Motivation Monday Week 1 1/13/25

✨ Welcome to Idaho Parents Unlimited Motivation Monday! 💪🌟
During the Legislative Session, we’re here to keep you informed and empowered! 🛠️💡
📅 On Mondays, look out for our posts packed with resources, information, and handy tips and tricks. 📝✨
📌 Here’s where you can find Legislative Agendas and Committees: https://legislature.idaho.gov/sessioninfo/2025
https://ipulidaho.org/news/legislative_update/ 🔗📃
Let’s stay engaged, stay motivated, and make a difference together! 💬💪

[Week 1] Legislative Update
This Week’s Highlights

• Key Legislative Actions:
• FEDERAL – Family Personal Care Services Program:
  On December 20, 2024, Idaho submitted a request to amend its Idaho Behavioral Health Transformation demonstration. The demonstration currently includes an expenditure authority to allow “Use of Legally Responsible Individuals (LRI) to Render Personal Care Services (PCS).” The state requests to remove this expenditure authority from the demonstration. The federal comment period will be open from January 2, 2025, through January 31, 2025.

What This Means for You

• Termination of this program will end parents and spouses as paid caregivers. This does not end the Personal Care Services program. It only discontinues the allowability of a legally responsible adult (parent or spouse) to be paid as the provider. This was the case prior to the pandemic. Flexibilities were made during the pandemic that would have expired but were continued under the waiver amendment.

Get Involved!

• Opportunities to advocate or provide feedback – Public Comment is being Accepted through January 31, 2025.
  To view the pending application and current comments, and to submit comments click here: https://1115publiccomments.medicaid.gov/jfe/form/SV_bDftFC87R3ENDPE
  

Looking Ahead

• Upcoming Legislative Actions:
• Not available at this time – May be available after the public comment period.

Stay Connected

• Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for updates
• Have questions? Contact us on our website at ipulidaho.org

 Motivation Monday Week 2 1/20/25

✨ Welcome to Week Two of Motivation Monday! 💪🌟

🤔 Not sure who your Legislator is? We’ve got you covered! Here are some helpful links to get started:

🔗 Find Your Legislator: https://legislature.idaho.gov/legislators/whosmylegislator

🔗 IPUL Legislation Page: https://ipulidaho.org/news/legislative_update/

💡 Stay informed, stay involved, and let’s make a difference together! 💬✨

[Week 2] Legislative Update This Week’s Highlights:
💡Key Legislative Actions:

STATE – Idaho House Bill No. 5: School Safety and Threat Assessment Teams
On January 13th House Bill No. 5 was referred to Judiciary, Rules & Administration. This bill aims to improve safety in Idaho’s public and charter schools by creating Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management (BTAM) teams. These teams are responsible for identifying and addressing behaviors that might lead to violence in schools.

What This Means for You:
The establishment of Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management (BTAM) teams means schools will actively work to identify and address potential threats before they escalate. Parents of children with disabilities or behavior issues may have concerns about how these teams assess and address their child’s needs. It will be important for parents to stay engaged with their school’s processes to ensure their child is treated fairly and in line with their rights under the law.

FEDERAL: Update from Week 1 on Idaho’s Family Personal Care Services Program (Parents and Spouses as Paid Caregivers). The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare issued a notice that due to the public comment period closing January 31, 2025, they did not have CMS approval to terminate the program for that same date. The program will continue for the time being. You can continue to make comments here: https://1115publiccomments.medicaid.gov/…/SV…https://1115publiccomments.medicaid.gov/jfe/form/SV_bDftFC87R3ENDPE
✔️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
👀Looking Ahead:
Updates on upcoming legislative actions will be shared as they become available. Stay tuned!
👭Stay Connected:
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates, and visit our website for more resources: ipulidaho.org

