ZUIDERVELD’S VOTING RECORD

Glenneda Zuiderveld spent her first year in the Idaho Legislature voting the way the Idaho Freedom Foundation told her to vote rather than what was best for District 24 which is made up of Twin Falls County, Gooding County, and Camas County. Let’s dive into her record and see how she voted on key issues and how that vote has hurt Twin Falls, Gooding, and Camas.

Agriculture is the main economic driver not only in the state but also in the Magic Valley. Glenneda’s voting record on ag-related bills hurt Magic Valley agriculture and it shows that she actively opposes the needs of farmers and ranchers. Specifically, her voting record shows:

  • In 2023, she voted against agriculture research and the cooperative extension service in the Magic Valley (HB336). HB 336 allocated $37.2 million dollars to the University of Idaho for agriculture research and the cooperative extension services for the July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024 fiscal year. The University of Idaho operates research & extension centers across the state including the Magic Valley – in Hagerman, Kimberly, and Twin Falls. The UI Extension Central District Headquarters is in Twin Falls County. In Hagerman the program focuses its research on fish production while in Kimberly the program focuses its research on issues related to potatoes, sugar beets, small grains, irrigation, water quality, and forages. HB 336 also contained a budget item for two full-time and one part-time positions at the CAFÉ research dairy in Rupert that would focus on reducing the impact of cattle on the environment, study methods of improving alfalfa and corn production, and researching chemical and particle emissions from animal agriculture. Idaho farms and dairies benefit tremendously from the research results generated by the Agriculture Research & Cooperative Extension Services. How did the Idaho Freedom Foundation (IFF) tell Glenneda to vote on the bill? They told her to vote against the bill by rating it as (-1) which dings a legislator’s IFF score if they vote in favor of the bill.

  • In the 2023 legislative session, she also voted against controlling noxious weeds in Idaho (HB094). Idaho has a statute (Chapter 24 of Title 22) that deals with noxious weeds. Noxious weeds are bad for agriculture in the Magic Valley because they reduce crop yields and can contaminate crop seeds. Noxious weeds can contaminate forage for animals and some weeds are toxic to animals. Some noxious weeds also produce chemicals that inhibit the growth of nearby plants or kill them altogether. HB094 amended the existing statute (I.C. §22-2405) to allow the county to satisfy the code’s notice requirement by sending the notice via certified mail to the address shown on the county’s assessment roll. After 8 days pass from the mailing of that certified notice, the statute’s notice requirement is deemed satisfied. This allows the county to move forward with addressing the noxious weed issue when the landowner is not known or readily available. This addresses a problem where property is owned by someone living out of state and provides a mechanism for giving the property owner notice of the problem. The IFF told Glenneda to vote against the bill by rating the bill as (-1). Glenneda and the rest of the Freedom Caucus Members voted against the bill.

  • Idaho Code defines “open range” as “all unenclosed lands outside of cities, villages, and herd districts, upon which cattle, by custom, license, lease, or permit, are grazed or permitted to roam. This means that any land in the state that is not designated as a herd district and is not fenced, is considered “open range” and livestock can legally be on it. Herd districts required landowners within that district to fence their cattle in. However, a question arises – whether livestock from open range property roaming onto her district property should be liable for coming onto the herd district owner’s property if the fence is not maintained. Case law has developed different interpretations of the herd district statute. HB349a was designed to clean up the statutory language to clarify who should maintain the fence and who is liable if the fence is not maintained. H349a places the responsibility on the property owner within the herd district to maintain the fence and explicitly states that the owner of livestock (other than swine) may not be held civilly liable for depredation if the livestock strays from open range into a herd district, unless the herd district boundaries are enclosed by fences and cattle guards or gates. The IFF rated HB349a as (-1). Glenneda voted against the bill along with other Freedom Caucus Members.

