news · Idaho Press · Jake King · 20240221
Idaho Rep. John Vander Woude is proposing the state eliminate its syringe and needle exchange program, just days after a police raid on the Idaho Harm Reduction Project, the nonprofit running the program. Chairing the House Health and Welfare Committee, Vander Woude introduced the bill on Wednesday, referencing the recent police action during the committee meeting. The raid, conducted by Boise and Caldwell police, targeted items related to substance use, not the syringes exchanged by the nonprofit. Vander Woude's proposed legislation aims to repeal the state's Syringe and Needle Exchange Act, citing insufficient evidence of the programs' effectiveness in facilitating treatment. Despite data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention linking such programs to significant reductions in HIV and hepatitis C virus incidence, the bill questions their efficacy in connecting individuals with treatment services. The bill's introduction, backed by party-line voting with Democrats opposing, sets the stage for potential public hearings.