✨ Welcome to Week Three of Motivation Monday! 💪🌟
📣 Your voice matters more than ever! Did you know that you can provide your testimony to Idaho legislators without ever leaving home? 🌐💬 Sharing your story and perspective is a powerful way to influence decisions that impact your family, your community, and your future.
💡 Here’s how to get started:
1️⃣ Learn the process: Visit the Remote Testimony Instructions to understand how to sign up, submit your testimony, and participate in hearings. https://legislature.idaho.gov/remote-testimony
2️⃣ Stay informed: Check out our IPUL Legislation Page for updates, resources, and tools to help you stay engaged throughout the legislative session. https://ipulidaho.org/news/legislative_update/
3️⃣ Be prepared: Take some time to organize your thoughts and focus on the key points you want to share. Need help crafting your testimony? Reach out to us for support!
💡 Pro Tip: Keep your testimony concise and heartfelt. Sharing personal experiences can have a powerful impact!

[Week 3] IPUL’s Legislative Update 💡
Key Legislative Actions:
✔️STATE – Idaho House Bill No. 39: Idaho Parental Choice Tax Credit legislation
The Idaho Legislature is introducing a new law called the Idaho Parental Choice Tax Credit. This program is designed to help parents afford educational services and materials for their children, especially if they are not enrolled in public schools.
✔️STATE – Idaho Senate Bill No. 1025: Red Tape Reduction Program or Empowering Parents Grant Program
The law builds on the existing Empowering Parents program, which will now expand to provide grants for tuition, along with other eligible education expenses, for students in pre-kindergarten through high school. These grants are prioritized for families earning less than $80,000 per year. To reduce unnecessary and costly reporting, the law also introduces the Idaho Public Education Red Tape Reduction Program, which will cut down on unnecessary or duplicative reports required by the state. This change will save time and resources for school districts, allowing them to focus more on student needs.
✔️STATE – Idaho Senate Bill No. 1017:
The self-directed student law in Idaho allows motivated students who are doing well in school, know their math facts, show good behavior, and complete a learning plan to participate in extra or alternative learning activities. A proposed change to this law would give families financial support to help pay for those activities. Right now, schools are not allowed to reimburse families for these kinds of expenses. By making this change, teachers and parents could work together to create a plan for students to learn in new ways outside of the traditional classroom, with funding to help make those plans possible.
✔️STATE – Idaho House Bill No. 42:
Section 33-5905 of Idaho Code created a School Safety and Security Advisory Board with 13 members chosen by different officials. However, having so many members has caused problems, such as difficulty filling all the positions and not enough members attending meetings to make decisions. A proposed change to this law would reduce the size of the board while still including a variety of important perspectives. This adjustment aims to make the board more effective and able to meet its goals.
✔️STATE – Idaho House Bill No. 44:
Statement of Purpose: Schools are safer when incidents of harassment, intimidation and bullying (HIB) are firmly addressed. This is one reason Idaho requires schools to report incidents of HIB to the state. This bill would ensure that families whose students are involved in a serious incident of HIB are also notified so they can take necessary steps.
✔️STATE – Idaho House Bill No. 58:
This legislation repeals §56-267 of Idaho Code, MedicaidExpansion, the costs of which have been considerably more than originally projected.
👫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
👀Looking Ahead:
Updates on upcoming legislative actions will be shared as they become available. Stay tuned!
♾️Stay Connected:
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates, and visit our website for more resources: ipulidaho.org

✨ Welcome to Week Four of Motivation Monday! 💪🌟

🌟 Want to make an impact but don’t know where to start? The answer is simple: Telling your story. YOUR personal experiences are powerful tools for change—they help decision-makers understand the real-life impact of policies and programs.

💡 Here’s how you can begin:
1️⃣ Learn the basics: Check out this guide on crafting your story. It walks you through how to structure your message to create a lasting impact. Follow this link to learn more, https://padlet.com/IdahoParentsUnlimited/champion-for-change-the-power-of-a-personal-story-4tyc7s8sp1sn41tl/wish/E851Q0YpOBNlZVAb
2️⃣ Take it further: Use this storytelling toolkit to refine your approach and feel confident sharing your experiences. Follow this link to learn more, https://padlet.com/IdahoParentsUnlimited/champion-for-change-the-power-of-a-personal-story-4tyc7s8sp1sn41tl/wish/Ae2RavDMX9Y8Znz4

💡 Pro Tip: Focus on how policies or programs have affected you or your family. Keep it clear, personal, and solution-focused for maximum impact!