  • In 2023, Glenneda voted against funding the Department of Water Resources (HB 361, SB1181). HB 361 transferred $150,000,000 to the Water Management Fund for large water projects. Large water projects are those projects that address water sustainability, enhance and modernize surface water delivery systems, rehabilitate or improve aging water infrastructure, or address flood management. Another $92,000,000 went to the Water Pollution Control Fund to be used for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure grants. HB361 also included $23,000,000 from the ARPA State Fiscal Recovery Fund and put it into the Water Management Fund. In total, HB 361 put $272,000,000 into water projects. The Twin Falls Canal Company and the City of Twin Falls both requested $158,973 from the state Flood Management Grant Program (which falls under the Water Management Fund) to replace existing undersized pope and structures at the tail end of Lateral 38 to mitigate future flood risks. Only $5,900 of that request was granted because other projects ranked higher. Glenneda’s vote against HB361 compromises District 24’s ability to find funding to mitigate flood danger.

  • HB352 is the appropriations bill for the Soil & Water Conseravation Commission. The bill appropriated $5,642,200 for the commission. The bill also included an additional $5,000,000 one-time funding for the Water Quality Program for Agriculture (WQPA). This program (WQPA) funds on-farm water quality water quality improvement projects and small water infrastructure projects for irrigation delivery entities. The Soil & Water Conservation Commission also runs the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) which works with other states and federal agencies to provide financial incentives to landowners to reduce groundwater consumption in the Snake River Plain Aquifer by taking marginal farm ground out of production. The Commission also works to improve the water quality in surface and groundwater that has been impacted by agricultural runoff. These programs matter to District 24.

The Magic Valley believes in the rule of law. We “Back the Blue” as well as our first responders, judiciary, and veterans because they are crucial to keeping our communities safe. Glenneda’s votes show that she does not “have the back” of the men and women who keep our communities safe and maintain law and order within our communities.

  • SB1173 protects the right of a person to declare or show that they possess a firearm to reasonably defend and protect themselves or another against the unlawful use or attempted use of physical force including deadly physical force. The IFF rated SB1173 as (-1). Glenneda and other Freedom Caucus Members voted against the bill.

  • SB1150 was the appropriations bill for the Division of Veterans Affairs. It appropriated $130,349,300 for veterans’ services. The bill provided funds 1) to replace the Boise Veterans Home that was built in 1965, 2) to enable the agency to offer health benefits to temporary employees, 3) for bariatric beds and a Site Dumper, and 4) meet the increased federal match requirements. Idaho has 122,000 veterans living within the state. Approximately 8-10% of the population in Twin Falls and Gooding Counties are veterans. The IFF rated SB1150 as (-1). Glenneda voted against the bill and against the interests of the veterans that live in the Magic Valley.

  • SB1190 appropriated $19,000,000 for the Military Division which is made up of the Idaho Army National Guard, the Idaho Air National Guard, the Idaho Office of Emergency Management, Public Safety Communications, the Idaho Military History Museum, the Idaho Youth ChalleNGe Academy, and STARBASE. The Division’s mission is to maintain combat and domestic emergency response readiness. The IFF rated SB1190 as (-1) which instructed legislators to vote against the bill. Glenneda and other members of the Freedom Caucus voted against funding Idaho’s National Guard.SB1190 appropriated $19,000,000 for the Military Division which is made up of the Idaho Army National Guard, the Idaho Air National Guard, the Idaho Office of Emergency Management, Public Safety Communications, the Idaho Military History Museum, the Idaho Youth ChalleNGe Academy, and STARBASE. The Division’s mission is to maintain combat and domestic emergency response readiness. The IFF rated SB1190 as (-1) which instructed legislators to vote against the bill. Glenneda and other members of the Freedom Caucus voted against funding Idaho’s National Guard.

