Weeks 7-10 - 2024 Session

The last few weeks in the Capitol have sped by! I've been focusing on raising my hand with the right questions, partnering with folks across the aisle to kill or help along legislation, and speaking with different groups about our state's housing challenges.

Almost every day, I hear from someone new who is losing their housing for the first time. As our state's population has boomed and rent costs have increased by 40%, a majority of Idaho's renters are paying over half of their income towards their rent. For too many people, Idaho simply isn't livable anymore.

This issue is why I'm here in the Capitol, representing the voices of our fellow Idahoans who are most disadvantaged right now. Our state has an important role to play in ensuring Idaho can avoid the mistakes of other governments that have failed to address the housing crisis before it's too late, resulting in rates of homelessness that are impossible to dig out of. And we need to act now: from 2022-2023, evictions in our state doubled, increasing from 2,326 to 3,354 - and the primary reason for those evictions was people's temporary inability to pay their rent.

Just one person I heard from this week, after being evicted in rural Idaho, said,

"I hope that people like you, those that have a powerful voice, advocate for the wrong being done. . . Many people now are already struggling and then being homeless with no resources or guidance is just such a sad and hopeless venture no one should have to endure. . . I hope in sharing this with you, you can take it and show others what is happening."

Because of this person and countless others, I'll continue to speak up on these issues to help ensure every Idahoan has a safe and stable place to call home.

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Housing Legislation

Homeless Youth Shelter Bill (S1328)
I'm pleased to say that the Homeless Youth Shelter bill passed out of the Senate with unanimous support! This bill, co-sponsored by Representative Wroten, aims to protect licensed youth shelters and crisis centers from criminal penalties for housing a runaway child under specific circumstances Under current law, licensed homeless youth shelters are susceptible to a misdemeanor charge if they shelter anyone 17 or younger without parental or guardian consent, causing many vulnerable youth to be turned away. This bill will be heard in the House Judiciary, Rules, and Administration Committee tomorrow afternoon.

Eviction Record Shielding Act (S1327)
This bipartisan legislation which I'm proud to co-sponsor with Representative Handy aims to shield from public viewing eviction records in cases where the entire case has been dismissed. The bill is a fair compromise supported by landlords which will allow tenants an incentive and opportunity to get their case dismissed and shielded. The bill passed the Senate with only three "no" votes and is also being heard in the House Judiciary, Rules, and Administration Committee tomorrow.

Email Committee members at the link below to ask them to support these bills!

Email Representatives Here!

Preemption of Source of Income Protections and Fee Limits (HB545)
This bill has a hearing in Senate Commerce Committee tomorrow. It prohibits Cities from regulating fees or requiring landlords to consider accepting tenants with housing vouchers.

Most landlords in our area are now are large, out-of-state companies, and most recently they have been taking advantage of tenants with exorbitant application and other fees. I have met with tenants who are looking for new housing who have paid hundreds of dollars in application fees, without even a single response back. In response to this issue, the City engaged all stakeholders to pass an ordinance which limits application fees to a reasonable $30, which is more related to the actual cost of what landlords incur when running background checks.

In addition, other folks can't find housing with their Section 8 vouchers. Another City ordinance required landlords to at least consider those applicants and let them be in the running for every rental, even though ultimately they don't have to choose them.

Email Committee members at the link below to ask them to oppose this bill!

Email Senators Here!

Prohibition on Regulating Short-Term Rentals (HB506)
Another pre-emption bill, this would have limited cities' abilities to limit the use of short-term rentals in Idaho. Short-term rentals pose a huge problem in Idaho as out-of-state investors continue to purchase our housing stock to lease out as Airbnbs, and cities should have the ability to respond. Luckily, this bill was held in the House Committee where it was being considered. Read more here, and let's hope the pause button on this bill stays.

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Other Legislative Updates

School Facilities (HB 521) This is the 2024 session's "Frankenstein" bill, which seeks to address school facilities, but has many issues that I do not believe are in the best interest of Idaho schools, such as the following:

• It creates another permanent tax reduction, from 5.8% to 5.695% as well as a corporate tax reduction, while giving little relief to working families' income, gas, and grocery taxes.

• It has an unequal distribution of facilities funds, giving larger districts with newer facilities and the ability to pass bonds and levies the most money, leaving rural districts in a continued lurch.

• It removes the August date for school district elections.

• Schools can’t receive the money if they have a 4-day week.

• School districts can not include diversity statements.

• It provides the Governor the ability to appoint the President and Executive Director of the State Board of Education...

• ...and the list goes on.

Obviously, the bill is also very likely a violation of the single-subject rule as it covers over two dozen sections of Code. Overall, the bill falls short of achieving its goals and fails to provide the necessary support for our schools. The bill is currently waiting to be debated on the Senate floor. I may vote in favor as it does increase school facility funding, but I am hoping that at least the funding distribution formula can get fixed.

Traditional Family Values Month (HCR 35) This concurrent resolution's purpose is to establish Traditional Family Values Month, to celebrate a mother and father raising their biological children. This resolution blatantly excludes any families that may not fit into that mold, such as same-sex parents, single parents, blended families, and adoptive families. I will oppose this bill.

Pronouns (HB 538) This harmful legislation aims to enable public employees to purposefully misgender Idahoans. It passed the House of Representatives 58-11, and is now heading to the Senate. I'll be voting against.

Gender-Affirming Care (HB 668) Yet another attack on the trans community, HB 668 would prohibit any public funds from being used for gender-affirming care. It is up for debate on the Senate floor. I'll oppose this.

