The House overwhelmingly approved a new civics test requirement Monday. 

The new test would ask about the impact of Western civilization on the country’s founding, the arguments presented in the Declaration of Independence, the governing principles in the United States and Idaho constitutions and the roles and powers of separate branches of government, among other things. 

Sponsoring Rep. Tony Wisniewski, R-Coeur d’Alene, said the “duty” of public schools is to “maintain our republican form of government … so that we all have the freedoms that are enshrined in our state constitution and our federal constitution.

“There’s no other primary reason for us to fund public education,” he said.

House Bill 397 would replace the current civics test — based on the 100-question civics test used for citizen naturalization — required for public school students prior to graduation.

The House voted 64-3 to approve the bill, which now heads to the Senate. 

Rep. John Gannon, D-Boise, was one of the “no” votes. He argued Monday that students are already required to take too many tests. “This is an opportunity for me to vote ‘no’ on one test.”

Rep. Monica Church, a public school teacher, supported the bill but expressed a few concerns, including that it could be a “burden” for teachers and students amid other senior-year responsibilities. 

“These are important topics, but we have to also recognize the need for deliberative decision-making when it comes to these kinds of things, when we’re talking about education policy,” said Church, D-Boise. 

Virtual charter school bill makes a quick debut

A new bill would change the governance structure for virtual charter schools.

And the moves could affect a massive virtual charter school that has received Statehouse scrutiny: the Malad-based Idaho Home Learning Academy.

The new bill would move all virtual charter schools under the state’s umbrella — requiring the Idaho Public Charter School Commission to authorize these schools.

Any virtual charters would have to begin the transition to state oversight on July 1.

IHLA enrolls about 8,000 students statewide. It had been a part of the Oneida School District, an arrangement that swelled the rural district’s enrollment over the past several years. IHLA became a charter school last year, but the Oneida district serves as its authorizer.

The bill also would tighten the arrangement between virtual schools and educational services providers. The schools would need to get advance approval for any contract or amendment with an educational services provider.

Each year, a virtual charter school would have to submit “audited financial statements demonstrating lawful expenditure of all state and federal funds.”

Lawmakers have questioned IHLA’s relationships with educational services providers. During presentations in January, IHLA said about $21 million of its $55 million budget goes to these private parties — which also administer educational savings accounts of up to $1,800 per student.

The bill also contains a funding component. It would tie changes in charter school facilities funding — now $400 per student — to future changes in K-12 discretionary spending.

The Senate Judiciary and Rules Committee printed the bill without discussion Monday afternoon. The bill was routed there because Judiciary and Rules is a “privileged” committee that can print bills during the final stages of the session. The introduction paves the way for a possible hearing, most likely in the Senate Education Committee.

Senate Education Chairman Dave Lent, R-Idaho Falls, is sponsoring the bill.

Senate passes $100 million property tax cut

A $100 million property tax cut is headed to Gov. Brad Little’s desk after a unanimous Senate vote.

House Bill 304 splits the $100 million tax relief into two buckets.

• Half of the money would go into a school facilities fund, which districts use to offset the cost of voter-approved bonds and levies.
• Half of the money would go into a homeowner property tax relief account.

An omnibus 2023 property tax law created these two funds.

While the debate was brief and the support was bipartisan, two lawmakers put Monday’s vote into context.

Senate Majority Leader Lori Den Hartog, R-Meridian, noted that the school facilities fund has offset some bonds and levies, but school districts are still coming back to patrons with ballot measures. “It feels a little bit like an endless cycle.”

Senate Minority Leader Melissa Wintrow said lawmakers should have made property tax relief their first priority — instead of a $253 million income tax cut that could force lawmakers to slash state budgets in future years. “I’m afraid we’re bankrupting our state,” said Wintrow, D-Boise.

The 35-0 Senate vote follows a 68-0 House vote earlier this month.

Senate committee approves campus free speech bill, Broncos football resolution

The Senate State Affairs Committee quickly approved two proposals Monday. One lauds the Boise State football team for a “historic” season. The other aims to protect free speech on college and university campuses. 

Both proposals now head to the full Senate. 

Campus free speech 

House Bill 240 would prohibit colleges and universities from restricting “the protected expressive activity of any member of the campus community.”  

“You can’t create speech zones and you can’t create speech codes,” said sponsoring Rep. Barbara Ehardt, R-Idaho Falls. There have been “some problems” related to First Amendment rights on campuses in Idaho, Ehardt said, but she didn’t offer specifics. “Oftentimes it seems to affect, maybe, a conservative Christian.”

Just one committee member opposed the motion to advance the bill. Sen. James Ruchti, D-Pocatello, said he’s concerned about the private cause of action that would make colleges and universities liable for fines up to $25,000. 

Private causes of action “encourage people to seek trouble, as opposed to the normal reason…which is when trouble seeks them,” he said. 

HB 240 already cleared the House on a 55-15 vote. 

Boise State football 

The resolution commends the Boise State football team on a “historic” 2024 season, which included 12 wins, a conference championship and bid to the College Football Playoff. 

It also recognizes Heisman Trophy runner-up and All-American Ashton Jeanty, a running back, and second-team All-American Kage Casey, an offensive tackle for the Broncos. 

The Senate State Affairs Committee unanimously voted to advance House Concurrent Resolution 12.

‘Use it or lose it’ funding flexibility bill goes to Little’s desk

A bill restoring schools’ so-called “use it or lose it” funding flexibility is headed to the governor.

During the Great Recession, the Legislature allowed schools to fill 9.5% fewer teaching positions than the state funded. But since 2016, the state has gradually whittled away this flexibility — reducing it for districts with higher class sizes.

House Bill 305 would reverse this, and restore the 9.5% flexibility.

The Senate passed HB 305 on a 35-0 vote.

Advanced Opportunities tweaks head to the governor

The Senate approved a series of changes to the advanced opportunities program.

House Bill 175 would make clear that students can use their state funding to take a college entrance exam more than once. It would also allow homeschool students to take their dual-credit classes directly through community colleges, and it would require students to meet with a college and career counselor after they have earned 15 dual credits through the program.

The Senate passed HB 175 on a 33-1 vote, sending it to Gov. Brad Little’s desk.