  • HB0359 was the appropriations bill for the Idaho State Police. The bill appropriated $102,963,100 and included funding for capitol protective services, investigations, patrol, forensic services, and POST Academy training for officers. Included in the bill is also funding for dealing with the fentanyl problem in Idaho. Fentanyl is an incredibly powerful synthetic opioid that is fatal in very small doses. Between 2020-2022, there was a 33% increase in overdose deaths in Idaho and approximately 49% of those deaths involved fentanyl. This bill also helped fund trips to the southern border for the Idaho State Police to learn how to stop fentanyl. The IFF rated HB350 as (-4) which tells senators to vote against the bill. Glenneda and other Freedom Caucus members voted against the bill.

  • Idaho’s judicial system is outstanding. The men and women who serve as judges are competent and nonpartisan and they are a crucial component to maintaining law and order within our communities. Our state’s judicial system is made up of the Idaho Supreme Court, the Idaho Court of Appeals, District Courts, Magistrate Divisions, and Treatment Courts. In the Magic Valley the Fifth Judicial District serves eight counties - Blaine, Cassia, Camas, Gooding, Jerome, Lincoln, Minidoka, and Twin Falls Counties. In 2022, the Fifth Judicial District handled 9,542 civil cases, 7,924 criminal cases, and 26,022 infractions. As a lawyer admitted to the Idaho State Bar, I know firsthand the importance of our judiciary and the caseloads that it handles. SB1168 appropriated $89,374,300 to fund personnel, technology, jury selection systems, and the guardian ad litem program and other programs. The IFF rated SB1168 as (-2) which tells senators to vote against the bill. Glenneda, along with other Freedom Caucus members, followed the IFF’s direction and voted against funding our judicial branch.

  • HB348 was a bill that set the annual salaries of judges at different levels – Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, District, and Magistrate judges. HB348 appropriated $1,965,700 to make adjust judges’ wages and offset the cost of inflation for Idaho’s judicial branch. The IFF rated HB348 as (-1) which tells legislators to vote against the bill. Glenneda and other Freedom Caucus members voted against the bill.

  • The Idaho Department of Corrections oversees prisons, probation & parole, and management services. The Department of Corrections oversees a staff of approximately 2,000. HB351 appropriated $354,157,700 for the Idaho Department of Corrections. This funds the Department as well as Idaho’s nine state-owned prisons and community reentry centers. The IFF rated HB351 as (-3) which tells legislators to vote against the bill. Glenneda and other Freedom Caucus members voted against the bill.

  • HB282 was the appropriations bill for the Idaho Department of Juvenile Corrections. The bill appropriates $58,296,100 for the department. The bill funds the department’s personnel. It also provided funding for an electronic monitoring program, the Community Operations Program Services (COPS) Program, as well as one-time supplemental funding for eight youth assessment centers – one of which is in Twin Falls County. The IFF rated HB282 as (-3) which tells legislators to vote against the bill. Glenneda and other Freedom Caucus members voted against this bill.

  • SB1163 would have required manufacturers of devices that connect to the internet to install and activate technology on those devices that enable parents to set filtering parameters on devices for their children before those devices could be sold in Idaho. According to Common Sense Media, 42% of children have a phone by age 10; by age 14 that number jumps to 91%. Kids spend a median of 4.5 hours per day on their phones. A survey from Common Sense Media of 1,300 teenagers found that around 54% of teenagers reported seeing online pornography for the first time before the age of 13. Additionally, approximately 58% of teens that encountered online porn viewed it accidentally. The IFF rated SB1163 at (-5) which tells legislators to vote against the bill. The IFF felt the bill infringed on freedom of speech by making censorship the default on devices activated in Idaho. Ironically, the IFF argued that libraries were more likely to harm children than the internet they can access through their cell phones (HB314a). Glenneda voted against giving parents tools to protect their children from harmful online materials.

The Magic Valley places a high value on a robust public school system. There are 13 school districts across Camas, Gooding, and rural Twin Falls County. Glenneda consistently disregarded her constitutional duty and voted against funding our public school system which jeopardizes our ability to educate our children.

