments or sheriff's offices to conduct limited immigration enforcement actions.

Caldwell police utilize controversial camera system to end pursuit

Caldwell | March 3 | KIVI

Caldwell police say they utilized the controversial Flock camera system to help locate a suspect who fled an Idaho State Police traffic stop for speeding. Flock cameras have raised protest around the country, as they create a real-time surveillance web that provides law enforcement with the ability to track any car or individual in the area in which they are deployed.

JFAC to increase funding for Idaho Judiciary by $3.9 million

State Capitol | March 5 | Idaho Capital Sun

After a 5% cut to the Idaho Judicial Branch's funding last month, the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee has voted to grant a one-time $3.9 million increase to allow the Judicial Branch to continue some programs for the next year.

Highlights & Insights

"The Ethic of Civility" - Evangelicals are struggling with a political theology that doesn't seem capable of drawing effective lines. In this article, Cline adroitly contrasts the central tenets of civility and a neutral public square held by evangelical elites against the rising tide of Christian nationalism.

🏛️ Apologetics Fact

Short-period comets challenge the evolutionary history of an old universe. These comets become brightly visible when they pass near the sun -- the melting ice becomes the famous tail of gas and dust. These comets would not have nearly enough ice to have been in existence for millions, let alone billions, of years. Astronomers have attempted to explain this by theorizing sourcing from the Kuiper Belt; however, no bodies even remotely approaching the size necessary have ever been observed exiting the belt. Comets this bright would be brighter than everything other than the sun. The short-period comets are another example of astronomy pointing to a young universe.

🗣️ Quote

"Far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing."– Theodore Roosevelt

🏅 Person: James Madison (1751-1836)

Though often not considered in the same breath as George Washington or Thomas Jefferson, no founding father had more long-term impact on US government than James Madison. A native Virginian, he represented the state at the Continental Congress where he became known for his financial expertise and deft coalition building. After the war, seeing that the Articles of Confederation were insufficient for the new nation, he helped organize a Constitutional Convention. At the convention, he presented his Virginia Plan, which, with some compromises, became the foundation for the US Constitution. After the Convention, Madison, along with Alexander Hamilton and John Jay, wrote a series of articles encouraging the states to ratify the Constitution. These articles became known as the Federalist Papers and remain some of the most important Constitutional commentary to this day. Madison was Thomas Jefferson's Secretary of State from 1801 until the end of Jefferson's term in 1809. Madison won the next presidential election, and served as US president for the next 8 years. Among other things, his presidency saw the War of 1812 and substantial land expansion West. Following tradition, he retired after his 2nd term, living until his death in 1836 at his plantation, Montpelier.

📕 Book: The Sovereign Individual

This book, written in the late 1990s, predicted the rise of the internet along with the demise of the nation-state and a concomitant rise in decentralization at scale. Quite prescient, this book has been quite influential in technology and finance circles and is a first-rate examination of the transition from the Industrial to the Information Age.

Non-AI Generation Disclaimer: All elements of the Gem State Brief (headlines, summaries, highlights, insights, original articles/videos, etc.) are produced exclusively by members of the Locus Lectorum book club (learn about each member here), not AI. This is news by humans for humans.