Needle Exchange Program (HB 617) This bill intends to repeal the Syringe and Needle Exchange Act. Needle exchange programs have been proven effective in improving the health and safety of those who inject drugs, as well as those who may be incidentally exposed to discarded needles. It unfortunately passed out of the Senate Health & Welfare Committee and will be up for debate on the Senate floor. I oppose this bill.

Guns in Schools (HB 415) The amendments to this bill have introduced more comprehensive guidelines regarding the arming of school employees on school property. Despite these improvements, the bill was held in committee. I remain hesitant to support any legislation that may pose risks to the well-being of students and increase the presence of guns in schools. Our top priority should be creating a safe and supportive learning environment for our students.

Counseling Compact (HB 393) I voted in favor of the counseling compact, which would have allowed counselors to utilize telehealth to practice in other states for Idaho residents. Unfortunately, it narrowly failed to pass the Senate 17-18.

Electroconvulsive Treatment for Children (S1354) This bill would have allowed for electroconvulsive treatment to be used on adolescents aged 12 and older with parental consent. I voted against this as I have concerns about the safety of this treatment, which is currently banned by WHO and has previously been banned by the FDA. This bill passed the Senate 23-12, and is on its way to the House. 

Children's Health Record Privacy (S1329) While I believe parents should be playing an active role in their children’s healthcare, I could not support S1329 which would have required providers to turn over all health records in every case, including those related to mental health. All children are not fortunate enough to have supportive and understanding parents, and children in strict or abusive households need to access medical care independently, without fearing repercussions. The bill passed the Senate 27-7 and is now headed to the House. 

Library Bill (HB 710) Once again, our libraries are under threat as another bill has been introduced, seeking to place restrictions on books, while also making libraries vulnerable to financial penalties. I remain committed to opposing this legislation, as I have done for every library bill introduced this session.

School vouchers (HB447) The school tax credit voucher scheme reappeared (again) and luckily was voted down in the House Education Committee. It would have provided parents who choose to send their kids to private school with a $5,000 tax credit. It did not allow for any accountability and could be used for any type of schooling, ultimately shifting money away from our already struggling public schools.

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Town Hall Update

Our second town hall was a big hit! We discussed all of the big issues and fielded many great questions from District 16 residents. We've had a lot of late nights at the Capitol recently and expect those to continue, so our next town hall will be scheduled after the session is over. Stay tuned!

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Weeks 5-6 - 2024 Session

It has been eventful in the statehouse and I've been working hard to move a couple of bills that I'm sponsoring forward. Below is my bi-weekly update:

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Focusing on the real issues

I presented two bills this week: one that shields dismissed eviction records from public viewing and one that reduces criminal liability for homeless youth shelters and crisis centers. These are both bipartisan bills that address real issues facing our state, and I look forward to discussing them more with my colleagues in the weeks to come. I am proud to announce both S1327 and S1328 passed out of committee and are one step closer to becoming law.

Eviction Record Shielding Act (S1327)

This bipartisan legislation which I'm proud to co-sponsor with Representative Handy aims to shield from public viewing eviction records in cases where the entire case has been dismissed, no appeal is pending for the case, and at least three years have elapsed since the filing date of the eviction. This week, this bill passed out of the Senate Judiciary and Rules Committee and will head to the Senate floor next.

Evictions in Idaho - even when they're dismissed - are permanent and public record. An eviction is dismissed when someone goes through the process and pays what they owe. It may also be dismissed in the case of a frivolous or illegal eviction. A dismissed record can be compared to a "withheld judgment" in criminal cases, which eventually go off of the public record. Someone shouldn't have to carry a dismissed record for their entire lives.

This is a balanced solution to a big problem in our state, and all stakeholders including landlords support it. It helps them get paid during a legal eviction. Currently many tenants do not show up for their hearing or pay what they owe, because there is no incentive to do so. Their record stays with them even if they square up with their landlord. Under this law, tenants have an incentive to go to court and work out an agreement with their landlord.

The bill also offers a solution for tenants, giving them a second chance to keep their record clear of evictions. Evictions have nearly doubled in recent years in Idaho, from 2,326 in 2022, to 3,354 in 2023. A majority of these evictions are happening to people for the first time simply because people can't pay their rent. Over half of renters in Idaho are now living paycheck-to-paycheck and any unanticipated expense or shortfall can lead them to a place where they can't pay their rent. However, many are simply waiting for their next paycheck in order to make rent, and may have the capacity to get their case dismissed. It's only fair for these folks, in those cases, for them to have that record go away after a few years.

Please click HERE to use the tool from the Idaho Asset Building Network to email Senators and tell them to vote for this bill!

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Homeless Youth Shelters

Homeless youth shelter bill (S1328)

This bill, co-sponsored by Representative Wroten, aims to protect licensed youth shelters and crisis centers from criminal penalties for housing a runaway child under specific circumstances, as long as they obtain the child's consent, attempt to notify their legal guardian and notify law enforcement.

Under current law, licensed homeless youth shelters are susceptible to a misdemeanor charge if they shelter anyone 17 or younger without parental or guardian consent, and it is merely an affirmative defense if they contact local law enforcement. This original law was passed in the 1980s when there was an issue with “flophouses” where youth were staying without parental permission. 40 years later, we now have licensed homeless youth shelters and crisis centers that shelter and take care of our homeless and runaway youth. They should not be held liable for a misdemeanor for simply doing their jobs.

