Idaho Republican state Rep. Heather Scott called on the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn its landmark 2015 ruling legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide. Scott made the announcement just days into the state’s 2025 legislative session.
Scott, who represents Idaho’s 1st District, introduced a resolution on Tuesday. Jan. 7, asking the state House committee to challenge the high court’s decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, which established marriage equality for same-sex couples.
The resolution claims the Supreme Court’s ruling conflicts with Idaho’s Constitution, which defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman.
Scott said the court’s decision was an “illegitimate overreach” and ultimately bypassed the democratic process.
The resolution says, “Court rulings are not laws, and only legislatures elected by the people may pass laws.”
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The measure, which passed in committee, has no legal weight but rather serves as a symbol to reassert the state’s traditional definition of marriage. If passed by both legislative chambers, the resolution would be sent to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Idaho Democratic Party leaders quickly criticized Scott’s proposal, calling it a “sad distraction” and argued the government should not interfere with personal relationships between two consenting adults.
In a statement, they said, “This is yet another example of the extreme wing of the Republican Party ginning up divisive social issues in order to create problems where none exist.”
In 2014, Idaho’s District Court ruled the state’s ban on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional.
The decision by the federal judge allowed legal recognition of same-sex unions.
It strikes down the 2006 constitutional amendment that previously prohibited such marriages.
