BOISE, ID – Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador issued a letter to Boise Mayor Lauren McLean on April 15, 2025, addressing the city’s refusal to comply with House Bill 96, which prohibits the display of unauthorized flags by government entities on public property.

In the letter, Labrador stated that the City of Boise is flying two flags in violation of the law, which went into effect on April 3, 2025. House Bill 96 amended Idaho Code section 67-230A to ban government entities from displaying flags that promote political or ideological causes.

Labrador emphasized that the law is content-neutral and applies to all government offices. He stated that elected officials have a duty to uphold the law regardless of personal beliefs and warned that failure to comply could prompt legislative action. According to the letter, Labrador has spoken with legislative leadership about possible tools for enforcement, including measures to withhold state funds from noncompliant entities.

Although the law does not impose specific civil or criminal penalties, Labrador urged the mayor to remove the flags “out of a sense of duty” to the office and Idaho law.