Due to a vast number of reasons including housing instability and unsafe home situations involving abuse and neglect, the number of homeless youth utilizing shelters in Idaho was at a staggering 2,614 last year, and those numbers continue to increase. Ensuring the safety of children in Idaho remains vitally important, but the current law makes that more difficult. Shelters sometimes must turn away children to avoid criminal repercussions. This leaves runaway children with nowhere to go and left alone on the streets, significantly increasing risks to their well-being. It is paramount that we have legislation in place that ensures homeless youth have a safe place to stay when they need it.

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I support childcare workers.

I got a visit from my favorite constituent at the Capitol, my son Miles, alongside my mom! I’m so grateful to my mom, my mother-in-law, and our daycare for taking great care of our son most days so that I can be here, working to build a better future for his home state.

I was also able to speak with early learning providers in the Capitol, including the Garden City Early Learning Collaborative. Affordable childcare and preschool are hard for working families to find in Idaho. In a recent survey, nearly all respondents stated that there aren’t enough daycare providers to fill the need.

Working parents like me should be able to have a community to lean on. With rent and other expenses skyrocketing, working is necessary for many families, but having scarce childcare options makes things even more difficult. Most employers across the state have said that lack of childcare in their communities impacts workforce productivity.

At Jesse Tree, we too often see families who can't pay their rent due to an issue related to childcare. For a single parent, if a kid gets sick or daycare closes, they can miss out on wages and potentially be evicted. And the cost of daycare alone can make it difficult for families to make ends meet each month.

Early learning centers, particularly, are critical to prepare children for school. Early childhood education supports a child's cognitive and academic development and makes them much more likely to succeed in kindergarten and beyond. A preschool education should be something that every parent can ensure their child has access to.

The State of Idaho has a valuable role in ensuring working parents can access affordable childcare and early learning options. I appreciate all that parents, employers, and providers, including IAEYC, are doing to make things work in the current environment, as there is much room for improvement.

I support solutions like investing in community-led efforts to expand access and resources for early care and education, tax credits to employers who help offset the cost of child care and preschool education, and waived income eligibility for childcare providers to help address the child care workforce shortage. Solutions like these are long overdue, and I hope to see our state adopt some of these measures in the near future.

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Below is some of the legislation moving through the building

Changes to our budgeting process

As mentioned in my last newsletter, a bipartisan group of members in JFAC were able to pass new budgets through the committee which will include vital components of agency budgets, including staffing, and other important initiatives. Unfortunately, however, the skeleton budgets that initially were passed by JFAC were passed by the Senate. I voted against the skeleton budgets and think the changes to our budgeting processes will have dire consequences for our agencies.

Many moderate Republicans, including the Majority Leader joined with Democrats in opposing the skeleton budgets. This resulted in the Idaho House Republicans voting out their majority leader.

School vouchers (HB447)

The school tax credit voucher scheme, HB 447, reappeared (again). It was printed more than two weeks ago. We know that allowing a tax credit through will open the floodgates to continue to divert public dollars to private schools. In every state that "started small" or with a cap on the initial amount, their budgets for vouchers have ballooned. It will also simply provide funding to people who are already sending their kids to private schools, essentially acting as a tax cut for a handful of people who already have the ability to - and choose to - pay for private schooling, paid for by the rest of us.

Corporate liability for pesticide manufacturers (S1245)

I voted against SB 1245, brought by Bayer, the manufacturer of Roundup, which would have limited corporate immunity for their products causing cancer and other harm to people. I voted against it because I believe pesticide manufacturers should be held responsible for their products. This legislation restricts the legal rights of individuals who suffer harm from accidental pesticide exposure to take action against the manufacturer. Thankfully, we were able to kill this bill in the Senate. It narrowly failed to pass.

Library bill (S1289)

The new library bill came up for a vote in the Senate yesterday and failed to pass by one vote. It seeks to be the compromise to the more irrational library bill that started on the House side.  As a reminder, Senator Geoff Schroeder, who is an attorney, helped to write this version of the library bill to create something tenable for all libraries.

I could not support this bill because the super-majority consistently directs its attention towards matters that do not align with the real concerns Idahoans face. This is creating a problem where there isn't one. Technology is the primary cause of our children accessing harmful materials, not libraries. I also cannot swallow the fact that this bill allows for monetary and injunctive relief against libraries.

Convention of States (SCR112, SCR114, SCR115)
There are several concurrent resolutions calling for a Convention of States. SCR112 has left the committee with a do-pass recommendation. I am concerned that Article V does not protect or limit a delegation from going rogue. It could easily be directed into something that would end very poorly for the people, and I will not support these resolutions. I would be concerned about who would be making these decisions and corporate interests that would get involved.

State employee telework options (S1261)
I received many emails from constituents regarding the bill to limit telework options for state employees, so that only 15% of the workforce can be working from home at a time. I voted against this bill but unfortunately it passed the Senate 19-16.

I believe working from home greatly improves productivity and job satisfaction. It also makes hiring for state agencies more competitive, which means access to more talented and qualified candidates. I encourage you to reach out to your elected House Representatives to respectfully share your opinion on this bill.

Working Animals Protection Act (S1302)
This bill was brought before the Local Government and Taxation Committee, and we were successful in delaying its consideration. Although the legislation had the goal of protecting working animals, its broad language left room for unintended consequences, precluding cities from regulating farm animals within their jurisdiction.

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Join our town hall next week!

Thank you to those who attended our town hall last month. It was a packed house! It was a pleasure to speak with you about important matters in this legislative session, including our efforts to protect public schools, address our housing crisis, and ensure sensible legislation supports our state’s most pressing issues. I’m lucky I get to have such incredible seatmates.