[Week 4] Legislative Update This Week’s Highlights:
Key Legislative Actions:
✔STATE – Fred Riggers Disability Awareness Day is an annual event in Idaho that honors the legacy of Fred Riggers, a dedicated advocate for individuals with disabilities. This year, the event is scheduled for February 5th, from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM Mountain Time, at the Idaho State Capitol in Boise. Fred Riggers Disability Awareness day provides an opportunity for individuals with disabilities, their families, caregivers, and supporters to engage directly with state legislators. Participants can share personal stories, discuss pressing issues such as the direct care workforce shortage, housing challenges, and digital accessibility, and advocate for policies that enhance the lives of those with disabilities.
✔STATE – Idaho House Bill No. 75: Public schools, facilities funding
This bill would create a fund to help public schools improve their buildings. Schools can apply for grants based on need to help pay for construction, remodeling, or maintenance of school facilities. To apply, schools must submit a detailed plan explaining the project, the current condition of their buildings, estimated costs, past attempts to raise money through bonds, and their financial situation. Rural school districts will be given priority. The State Board of Education will review and approve applications with input from the Idaho Department of Education and the Division of Public Works.
✔STATE – Idaho Senate Bill No.1032: Distraction Free Learning Policy
Research shows that mobile devices can negatively affect students’ learning. This bill requires schools to evaluate how mobile device use impacts students and create policies to support focused, distraction-free learning. Each school district will have the flexibility to design policies that best fit their students and community.
✔STATE – Idaho Senate Bill No. 1036: Human Gene Therapy, Moratorium
The “Doug Cameron Act” would temporarily ban the use of any gene therapy product for treating infectious diseases in Idaho, no matter how it is given or whether it is officially called a vaccine. This applies even if the product does not meet Idaho’s legal definition of a vaccine.
✔STATE – Idaho Senate Bill No. 1038: World Health Organization Mandates
This bill adds a new section to Idaho law stating that the state of Idaho cannot be forced to follow or enforce rules or mandates from the World Health Organization (WHO).

✔FEDERAL – As you may know this week there was a pause on federal funding for grants and loans. While we are so glad to report that pause has been rescinded and our funding has been reinstated, we know that we still have work to do to remind our congressmen of the important work that Idaho Parents Unlimited does to support families in our state. If you feel
inclined, you can contact Idaho’s Federal Congressmen to share how Idaho Parents Unlimited has supported your family or community and why these programs are essential. You can find your lawmakers’ contact information here below along with a template for families/partners to use should you choose to compose a letter or email. Follow the link below to find our template letter that you can use to reach out to Idaho’s representatives. This link also includes contact information for Idaho representatives. https://ipulidaho.org/traini…/urgent-your-voice-is-needed/
✔FEDERAL – Executive order to End Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling
Parents trust schools to provide a strong education and teach children to appreciate our country and its values. However, in recent years, some schools have introduced topics that many parents feel go against these values and limit their ability to be involved in their child’s learning. Some students have been taught to see themselves as either victims or oppressors based on race, while others have been encouraged to question their identity in ways that may create confusion and division within families.
Schools should not:
Teach children that one race is better or worse than another.
Suggest that students should feel guilty or responsible for historical injustices based on their race or background.
Encourage children to change their gender identity without informing parents.
Discriminate against students or staff in the name of “equity” or other social theories.
✔FEDERAL – Through an executive order the Department of Education is directed to provide guidance on how federal funds can be used to support scholarship programs for elementary and secondary students. The Department of Defense (DOD) must present a plan directly to Trump outlining how military families can utilize DOD funds to enroll their children in their school of choice. The Secretary of the Interior is tasked with developing a plan for Trump on how families with children in Bureau of Indian Education schools can access federal funding for alternative school options. Additionally, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must issue guidance on how states can allocate HHS funds to support attendance at private or faith-based schools.
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates, and visit our website for more resources: ipulidaho.org