Legislative Update - Week 13

The Senate passed the last bill on our calendar late Wednesday night and adjourned for five days to give the Governor the required time to sign or veto bills. Bottom line is the Second Regular Session of the 67th Idaho Legislature has come to an end. It has been a very interesting Session and a lot of good bills have been passed and a lot of good bills have been held. This Session saw nearly 700 pieces of legislation introduced, with many making it through the process and sent on to the
Governor’s desk.

One significant piece of legislation that we saw this week was the passage of Senate Bill 1435 (S1435). This bill is an appropriations bill for the Idaho State Police (ISP) that will allow them to continue to do the important job they do for the citizens of Idaho. Recently, the Governor assigned two teams of ISP troopers to go to Texas to help with the recent rash of illegal border crossings. ISP also coordinated efforts with local law enforcement to peacefully end a 36-hour manhunt that occurred across our State. ISP has also been on the front lines against the fentanyl problem and continues to lead the fight against all illicit drugs. S1435 is a good bill and shows that the Legislature and the Governor are committed to public safety. It also makes a statement that we back our law enforcement personnel and efforts in Idaho. 

Another piece of legislation we saw this week was House Bill 766 (H766). This bill is the product of several variations and efforts to solve the 5-day school week issue that presented itself in House Bill 521 (H521). H521 passed both the Senate and the House and was signed by the Governor. However, it created some angst and confusion regarding a requirement that school districts be on a 5-day school week to qualify for facilities funds from the State. Several Senators, including me, were concerned about this provision in the bill, and we received many calls and emails from constituents sharing the same concerns, including calls from parents, teachers, and school administrators. After several attempts by the Senate to get a trailer bill addressing the 5-day issue to be heard by the House leadership, we finally came to an agreement in H766. This bill adjusts the minimum days requirement for schools by eliminating the contract-day requirement. The bill also ensures legislative oversight of decisions made by the Idaho State Board of Education and provides that the State Board has the flexibility it needs to phase in hour or day requirements over a multi-year period. The required hours would stay set in State Statute which, of course, is set by the Legislature. This provides a level of comfort as the rules governing this issue will also be set by the Legislature, which will be closely watched. There is a lot of Senate support for our rural school districts, especially where the data shows that many of the top-performing schools in the State are on a 4-day school week. 

I thank you for your emails and calls during this Legislative Session. I like to hear your opinion of the issues and our efforts to serve your needs. Please feel free to continue to contact me at:  [email protected]. I look forward to serving you again next Legislative Session!