By Zach Hagadone
Reader Staff
Idaho District 1 Sen. Jim Woodward, R-Sagle, and Rep. Mark Sauter, R-Sandpoint, will provide a recap of the 2025 Idaho Legislature and take questions from attendees Saturday, May 3 at the Sandpoint Community Hall (204 S. First Ave.).
Rep. Mark Sauter, left; and Sen. Jim Woodward, right at a town hall on March 15 in Sandpoint. PHoto by Ben Olson
Dubbed the “Idaho Fireplace Forum,” as it will take place before the stone hearth at the community hall, the gathering is scheduled from 6-8 p.m. and is open to the public. For those who can’t make it in person, 88.5 KRFY Panhandle Community Radio will broadcast live from the hall at 88.5 FM and stream simultaneously at krfy.org.
According to Sauter, alongside a question-and-answer portion, the forum will include a presentation covering the “good, bad or indifferent” of Idaho politics, including a discussion of the outside influences that act on legislators. In addition, he and Woodward will go over what took place during the 2025 session at the capitol in Boise, how the makeup of the Legislature has changed from two years ago, and describe what legislation and issues they are working on ahead of the 2026 Legislature, which will gavel into session next January.
Specifically, Sauter said that he will provide details on health care, EMS and fire issues, while Woodward is participating in housing and education committees over the summer. Meanwhile, both are engaged with the Albeni Falls Dam gate replacement project, which is ongoing.
“Just because the Legislature is done doesn’t mean we’re done,” he told the Reader.
Rep. Cornel Rasor, R-Sagle, is the third member of the Dist. 1 delegation. It was unclear as of press time whether he would also attend the forum.
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