    • Glenneda voted against HB208 which was a supplemental $1,500,000 appropriation bill for the Public School Support Program’s Teacher Division. The bill provided professional development funds for dyslexia training, screening measures, and other dyslexia requirements. The IFF rated HB208 as (-1) which tells legislators to vote against the bill.

    • Glenneda voted against SB1202 which was the appropriation bill for the Office of the State Board of Education. Included in this bill was $1,000,000 for arts in rural public schools; $20,000,000 for K-12 school security, and $30,000,000 for the Empowering Parents Grant Program. The IFF rated SB1202 as (-4) which tells legislators to vote against the bill.

    • Glenneda voted against SB1204 which was the appropriation bill for Public Schools Educational Support Program’s Division of Administrators. This division provides sate support for superintendents, assistant superintendents, principals, and assistant principals in Idaho’s school districts and public charter schools. The IFF rated SB1204 as (-1) which tells legislators to vote against the bill.

    • Glenneda voted against SB1206, the appropriations bills for the Public Schools Educational Support Program’s Operations Division. This bill funds the operation of Idaho’s school districts and charter schools for grades K-12. It includes student transportation, salaries & benefits for classified staff, and technology. The IFF rated SB1206 as (-2) which tells legislators to vote against the bill.

    • Glenneda voted against SB1207. This was the appropriations bill for Children’s Programs which are designed to provide direct educational or material benefit to children. The bill included investments for advanced opportunities, the Idaho Digital Learning Academy, as well as safe and drug free schools. The bill also used federal COVID funds for supporting homeless children and special education support. The IFF rated SB1207 as (-3) which tells legislators to vote against the bill.

    • Glenneda voted against SB1208 which was the appropriations bill for Facilities. The Bill funds public school facility maintenance costs and supports the Bond Levy Equalization Program. The IFF rated SB1208 as (0). Glenneda was one of only four legislators to vote against the bill.

    • Glenneda voted against SB1209. This was the appropriations bill for the Central Services Division. This Division includes programs and funds that are spent at the state level by the Department of Education for the benefit of all school districts and charter schools. Funds are used to contract services and for program oversight and evaluation. The bill provided additional funding for professional development programs related to reading, math, and science. The IFF rated SB1209 as (-1) which tells legislators to vote against the bill.

  • SB1206 was the $1,123,677,600 appropriations bill for funding operations of Idaho’s school districts and charter schools for grades K-12. Glenneda voted against this bill which the IFF rated negatively (see above).

    SB1202 included $30,000,000 for the Empowering Parents Grant Program. The program provides eligible families with grant funds for use toward eligible education services and devices to help students recover from learning loss. Glenneda voted against this bill which the IFF rated negatively (see above). Across Idaho, this program helped 49,424 students.

    Glenneda also voted against HB343 which was the appropriations bill for the Public Charter School Commission. Although the IFF rated this bill as (+1), Glenneda against the bill which oversees Idaho’s public charter schools.

  • Glenneda voted against SB1210, the appropriations bill for the Educational Services for the Deaf & Blind (IESDB) portion of the Public Schools Support Program. IESDB helps school districts and state agencies provide accessible education to children who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, or have low vision. IESDB and the Idaho School for the Deaf & Blind (ISDB) campus are located within our district – in Gooding, Idaho. The IFF rated SB1210 as (0). Glenneda was one of only three legislators to vote against the bill.

  • Sen. Tammy Nichols sponsored SB1038 which created educational savings accounts that would siphon tax dollars out of public education to fund private education without accountability or state control. The result of this bill is that money flows away from rural schools to pay for students in urban areas. This is particularly troubling in District 24 which is entirely rural. Glenneda voted in lockstep with other Freedom Caucus members to the detriment of our district.

  • Glenneda voted against SB1160 which was the appropriations bill for community colleges in Idaho. SB1160 allocated $18,668,500 to the College of Southern Idaho (CSI) which is the only college in the Magic Valley. CSI has just over 8,000 students enrolled. Many high school students in the Magic Valley utilize CSI for dual credit classes or for earning their associate degrees. CSI is an asset in the valley for our children and for our employers. The IFF rated SB1160 as (-3) which tells legislators to vote against the bill. Glenneda voted against the bill and against our community college.

