Week 4

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[Week 4] Legislative Update

This Week’s Highlights:

Key Education Legislative Actions: This week, education committees continued hearing proposals related to school funding, student access, parental rights, and oversight. Many of these are early in the legislative process, so details may continue to change.

STATE — Public Charter School Admissions (RS 33117 / H 599): This proposal looks at how public charter schools manage student admissions and enrollment practices. The focus is on fairness and access for families seeking charter options.

STATE — Department of Education Funding Distribution (RS 33225): This proposal examines how education funds are distributed through the State Department of Education, with an emphasis on transparency and accountability.

STATE — School Facilities Funding (RS 32889 / RS 33205): These proposals focus on how school construction, maintenance, and facility needs are funded, including cooperative funding approaches to help districts address building needs.

STATE — Immigration Data Collection (RS 33009C2): This proposal would require schools to collect and report certain immigration-related data. Discussion included how the information would be used and privacy concerns.

STATE — Parental Rights (RS 32826): This bill continues the broader legislative focus on strengthening parental authority and access to information about their child’s education.

STATE — Idaho Digital Learning Academy (RS 33237 / RS 33027 / H 588): Several proposals addressed the structure, funding, and oversight of Idaho Digital Learning Academy, which provides online courses to students statewide.

STATE — High-Needs Student Funding (RS 33277C21 / RS 33271): These proposals would establish or refine funding specifically for students who require intensive supports.

STATE — Education Code Updates (RS 33335): This proposal would repeal or update multiple sections of Idaho education law to align with current practices.

STATE — Bullying Prevention Requirements (H 515): This bill updates requirements for school policies, reporting, and staff training related to harassment, intimidation, and bullying.

What This Means for You:

Funding conversations are expanding. Lawmakers are looking closely at facilities, digital learning, and new funding streams for high-needs students. These decisions could affect the resources available to schools and special education services.

Parental role and school choice remain major themes. Several proposals focus on parental rights, access to information, homeschool participation, and financial support for alternative education options. Student safety and well-being are also a focus. Updates to bullying prevention and facility planning may impact daily school experiences.

Key Healthcare Legislative Actions:

This week, health and welfare committees continued hearing proposals related to healthcare access, behavioral health services, insurance coverage, and system oversight. Many of these measures are in the early stages of the legislative process, and details may continue to evolve.

STATE – Healthcare

S1253: Establishes the Idaho Rural Health Transformation Fund and a Rural Health Transformation Committee to improve access and infrastructure in rural areas; referred to Health & Welfare. This is in the early stages and we will keep following it.

STATE- Healthcare

On Monday, February 9th, Senate Bill 1240 passed unanimously in the Senate Judiciary and Rules Committee. This bill adds stronger protections for children, adults, and families involved in guardianship or conservatorship cases. It clarifies confusing parts of the law so families can better understand what is required. It also strengthens individual rights, including clearer explanations of rights and stronger protections before hearings. Finally, it moves guardianship and conservatorship into Probate Code, which adds additional protections while keeping all existing disability-specific safeguards. Thank you to IPUL’s partner, Amy Cunningham, Executive Director of Disability Rights Idaho for her tireless work in educating our lawmakers on the benefits of this bill!

STATE- Healthcare

Last week, state budget writers voted to make the Governor’s 3% budget cuts permanent and to add more cuts in the coming years, which could mean up to a 5% reduction in many state programs. While public schools and a few other agencies are mostly protected, the Department of Health and Welfare has not yet had its final budget decided and we don’t know what services could be affected. Lawmakers assigned to the Medicaid budget will now decide how these cuts are applied. This means there is still time for families to speak up. If Medicaid matters to your child or family, now is the moment to contact legislators on the Medicaid budget working group, especially those who represent your district, and share why protecting Medicaid is so important to you.

Get Involved!

You can use IPUL’s “Power of a Personal Story” template to craft testimony to share with legislators. Other testimony tips can be found in the padlet as well. You will find all our tips at this link https://shorturl.at/kSLOf

1.) Hailey Townhall on Medicaid Cuts – Friday, February 13th, at the Community Campus Minnie Moore Room from 5:00 – 7:00 PM MST, you can join Sen. Ron Taylor and Democratic legislators for a town hall to ask questions, share your story, and speak out against harmful Medicaid cuts.

2.)Moscow Townhall on Medicaid Cuts – Saturday, February 14th, at the 1912 Center in the Great Room from 2:00-4:00 PM PST, you can join Rep. Monica Church and Megan Egbert for a town hall to ask questions, share your story, and speak out against harmful Medicaid cuts.