Legislative Updates - Week Six
Senator Mark Harris, LD35
The Joint Finance Appropriations Committee (JFAC) has approved the 10 maintenance budgets for this session. These agency budgets amount to approximately $13.4 billion and will now be assigned and heard in the House and the Senate. Currently there is a great deal of disagreement among legislators over the scale and allocation of the proposed budget cuts. It will be interesting to see how the votes turn out. If the budget bills fail, they will be sent back to JFAC to go through the committee process again for revision. However, if passed in both the House and Senate committees and on the floor of each chamber, they will go to the Governor for his signature.
One of these cuts involves the Bear Lake Regional Commission, which is a group that plays a vital role in economic development and operations in both Idaho and Utah. Representatives Wheeler, Veile and I, together with some of our North Idaho colleagues who were concerned about the Lake Pend Oreille Commission, were able to talk to members of JFAC and get the funding for both commissions restored, which is good news. There are several other areas that will receive cuts over and above the 5 percent that we have been told, i.e., cuts in transportation funds as well as Medicaid and possibly more in education. We will learn more as these budgets are presented on the Senate Floor. Again, there is still a great deal of uncertainty about these budgets.
I introduced a few bills this week in their respective committees. One of these pieces of legislation is a substantial and important bill that will clarify and define the authority between the Idaho Department of Lands and the Office of the Attorney General. Senate Bill 1292 that was passed in 2024 allowed the Department of Lands to hire independent counsel to prevent conflicts of interest from the Attorney General who has a seat on the Land Board. This new legislation, Senate Bill 1328, clarifies and separates the duties of the Department of Lands from the duties of the Attorney General’s Office. This should help alleviate some conflicts between the two departments.
I also introduced Senate Bill 1326 that is designed to protect private property rights. It establishes protection against government employees entering private property without landowner permission or a warrant. This bill has been in the works for about three years and has had several versions. I believe we have finally reached a place where this idea can move forward in the legislative process. Time will tell as the session moves on.
Representative Josh Wheeler
Week six of the legislative session has been a steady mix of policy progress, budget conversations, and meaningful moments at the Capitol.
On the legislative front, my provisional journeyman bill has been pushed back another week as we continue working through stakeholder questions. While delays can be frustrating, they are often part of the process of building durable policy. I remain committed to getting it right.
Encouragingly, the epinephrine dosing bill has now made it to the Senate floor. I’m hopeful we will see it pass next week and head to the Governor’s desk. This is a practical, student-safety measure, and I appreciate the broad support it has received.
Most of the administrative rules in my committees have now been reviewed, which frees up more bandwidth for substantive policy and budget work. And that work is coming quickly.
There is increasing conversation around Medicaid expansion repeal and broader Medicaid budget reductions. I’ve said consistently that if we are going to make adjustments, they should be thoughtful and precise—not broad, across-the-board cuts that disproportionately harm certain populations or critical services. Idaho has reserves above statutory targets. We should be having a serious discussion about strategic use of those stabilization funds to smooth temporary pressures and avoid unnecessary disruption. Scrappy solutions don’t mean reckless ones—they mean smart, targeted decisions that protect Idaho families while keeping our budget balanced.
This week also included a memorial service honoring legislators who have passed on. The bagpipe rendition of Amazing Grace was especially moving—particularly the line, “was blind, but now I see.” It was a reminder of the perspective and humility required in public service.
Outside of floor debates, it was great to spend time with leaders in Idaho agriculture—dairymen, ranchers, farmers, and cattlemen—who are navigating real economic pressures of their own. I also appreciated meeting with members of the Idaho School Boards Association. Hearing directly from those on the ground—whether in agriculture or education—helps ensure our policy decisions reflect real-world impact rather than Capitol theory.
As always, I’m grateful for the thoughtful input I continue to receive from constituents. The session is moving quickly, and the big budget decisions are just beginning. I’ll continue working toward practical, responsible solutions that protect essential services, respect taxpayers, and preserve Idaho’s long-term stability.
Thank you for the opportunity to serve.
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Josh Wheeler
Idaho State Representative
Representative Mike Veile
I'm just going to jump right into education this week. I continue to be a little dismayed at the constant stream of restrictions and constraints selectively being proposed for public school districts. We continue to hear about the benefits and innovative nature observed with every other type of education system. But these policies that are purported to increase performance in all other systems are not allowed for public school districts. Districts are continually met with suspicion and contempt by a certain element here in Boise.
There are some great Charter Schools in Idaho with incredible performance. But, they have benefits with a more selective enrollment and even specifics requirements on parental involvement. They have some models that produce success, that need to be replicated in our Districts.
One proposal that hit the Ed committee this week was to require public schools to only spend their money exactly where it was designated. This limits the ability to respond to changes in staffing, enrollment, maintenance, or new opportunities. This also increases the workload beyond normal budget accounting and increases reporting and processing. A school's product is not how closely they follow exact expenditures, but how well they educate our children. The local trustees have oversight not only of the spending decisions but the eventual performance of the district or charter.
Another RS that was presented in Ed this week was to allow only Public Charter Schools for special autonomy and removal from state oversight and increased per student funding if they achieve a certain high level of performance. This is a great concept that I will support; but only if it applies to all public schools. There is alternate proposed legislation that applies equally to public school districts, but the public charters are currently not on board with allowing districts this opportunity.
We also defeated a proposal to force school districts to start their school year no earlier that the Tuesday after Labor day. I certainly understand the appeal as August is a much better time to enjoy Idaho than early June, unless you're fishing on Henry's lake. But this should be a local decision based upon the desires of the community. I opposed this one as well.
Still a lot of discussion about the budget. It is still not finalized where the budget cut are specified. While the Governor's budget showed a cut in $33M for online education, there is at present only 1 bill I have seen and that is for a little over $9m cuts to Idaho Digital Learning Academy. Until policy bills emerge to detail where the cuts are to Medicaid or Ed there is still some ambiguity. Votes on the budget have yet to occur so that is the next step.
Representative Mike Veile
District 35 A