    Glenneda also voted against HB311 which allowed community colleges to use state appropriations for any upper division courses and bachelor’s degree programs they may offer. Glenneda was one of only three legislators to vote against this bill.

  • Glenneda also voted against SB1136. This bill appropriated $6,222,800 for the STEM Action Center which was created by the legislature in 2015 for the purpose of advancing Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics opportunities for educators and students across Idaho. The IFF rated SB1136 at (0). Glenneda was one of only four legislators to vote against the bill.

  • SB1176 appropriated $678,550,500 for Idaho’s colleges & universities. Idaho’s universities allow our children the opportunity to pursue higher education within the state so that our kids learn the skills necessary to find good jobs within the state. The IFF rated SB1176 as (-2), thereby telling legislators to vote against the bill. Glenneda and other Freedom Caucus members voted against the bill and against our colleges and universities.

  • Career technical education helps prepare our kids and adults for high-skill, in-demand careers. HB267 & its trailer bill, HB364, expanded the capacity of Career Technical Education (CTE) to Idaho’s middle and high schoolers (grades 7-12) and particularly focused on rural and remote communities. The first component of HB267 is the Idaho Career Ready Students which creates a capital fund for Idaho Public high schools established in the State Department of Education and administered by the Idaho Career Ready Students Program Council. The IFF rated HB276 as (-3), HB363 as (-1), and HB364 as (0). Glenneda voted against all three bills funding Career Technical Education for kids and adults.

  • HB024 and its trailer bill, SB1167, expanded the existing Idaho Launch program to high school graduates starting with the 2024 class. Eligible graduates can receive a grant up to $8,000 for tuition and fees at either a community college or workforce training provider. The program gives preference to student pursuing in demand careers based on job market data. The IFF strongly opposed the Launch Program and rated HB024 at (-6) and SB1167 at (0). Glenneda and other Freedom Caucus members voted against funding workforce development for our kids.

Idaho’s infrastructure is crucial to our economy because without our infrastructure we cannot get our goods to the market. Our transportation and communication infrastructure are also vital to our quality of life in Idaho. Glenneda refuses to invest in our infrastructure and that hurts the Magic Valley.

  • Glenneda voted against funding broadband infrastructure within Idaho. SB1129 was a supplemental appropriation bill for the Department of Commerce that provided $124,100,000 for broadband infrastructure. Broadband is a fiber-optic network that provides high-speed internet. High speed internet is necessary for business, school, and movie streaming to name a few. Yet, most of the Magic Valley lacks broadband. In 2023, broadband infrastructure began in Twin Falls, Jerome, Burley, and Heyburn. Residents outside of those towns do not have access to high-speed internet. The supplemental appropriations bill made funding available for more broadband. Instead of supporting this appropriation bill which would benefit residents in District 24, Glenneda and other Freedom Cacucus members voted against the bill. The IFF rated the bill as (-3) which instructed legislators to vote against the bill.

  • SB1189 was the appropriation bill for the Idaho Transportation Department. The bill provided $815,066,000 in federal and state money for maintenance to our transportation infrastructure. The IFF rated SB1189 as (-3) which tells legislators to vote against the bill. Glenneda and other Freedom Caucus members voted against the transportation bill.

  • The Magic Valley is in the Idaho Department of Transportation’s (ITD) 4th District. District 4 is made up of 11,553 square miles and contains 2,321 lane miles of road as well as 290 bridges. It is the third largest district by area. Therefore, bills like HB354 matter significantly to the Magic Valley. HB354 transferred $647,800,000 from the general fund to several accounts at the ITD for road, bridge, and airport projects. $245,000,000 of that total was allocated for bridge maintenance. The annual maintenance to the Perrine Bridge and to the Hansen Bridge happens because of funding to the ITD. The IFF rated HB354 at (-1). Glenneda and other members of the Freedom Caucus voted against the bill and in doing so, she voted against the Magic Valley’s interests in good road and bridge infrastructure that we use for work and recreation.