As you may know, my seatmate Colin Nash stepped down from his seat to focus on his duties as Boise City Councilmember and President. Todd Achilles was appointed to serve out the rest of his term. I look forward to working with him.

Make sure to join us at our next town hall:
Date: Wednesday, February 28th
Time: 6:30-7:30pm
Location: City Hall, Garden City

RSVP Here

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There are many challenges that face us in the session, but there is much opportunity to do good and I look forward to keeping you posted on my efforts.

In service,
-Ali 

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Weeks 3-4 - 2024 Session

Another two weeks have passed since my last update, and it has been eventful in the statehouse. We had some big wins, and education continues to be a hot topic. I also held a town hall and met with many people from across Idaho, including some folks from our direct care workforce. Below is my bi-weekly update:

Our public schools are on the line.

There are a few bills moving forward that will disadvantage and defund our already struggling public schools. 

School vouchers

A group of legislators introduced what they called the “Parental Choice Tax Credit." This school voucher bill will provide $5,000 to families to send their kids to private schools. At a time when our schools are in desperate need of funding for repairs and maintenance, we cannot afford to siphon $50 million of taxpayer dollars into this project. In addition, in other states where voucher schemes have been created, costs have quickly blown out of proportion, while a large majority of vouchers go to wealthier families who are already sending their kids to private schools.

Further, vouchers disadvantage rural areas, where 70% of our public schools are. I don't believe families in Ammon should subsidize tax credits for wealthy families to send their kids to private schools in more urban areas. Hopefully, this bill dies in committee, and I will work against voucher schemes.

Guns in schools

Last week, the House passed a bill that would force schools to allow anyone who passes a minimal set of requirements to concealed carry in classrooms. Our laws already allow for school districts to have faculty to concealed carry, but the key word is, "allow." Many school districts in our state already have their own programs and requirements for teachers and school employees to be armed, but they have a far more rigorous set of training requirements and standards than this bill prescribes.

This would force school districts, even in communities with neither the need nor desire, to allow any staff member, contractor, volunteer, etc. to concealed carry. It takes all discretion away from local communities. We did our best to oppose it in the House, but ultimately the bill passed. With the NRA backing the bill and so much out-of-state money and power behind it, most members of the supermajority were unable to find the courage to vote against it despite publicly airing their many serious concerns and opposition from the sheriffs and other law enforcement groups.

We had a few wins last week!

We were able to make some good changes to our budgeting process, advance access to contraception, and protect Medicaid Expansion last week.

Changes to our budgeting process

A bi-partisan group of members in JFAC were able to pass new budgets through the committee which will include vital components of agency budgets, including staffing, and other important initiatives like Idaho Launch. It was discovered that the first round of “maintenance” budgets were not truly basic bare bones budgets, and were missing pieces to even keep the lights on in some cases. In addition, they did not include the required CEC (employee compensation).  Better transparency is good, but if a maintenance budget is not truly a maintenance budget, that could have dire consequences to the functioning of state agencies.

Access to Contraception

The Senate Commerce and Human Resources Committee voted to send Senator Wintrow’s contraception supply expansion bill to the Senate floor. The bill would make it so that women who are prescribed daily contraception could receive a six month supply. Currently, women are limited to receiving only a three month supply at their pharmacy. This is a simple but important change for the women of our state. Idahoan women are doing so much and often have so much on their plate that finding time to pick up their medication every three months can be a major inconvenience and a needless one. This is especially true for women living in rural Idaho when their nearest pharmacy could be an hour away and only open during work hours. We are hopeful this bill will pass on the Senate floor, and we will work to make it happen. Stay tuned for more updates because our work is far from over.

Medicaid Expansion

The House Health and Welfare Committee voted on a bill that would essentially have killed Medicaid Expansion. The bill’s sponsor and supporters claimed that it merely put new requirements on Medicaid Expansion, but reading the fine print showed that many of the requirements were poison pills that would completely destroy the Medicaid program within only a couple of years. This was nothing more than a not-so-subtle attempt to kill the program without openly saying it.

Medicaid Expansion came into being after over 60% of voters voted to establish it, and now polling suggests that support has jumped to 70%. Fortunately, after hours of heartfelt testimony from Idahoans, the committee voted not to send the House floor. For now, Medicaid Expansion is safe!

Read more about the JFAC issue here

I support our direct care workforce.

While Medicaid has been a very helpful resource, Idaho has set low reimbursement rates for many providers, including the direct care workforce. I met with Mentor Idaho, a group that provides direct care to Idahoans with developmental disabilities across the state. They are experiencing a serious workforce shortage and are rightfully concerned about their ability to provide adequate care to people with serious developmental disabilities in our state. With a Medicaid reimbursement rate of $14, no one can afford to live and provide for their own families - even if direct care is their passion. I will continue to support our direct care workforce and other health care providers who need adequate pay.

Read more about our direct care workforce shortage

Our town hall was packed!

Representatives Galaviz, Nash and I held our first town hall last week. It was a packed house! It was a pleasure to speak with many District 16 residents about what matters most to them this session and hear about their commitment to staying involved. I'm lucky to live in such a wonderful district, and to have such great seatmates.

Make sure to join us at our next town hall:
Date: Wednesday, February 28th
Time: 6:30-7:30pm
Location: City Hall, Garden City

RSVP here

There are many challenges that face us in the session, but there is much opportunity to do good and I look forward to keeping you posted on my efforts.

