Courtesy Idaho Capital Sun

BY: CLARK CORBIN – MARCH 21, 2023 

The Idaho House of Representatives unanimously voted Tuesday to pass a bill that would establish a process to shield the home addresses and telephone numbers of judges and their families from public disclosure. 

If passed into law, Senate Bill 1059 would allow judicial officers to submit an application to have public agencies exempt their street address and telephone number and those of their family members from public disclosure. 

The bill would apply to justices, judges or magistrate judges with chambers in the state of Idaho.

In recent years, extremists have targeted judges, prosecutors, health workers and elected officials in a series of doxxing campaigns and organized protests outside their homes, the Idaho Capital Sun has previously reported.

In February, Idaho Supreme Court Chief Justice G. Richard Bevan said judges and their families have been targeted for threats and harassment, saying a line has been crossed. 

Rep. Christopher Allgood, R-Caldwell, sponsored the bill, which he said is modeled after an existing state law that shields the home addresses and telephone numbers of law enforcement officials from public disclosure. 

“I think it is a very important step to maintain our rule of law that our judges can operate without threat at their home, where their family might be,” Allgood told legislators Tuesday.  

Senate Bill 1059 heads next to Gov. Brad Little’s desk for final consideration. The Idaho Senate has already voted unanimously to pass the bill.