  • We are blessed to live in a state with abundant mountains, rocks, rivers, and lakes that provide us with ample outdoor recreation. We invested in numerous parks across the state which are maintained by the Idaho Department of Parks & Recreation. Our state parks are a different kind of infrastructure that we have developed for our enjoyment. HB319 was the appropriation bill for the Idaho Department of Parks & Recreation. The bill appropriated $68,901,000 to the department. The IFF rated HB319 as (-4) which told legislators to vote against the bill. Glenneda and other members of the Freedom Caucus voted against funding our state parks.

The Magic Valley believes in helping those who truly need it. Glenneda’s votes demonstrate that she does not share those beliefs.

  • The Idaho Commission on Aging (ICOA) assists older adults and people with disabilities to remain independent, avoid institutionalization, and age in place in their own homes and in the communities they choose. In the Magic Valley (Region 4) 21% of the 196,712 population is over the age of 60. There are approximately 55,004 adults that are considered at-risk because of age, living alone, living in a rural county, or are elderly minority members. SB1134 appropriated $21,202,100 for the ICOA. The IFF ratee SB1134 as (-2) which instructed legislators to vote against the bill. Glenneda voted against the bill and against protecting our most vulnerable community members.

  • SB1178 was the appropriations bill for the Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs. Idaho’s Hispanic population makes up about 13% of the state’s total population but represents about 18% of the K-12 public school students and 31% of the employment growth in the decade following the 09 Recession. SB1178 appropriated $504,700 for the Idaho Hispanic Affairs Commission. The IFF rated the bill as (-2) which instructed legislators to vote against the bill. Glenneda and other Freedom Caucus members voted against the bill.

  • SB1138 was the appropriations bill that allocated $5,829,600 for the Idaho Commission for the Blind & Visually Impaired. The Commission helps people who are blind or visually impaired by providing vocational rehabilitation, skills training, and educational opportunities so that they can maintain their independent living. The IFF rated SB1138 as (-1) which told legislators to vote against the bill. Glenneda and other Freedom Caucus members voted against the bill and against helping our blind and visually impaired neighbors.

  • HB288 increased the individual state tax deduction for dependent care to $12,000 per taxable year. Dependents include the taxpayer’s children under the age of 13, a dependent with physical or mental limitations, and the spouse of a taxpayer with physical or mental limitations. The IFF rated the bill as (-1) which instructed legislators to vote against the bill. Glenneda and other Freedom Caucus members voted against the bill and against easing the tax burdens of working Idaho parents.

Glenneda Zuiderveld’s 2024 Session Votes

  • Bill # Subject Vote Cast

    H399 Maternal Mortality Board Nay

    H441 Fentanyl Testing Strips Nay

    H468 Rangeland Improvement Act Nay

    H521 Taxation, School Facilities Funds Nay

    H741 Idaho LAUNCH Grant Program Nay

    H633 Public Assistance, Pregnancy Nay

    S1234 Six Months, Contraception Nay

    S1390 LAUNCH Grant, In-Demand Careers Def. Nay

    S1402 Approp. Veteran Services. Trailer Nay

    SJM102 Immigration, Labor, Security Nay

    H731 Approp. Dept. of Ag. Trailer Nay

    S1244 Electioneering at Polling Sites Nay

    H703 Ag Research Extension Program Nay

    H680 Commission on Aging. Approp. Trailer. Nay

    S1402 Div. of Veteran Services. Approp. Trailer. Nay

    H693 Approp. Division of CTE. Trailer. Nay

    S1372 Approp. Dept. of Ag. Trailer. Nay

    S1373 Approp. Soil & Water. Trailer Nay

    H592 Grizzly & Wolf Depredation Funds Nay