In service,
-Ali 

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Week 1-2 - 2024 Session

It's been a snowy start to the 2024 Legislative session. While kids had to stay home from school, business in the Capitol was still in full swing. Below is my update on some of the main happenings and conversations during the first two weeks.

This is my first bi-weekly newsletter of this session and I'll keep you posted as the next few months go on.

Social-cultural issues are already seeing their way to the forefront

The supermajority didn’t hesitate to introduce a barrage of bad bills that distract from the real needs of Idahoans. Working families are worried about finding affordable housing, adequate medical care, and good-paying jobs, and I'll continue to focus on those issues, rather than what came to the forefront during these first two weeks.

School Vouchers

Early on, a voucher bill was introduced which would provide people who choose to send their children to K-12 private schools $5,000. Ultimately this would siphon money from public schools, which are already struggling with their current budget and one billion dollars behind in building upkeep and maintenance. It's clear that the issue of vouchers will be another hot topic this session, even though this idea was repeatedly shut down during the last session.

Attack on libraries - HB384

Another repeat was a library bill, which would allow people to sue libraries for failing to remove materials they deem as "harmful." In practice, this could require libraries to hand out checks anytime a parent objects to a book in a library. Thankfully, hundreds of Idahoans emailed, called, and testified against this bill and it was sent back to committee. I do believe this issue will be brought up again this session.

Abortion - HB400

A legislator introduced a bill that would change any written mention of “fetus” in state law to become “preborn child” which could have frightening impacts on contraception access and in vitro fertilization. It's sad to see that this is one of the supermajority's first moves, while we still have not fixed the laws in Idaho which make it so doctors cannot perform or recommend an abortion even if the life of the mother is in danger.

Access to Contraception - S1234

On a more positive note, Senator Wintrow introduced a bill which will allow women to get more than three months of birth control pills at a time, which will ultimately save them time. This is the third time this bill has been introduced and the supermajority has voted it down each time. I hope it will pass both houses this year, especially at a time when access to contraception and women's health issues are paramount.

Add the Words - S1237

The Democratic Caucus all signed on to a personal bill, Add the Words, which would add sexual orientation and gender identity to the state's human rights act. Add the Words has been a state-wide effort since the early 2000's and the supermajority has refused to pass it after multiple attempts. This personal bill - like others - is simply an opportunity to make a statement about this needed move.

State of the State

The Governor gave his State of the State the first week of session. Although I didn't agree with everything that he said - especially some of the distracting and misleading statements at the beginning of his speech, and was disappointed to see no investment in our affordable housing crisis. However, on a positive note, he did make robust investments in public education and career and technical training, as well as water and transportation which are all very needed.

Water & Transportation

The Governor proposed an additional $50 million ongoing to bond for $800 million in new transportation infrastructure to help address our state's serious transportation backlog. This will also address repairing or replacing the last one-third of dilapidated bridges throughout our state. Additional funds allow for the continued expansion of water infrastructure in Idaho.

LAUNCH

The Governor brought forward renewed funding for the Idaho LAUNCH Program at $75 million, which will allow Idaho students to enter Idaho colleges, career tech, and workforce training. College and career advisors will also receive more funding to assist high school students with navigating college or workforce training and other career opportunities. This is a great step forward as Idaho employers are asking for a more specialized and educated workforce coming out of Idaho's schools.

School Facilities Investments

The biggest announcement in the Governor's State of the State was the proposed investment of $2B in school facilities, $200M over the next ten years. This is critically needed across the state to address deferred maintenance and help schools pay for capital projects. Because schools won't have to run as many bonds and levies, this proposal will also result in millions of dollars in property tax relief.

Read the full address here

JFAC Changes

The Joint-Finance and Appropriations Committee has made significant changes regarding our state's budgeting process. While previously, agency and other state budgets were made in a public forum - now, budgets are looked at on a smaller committee level and all "maintenance" budgets are passed at once, while additional funds needed to start or expand new projects will have to be re-opened and considered. The passed budgets leave out critical items like bridge repair, LAUNCH scholarships, and quagga mussel response and will leave undue bargaining power in the hands of a few people who will now be able to hold budgets hostage, or more easily pass pet projects like school vouchers.

Read more about the new budget process here

Town Hall

Representatives Galaviz, Nash and I are holding our first town hall in just a week. Join us:

Date: Thursday, February 1st

Time: 6:30-7:30pm

Location: Collister Library

RSVP here

There are many challenges that face us in the session, but there is much opportunity to do good and I look forward to keeping you posted on my efforts.

In service,
-Ali 

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Looking forward to the 2024 session

I can't believe 2023 has already come to a close. The last few months and this year have been busy for me on all fronts. As I look back, and look ahead to another legislative session, there is a lot to reflect on and plan for.

Below I'm listing out some of my top memories as a Senator in 2023 - and a quick preview of what I've been working on leading up to the session!

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On July 1, my rental fee bill went into effect. Since the the bill became law, it has been helpful for renters, community providers, and the landlord community to set more clear limits regarding rental fees.

The issue of "junk fees" in the rental market has also become a big conversation piece at the national level. The current administration announced actions to reduce junk fees in rental housing, and my bill was mentioned in testimony to Congress.

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As federal funds for housing assistance timed out, I advocated for additional investments in rental assistance for families in our state.

Sure enough, when funds ran out evictions increased, and there is very little available in terms of a safety net for families. Unfortunately it looks like nothing on this will be done at the state level this year, but I will continue to talk about this important issue and hope that local governments will step up to the plate in the meantime.

