James Dawson
ReporterExpertise: Political reporting, audio editing, podcast smithing
Education: University of Idaho
Highlights
- Won my elementary school’s geography bee, failing miserably at state
- Once caught 10 rainbow trout in one hour fly fishing on the Lochsa
- Idaho Press Club board member
Experience
I cover Idaho state government and a little bit of everything else for Boise State Public Radio. Originally from Idaho’s territorial capitol north of the Time Zone Bridge, I’ve covered politics and state legislatures across the country since 2010. You’ll hear my work during Morning Edition, Idaho Matters and All Things Considered (and maybe read my newsletter, Legislative Round-up, during the session).
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Idaho’s DOGE Task Force is recommending the legislature consolidate or eliminate six government entities next year.
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Idaho’s Republican legislative leaders say the state constitution does not prohibit them from subsidizing private school tuition alongside funding public education.
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Idaho legislators gave a preview of how they might want to change the state’s child custody and family law system Monday.
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Idaho’s legislative budget writers are facing significant increases in routine expenses as they prepare for the upcoming session beginning in January.
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Boise City Council incumbents kept their seats and an open-space levy gets overwhelming support in the capital city. Boise State Public Radio rounds up the 2025 Idaho election results.
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Community members celebrated the reopening of Boise’s Anne Frank Memorial Wednesday after months of construction.
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On Nov. 4, every Boise voter will get to weigh in on whether to continue the decades-long legacy of preserving open space in the city through a third levy.
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Idaho officials are weighing several proposals on how to train and recruit more doctors in the state, including expanding an entirely new program in the Treasure Valley.
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An Ada County judge has partially sided with a drag performer in his lawsuit against a Christian lobbying organization, finding the group falsely claimed the performer exposed his genitals during an event in 2022.
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Idaho’s continued drop in tax collections has the state facing a projected budget deficit – and a looming constitutional problem.