This week, producer Ruth Brown examines a report regarding abuse endured by Idahoans with disabilities and what the state could do to remedy the situation. Then, Chris Cargill of the Mountain States Policy Center and Alex LaBeau of the Idaho Association for Commerce and Industry join Melissa Davlin to discuss Gov. Brad Little’s legislative priorities.

It's the first week of the legislative session in Boise, and lawmakers are hitting the ground running. Associate producer Logan Finney speaks with Jayson Ronk, vice president for public affairs at Blue Cross of Idaho, about the different kinds of lobbyists at the statehouse and what the job entails.

Governor Brad Little lays out his priorities for the 2023 legislative session in the first state of the state and budget address of his second term. Melissa Davlin is joined by pundits Kevin Richert of Idaho Education News, Dr. Stephanie DeWitt of Boise State University and Alex Adams of the Division of Financial Management.

Idaho’s statewide officers are sworn in and lawmakers are busy gearing up for the session. This week, we get a preview of the governor’s priorities for the upcoming legislative session, as well as how well those goals mesh with what House and Senate leaders have in mind. Ruth Brown sits down with freshmen Reps. Jaron Crane and Soñia Galaviz, then David Leroy and Andy Brunelle discuss the historical significance of Friday’s public inauguration ceremony.

Idaho's constitutional officers are sworn in, including Gov. Brad Little, Lt. Gov. Scott Bedke, Attorney General Raúl Labrador, Secretary of State Phil McGrane, Superintendent Debbie Critchfield, Controller Brandon Woolf, and Treasurer Julie Ellsworth. Melissa Davlin discusses the significance of public inaugurations with former Lt. Gov. David Leroy and former Gov. Andrus staffer Andy Brunelle.

Just before the end of the year, the newly formed Mountain States Policy Center released the results of a public policy survey they conducted shortly after the November election. MSPC President Chris Cargill joins Melissa Davlin this week to discuss those results, as well as the think tank’s priorities for the legislative session that starts next week.

For decades, much of the discussion around higher education has focused on universities. But the Idaho Department of Labor is trying to show kids that there are other options, like apprenticeships, and they’re using a unique way to reach them.

Kevin Richert joins us to discuss the latest news from North Idaho College, plus more about what the conversation around school choice might look like this upcoming legislative session. Then, Director Jani Revier of the Idaho Department of Labor talks about the department’s efforts to educate students about apprenticeship programs.

Idaho is one of the only states that provides no general funds for local domestic violence services, and providers rely almost entirely on federal funding. This week, producer Ruth Brown explores funding challenges for rural domestic violence programs. Then, outgoing attorney general Lawrence Wasden joins Melissa Davlin to discuss his career and the transition to the incoming Raúl Labrador administration.

Last week on the Friday show, we featured a segment about the environmental cleanup in the Bunker Hill Superfund site, which stretches all the way from the Montana state border in Shoshone County past the Washington state border in Kootenai County. To dig a little deeper into North Idaho’s Silver Valley this week, associate producer Logan Finney is joined by Idaho Public Television executive producer Bill Manny, who put together a new documentary that premiered this weekend on Idaho Experience: “Remembering the Sunshine Mine Disaster.”

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"Remembering the Sunshine Mine Disaster" from Idaho Experience: https://video.idahoptv.org/video/remembering-the-sunshine-mine-disaster-50lk8m/

Learn more about the region's economic transformation in "Silver Valley Rising" from Outdoor Idaho: https://video.idahoptv.org/video/outdoor-idaho-silver-valley-rising/

Learn more about Coeur d'Alene Basin water quality testing in "Health of Our Lakes" from Outdoor Idaho: https://video.idahoptv.org/video/outdoor-idaho-health-our-lakes/

For the first time in a decade, the Idaho House of Representatives has a new speaker, and the rest of the lawmakers have their new committee assignments. Kevin Richert of Idaho Education News and Betsy Russell of the Idaho Press break down what that means for Idahoans. Plus, a new chapter in the decades-long effort to clean up historic mining waste in the Bunker Hill Superfund site.