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I participated in the Youth Homelessness Fellowship with the National Conference of State Legislatures. Alongside other legislators from across the country, I learned about policies states can consider to ensure fewer youth enter homelessness.

Did you know that more than 50% of people who are homeless have spent some time in the foster system? Having a healthy, happy, trauma-free childhood is a major key to success - an opportunity many people don't get.

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I have been working with developers this year to look at investments made with the $50 million investment into Idaho's Workforce Housing Fund, and discussing what's next.

All $50 million was used to create 1,156 units of affordable housing! Now that the funds are expended and demonstrated success, I hope the Governor and legislators will look at making additional and ongoing investments into this revolving loan fund.

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As always, I've spent lots of time out in the community meeting with folks, speaking about my work, and learning a lot about what's most important to our people in my community. For me, this part of being a Senator is always a highlight!

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I am looking forward to the next Legislative session which begins on January 8th. Follow along as I keep you posted on what's to come, and how you can get involved. There is a lot of work ahead of us!

During the upcoming session, I plan to continue to work on getting necessary investments in the Workforce Housing Fund, and will present a bill to seal eviction records in certain cases related to the inability to pay rent.

It has been quite the year for me personally and professionally as I’ve learned to balance motherhood and work. My job and work as a Senator continue to fill life with so much meaning. Plus, baby Miles is doing great and cuter than ever!

Our family enjoyed a wonderful holiday season with our families here in Boise, and we are sending warm wishes to you and yours in the new year.

Housing assistance fiscal cliff

Communities and states had an opportunity to solve our housing crisis for the first time in many years, as during the pandemic, the federal government invested in unprecedented housing support, as well as other programs to support low-income families in their efforts to make ends meet in the face of a growing expense-to-wage gap.

Those funds are now all timing out.

Just one example of this is the $46 billion for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program, which was the deepest investment in low-income renters the federal government has made since the nation launched its public housing system.

In addition, many state and local governments chose to use ARP funding to pay for necessary housing investments. I supported Idaho's effort to use $50 million to set up a revolving loan fund for affordable housing developers, to allow for the financing of 1,000 affordable units.

These funds have been incredibly helpful in several ways, but were not continued in the Inflation Reduction Act. The federal government is now calling on local and state governments to continue housing supports and financing as they’re able.

This is something that states - including Idaho - are going to need to wrestle with. Which of these programs can we continue to alleviate the strain of the immediate housing crisis, while also looking ahead to opportunities to create more affordability?

In the coming months, I will be speaking with legislators, the Governor's Office, developers, and the Idaho Finance and Housing Association to discuss how these housing investments have gone, and what's next for Idaho.

Idaho runs on nonprofits

I'm proud to be an advocate for nonprofits in my role as a legislator. I enjoyed speaking to a group of nonprofit leaders with Senators Wintrow and Lee, Representative Raybould and the Idaho Nonprofit Center about how nonprofits can advocate for their missions in partnership with government.

Nonprofits fill gaps in services that government and the private sector fail to, and I believe they should be considered a vital partner for governments seeking to address or invest in challenges our communities are facing.

Rental fee bill

On July 1, my rental fee bill went into effect. All leases signed after this date must comply with the new law. Here’s what you need to know:

• Landlords must disclose any fees they plan to charge tenants in a lease agreement, or give tenants 30 days’ notice in writing of any change in fees.

• Fees in an amount more than what’s in a rental agreement cannot be charged.

• Fees must be reasonable - i.e. related to actual costs to the landlord and in line with general industry practices.

• If landlords charge a fee that is not in a lease, greater than what’s in a lease (and written notice of a change has not been provided), and/or a fee that could be deemed as unreasonable, a tenant may take their landlord to small claims court to recoup the fee. Instructions to file a small claim can be found on each county court’s website. You do not need to have an attorney represent you in small claims court. The cost to file a claim in Ada County is $69.

• It’s legal to have an oral lease agreement in Idaho. If the agreement is not written down, the fees do not have to be written either. However, the fees must still be reasonable.

Please let me know if you have any other questions about the implications of this new law!

Boise’s zoning code re-write

Boise's zoning code has not been updated since the 1960's, and some exciting new changes are being proposed. I'm supportive of the changes which I believe will create more right-sized housing for people, and result in more affordability.

The code re-write does allow for more density in certain areas which for some people is a hard pill to swallow, but as our population grows, the alternative is to continue to sprawl into our beloved open spaces and farmland, as well as increasing challenges with affordability and traffic.

Check out the City of Boise's modern zoning code's executive summary and use the conversion map to see improvements in your area. Neighbors for Boise has resources and zoning 101 info for those who want to learn more about zoning!

Sign up to testify online or in-person Tuesday, June 13 or Wednesday June 14. 

During the 2023 session, we saw some movement to address the housing crisis

As you know, Governor Little signed my bill, S0139, into law. Passing my first bill was certainly the highlight of the session for me!

This bill will require rental fees to be in writing and reasonable. There are innumerable examples of tenants being exploited by exorbitant rental fees in Idaho's competitive housing market, and this bill offers some basic protection. It received bipartisan support within the Senate and House Chambers.

My seatmate Representative Nash also worked hard on the passage of HB166, which provides people with more freedom to build accessory dwelling units on their private residences, which will create more much-needed rental stock in our state.

There is much more to be done on this front, and I look forward to working with partners and colleagues in 2023 to identify new opportunities for positive change.

What can we expect for property tax relief after the 2023 session?

The short version: H292 was the property tax bill of the 2023 Legislative Session. This complicated bill will have many implications, but will provide some property tax relief to Idahoans.

