Bills Update
Last week was an eventful one with many new bills being considered. The bill I've been working on, S1039, which requires rental fees to be transparent and reasonable passed the Senate 23-10 and will head to the House Judiciary and Rules Committee next.
Other big bills that may be considered in the Senate this week include:
SJR 101 opens the door for a constitutional amendment to make Idaho’s ballot initiative process more difficult, confusing, and expensive. The resolution is nearly identical to a 2021 law struck down by the Idaho Supreme Court for infringing upon a fundamental right, reserved to the people of Idaho. It will likely be debated on the Senate floor this week.
SB 1111 provides property tax relief to Idaho homeowners on their primary residence. It dedicates 4.5% of annual sales tax revenues to property tax relief, providing a subtraction from each homeowner’s total property tax bill. In addition, the bill makes a change to the Circuit Breaker by increasing the maximum value of a home that qualifies, and by raising applicant income limits so more low-income applicants qualify for the Circuit Breaker program. This bill will likely be considered in my Committee, Local Government & Property Tax, on Tuesday.
HB 149 provides a framework for those with minor non-violent, non-sexual offenses to petition for sealing of their public records. It would help ensure Idahoans have a second chance and access to opportunities that would otherwise be denied. The bipartisan legislation, sponsored by House Minority Leader Ilana Rubel, received near unanimous support on the House Floor. It now heads to the Senate.
SB 1038 diverts $45 million away from public education and students to subsidize private and religious schools with no oversight or accountability. Years of chronic underfunding have forced our public schools to slash budgets for teacher and support staff salaries, extracurriculars, career technical programs, and more. Many rural schools are operating on a four-day school week to cut costs and are struggling to hire certified teachers and classroom aids. A voucher program would only make these problems worse. This bill will likely be considered by the Senate this week.
HB 24, the Idaho Launch initiative, would give high school graduates a minimum of $8,500 that could be used to pay for training programs and college degrees associated with in-demand jobs, like welding or plumbing. Idaho’s Workforce Development Council would be responsible for surveying employers to determine the state’s most in-demand jobs. The program would fill good-paying jobs currently left vacant and boost the likelihood of students staying in-state, and there are no requirements for students to work in Idaho after they graduate or earn a certificate. Students would also have to undergo career counseling prior to receiving the grant. This program will also likely be considered by the Senate this week.