The long version: It was disappointing to watch the tug-of-war between the different bodies of government over the issue of property taxes when I think there are more simple fixes to this serious issue, but ultimately we will see some property tax relief from 292.

There were two bills early on which I supported, one which would have fixed the shift in property taxes that has occurred over the last several years from commercial to residential properties since the legislature removed indexing in 2016. Another would have put excess sales tax funding directly to property tax relief. Unfortunately these bills could not move forward because House majority leadership:
(1) was catering to special interests that would be affected by a shift in property taxes, and
(2) refused to support a bill which did not remove the March election date for schools.

A third bill was presented later in the session which was a Frankenstein of a bill. The bill removed the March election date for schools and had huge implications for local taxing districts. In addition, analysis showed that this bill would only provide short-term property tax relief for residents. Nonetheless the bill was quickly ushered through the end of session.

Our Governor realized some language in the bill would shut down major transportation projects across the state and had major concerns about removing the March election date for schools, and vetoed the bill. The Senate then presented a new bill without these issues, which failed in the House. The House then and brought 292 back with some issues addressed.

In the end, I supported the passage of 292, and some estimates show the average homeowner getting up to $600 in property tax relief in the first year after this bill’s passage, with that amount declining over time. However, I am disappointed that the issue of property tax couldn't be addressed in a more simple, straightforward, and long-term manner focused on direct property tax relief for homeowners, without negative implications for our schools.

Public education survived the session

Reclaim Idaho worked hard on their petition to increase funding for public schools which resulted in historic increases in education funding including $145M for teacher pay raises, $97.4M towards classified employee salaries, and an additional $48.8M in discretionary funding for schools. From the property tax bill that passed, schools will also receive $100M to pay down bonds.

Idaho Launch grants expanded an existing program to provide Idaho high school graduates with $8,000 or 80% of a program’s tuition (whichever is less) to a career training program or community college. This will make a big difference for the students who qualify for this opportunity and improve Idaho's 60% go on rate.

Special interests made a huge push to put public funding into private schools this session and create education savings accounts. Thankfully, these efforts failed to move forward and this was a huge win. Public education funding will remain public.

I am honored to be seatmates with Representative Galaviz, a public schoolteacher whose voice was incredibly valuable on all of these topics. Next year, we will all need to continue to work hard to ensure public education is protected.

Sine Die

The 2023 legislative session came to a close last month, and I again want to thank you for the honor of representing you all. I worked to address the practical issues that affect Idahoans every day including our housing crisis and protecting public education.

Some big wins this session were that we will finally see some property tax relief, we started good conversations about affordable housing, and the foundation of our public education system was protected.

Our son Miles arrived the second to last day of the 2023 session, a healthy 8 pounds and 21 inches! We are sleep deprived but have been enjoying the last month with our little guy. 

A special thank you to my colleagues for taking a short break from our important business for a baby shower prior to Miles' arrival. Amidst the long hours of debate it was nice to step away to celebrate and take bets on which would come first - baby or sine die?

What's next?

I'll be sending along some updates soon on some exciting housing initiatives the City of Boise is considering. I am proud to live in a City that is seeking to implement meaningful solutions around the housing crisis and am excited to be engaged in those conversations.

I will also be working with community partners to identify opportunities for legislation next year, attending committee meetings, and staying connected with my colleagues.

Next session, I hope to see less divisive bills, a long-term property tax relief fix, continued investments in meaningful public programs, and more efforts to address practical challenges Idahoans are facing.

Updates on education

S1038, one of the education voucher bills, was voted down in the Senate floor some weeks ago. Last week, S1161 which extends grants to parents for private school tuition, passed the Senate 15-19. I was disappointed that after debating and voting down this idea, it came back in another form.

Similar to 1038, this bill will cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars to pay tuition for kids to go to private schools, which are not held accountable to any of the educational standards public schools are. There are also many opportunities for parents and schools to commit fraud with these funds.

Now we wait to see what happens with this bill in the House. Procedurally this should go through the House Education Committee, but for some reason it is being held at the Speaker's desk. 

Please keep checking my seatmate Rep. Galaviz's Eyes on Education page for updates and ask House representatives to vote NO on SB 1161.

Voter suppression bills

H124, which eliminates student IDs as acceptable form of identification at the polls, was signed into law. I did not support this bill because it is unnecessary and attempts to put barriers in front of the ballot box. There has been no evidence of voter fraud in Idaho, and I am concerned as this bill follows Idaho's highest growth in registration for voters 18 and 19 years old in the nation.
 

H205, which would have repealed no-excuse absentee voting, failed in the House 30-40. This was a huge win and I'm grateful to all of the Representatives who voted against this harmful piece of legislation. I fully support the absentee voting process.

 
SJR101, the attack on the ballot initiative, passed the Senate but is currently held in the House State Affairs Committee, where I'm hoping it remains.

Property tax updates

S292 is the newly negotiated property tax bill.

As a member of the Local Government and Taxation Committee, I have been diving deep into the issue of property taxes this session. I am disappointed that legislation providing targeted property tax relief to homeowners likely will not move forward. Instead, we are being presented with a negotiated bill that presents several concerns:

• The bill will hurt public schools. It removes the March bond and levy elections, which will prevent local school districts from running levies which fund annual raises for teachers and harm teacher retention. This strips control from local school boards and does not allow people to make timely decisions about what supplemental funding we wish to support in our local communities.

• The bill does not fix the foundational issue which has led to homeowners paying more property tax. Special interests won out on this issue again, and the property tax shift which has occurred since 2016 when indexing the homeowner's exemption was removed, remains. Residential taxpayers are in most need of relief as they have experienced 10+ years of budget shift. For example – in Boise, residential burden has increased from 55% in 2012 to 74% in 2022.

• The bill will provide property tax relief for homeowners in the first year (an election year), but less and less over time. It is projected that the amount of funds directed solely to homeowner relief will decline over time. The total relief in year one under HB 292 could be as much as $355 million for ALL taxpayers (not just homeowners), but that could be cut in half for homeowners in subsequent years due to the loss of one-time funding providing the relief, particularly for homeowners.

• The bill will impact local governments and other state programs. A large portion of the ongoing relief that is being provided comes from the Wayfair account, which is a loss to local government budgets - and over time, will take away funding from other state programs as well including the Transportation Expansion and Congestion Mitigation (TECM) fund. This loss in future revenue could result in more local governments needing to take the full 3% growth to respond to increasing service costs, which will again result in increased property tax.

I’m happy to see property tax reform is somewhat being addressed this session. However, I’m concerned about the potential consequences of HB 292 as written.

Supporting Childcare

As a soon-to-be working mother, I know first-hand how difficult it is to find adequate and affordable childcare. Now, our Legislature is putting childcare on the line - and with it, many businesses' ability to operate, and parents' ability to go to work. Federal ARPA dollars which would stabilize the childcare system were recently pulled from JFAC and are still being held. If these $36 million are left unappropriated in Idaho, they will go back to be spent in other states.

I was encouraged by the many parents who came to protest this unbelievable move at the Capitol, but more pressure is needed. Please email JFAC members and ask them to appropriate these ARPA dollars to our childcare providers.

S1039 is now law!

S1039, the bill which will ensure rental fees are transparent and reasonable passed the House 44-24 and was signed by the Governor today!

I'm grateful to everyone who supported this bill, including the Idaho Asset Building Network (IABN), National Association of Property Managers and Realtors (NARPM), and the Idaho Apartment Association (IAA), as well as my co-sponsors Representatives Hill and Erickson and Senators Ricks and Trakel.

Renters being charged exorbitant fees is a big problem in our communities. One renter was charged a $300 pet fee for a praying mantis their kid had, which their landlord refused to waive. This story among many others’ helped push the bill over the line and through the House.

After a long road working on this issue, I’m very proud. This bill will be helpful to so many.

H292: the newly negotiated property tax bill

As a member of the Local Government and Taxation Committee, I have been diving deep into the issue of property taxes this session. I am disappointed that legislation providing targeted property tax relief to homeowners likely will not move forward. Instead, we are being presented with a negotiated bill that presents several concerns:

• The bill will hurt public schools. It removes the March bond and levy elections, which will prevent local school districts from running levies which fund annual raises for teachers and harm teacher retention. This strips control from local school boards and does not allow people to make timely decisions about what supplemental funding we wish to support in our local communities.

• The bill does not fix the foundational issue which has led to homeowners paying more property tax. Special interests won out on this issue again, and the property tax shift which has occurred since 2016 when indexing the homeowner's exemption was removed, remains. Residential taxpayers are in most need of relief as they have experienced 10+ years of budget shift. For example – in Boise, residential burden has increased from 55% in 2012 to 74% in 2022.

• The bill will provide property tax relief for homeowners in the first year (an election year), but less and less over time. It is projected that the amount of funds directed solely to homeowner relief will decline over time. The total relief in year one under HB 292 could be as much as $355 million for ALL taxpayers (not just homeowners), but that could be cut in half for homeowners in subsequent years due to the loss of one-time funding providing the relief, particularly for homeowners.

• The bill will impact local governments and other state programs. A large portion of the ongoing relief that is being provided comes from the Wayfair account, which is a loss to local government budgets - and over time, will take away funding from other state programs as well including the Transportation Expansion and Congestion Mitigation (TECM) fund. This loss in future revenue could result in more local governments needing to take the full 3% growth to respond to increasing service costs, which will again result in increased property tax.

I’m happy to see property tax reform is somewhat being addressed this session. However, I’m concerned about the potential consequences of HB 292 as written.

Bad Bills Update

Voter Suppression Bills

H124, which eliminates student IDs as acceptable form of identification at the polls, was signed into law. I did not support this bill because it is unnecessary and attempts to put barriers in front of the ballot box. There has been no evidence of voter fraud in Idaho, and I am concerned as this bill follows Idaho's highest growth in registration for voters 18 and 19 years old in the nation.
 

H205, which would have repealed no-excuse absentee voting, failed in the House 30-40. This was a huge win and I'm grateful to all of the Representatives who voted against this harmful piece of legislation. I fully support the absentee voting process.

 
SJR101, the attack on the ballot initiative, passed the Senate but is currently held in the House State Affairs Committee, where I'm hoping it remains.

Voucher Bills

S1038, one of the education voucher bills, was voted down in the Senate floor some weeks ago. Last week, S1161 which extends grants to parents for private school tuition, passed the Senate 15-19. I was disappointed that after debating and voting down this idea, it came back in another form.

Similar to 1038, this bill will cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars to pay tuition for kids to go to private schools, which are not held accountable to any of the educational standards public schools are. There are also many opportunities for parents and schools to commit fraud with these funds.

Now we wait to see what happens with this bill in the House. Procedurally this should go through the House Education Committee, but for some reason it is being held at the Speaker's desk. 

Please keep checking my seatmate Rep. Galaviz's Eyes on Education page for updates and ask House representatives to vote NO on SB 1161.