A new bill would give the Legislature direct say over childhood immunization guidelines.

Sponsored by Rep. Dori Healey, R-Boise, the bill would move all of the state’s immunization language out of agency rules and into state statute.

The bill makes no changes to the guidelines, but it changes governance.

“This statute streamlines and clarifies existing regulations by transferring decisionmaking authority from the Department of Health and Welfare back to the Idaho Legislature,” says the bill’s statement of purpose, which makes no reference to immunizations or vaccinations. “By doing so, it ensures greater legislative oversight and accountability while making the statute more accessible and understandable to all.”

The House Health and Welfare Committee introduced the bill, setting the stage for a possible hearing at a later date.

Without notice, State Board says it will create a ‘medical education committee’

The State Board of Education has abruptly entered into Idaho’s medical education debate.

The board will form a committee to discuss the embattled WWAMI medical education co-op, “and what will be best for Idaho moving forward,” according to a State Board news release issued Thursday afternoon.

The announcement comes as the Legislature debates the future of WWAMI — named for the member states of Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho. A House bill would sever Idaho’s 53-year affiliation with WWAMI, a University of Washington-led program that currently trains 40 Idaho students per year. A bill to end the WWAMI affiliation could come up for a House vote as early as Friday.

Lawmakers have criticized the University of Washington for balking at taking on additional Idaho students, and they want assurances that Idaho tax dollars are not supporting elective classes in abortion procedures.

State Board President Linda Clark announced the formation of the committee Thursday, at the end of a two-day board meeting at Boise State University. The announcement came without any advance notice; the State Board’s agenda makes no mention of medical education or the WWAMI dispute.

“The board did not take any action,” spokesman Mike Keckler said in an email late Thursday afternoon. “The board’s executive director will begin soliciting advice from various people. Any action to form an official board-sanctioned committee will occur during either a regular or special board meeting and be properly noticed.”

House begins working through ‘maintenance’ budget bills

In a sign of movement on the budgeting front, the House began passing “maintenance” budgets Thursday afternoon.

The budgets roll existing spending into a base for the 2025-26 budget year, which begins July 1. Any new spending or new programs will show up in “enhancement” budget bills later in the session.

In one of the votes, the House passed House Bill 251, a $3.3 billion base budget for K-12. This bill passed on a 65-2 vote, with Reps. Vito Barbieri, R-Dalton Gardens, and Steve Berch, D-Boise, in opposition.

One maintenance bill hit a hiccup, however. The House did not vote on House Bill 250, a $1.1 billion budget that includes base spending for higher education. The House sent that bill back to the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee for tweaking.

House rejects bill to relax school bonding cap

Without debate, the House shot down a bill that could have allowed school districts to pursue larger bond issues.

House Bill 147 would have allowed districts to bond up to 8% of its local market value. The current cap is 5%, and it hasn’t increased since 2007, said Rep. Ben Furhiman, R-Shelley, the bill’s sponsor.

An increased cap would allow districts to keep up with inflation — and, in some cases, give rural districts enough bonding capacity to put a building project on the ballot, Fuhriman said.

House members were unconvinced. The bill failed on a 29-39 vote.

New bill would bar instruction on sexual orientation, gender identity for young students

After an unusually contentious introductory hearing, the House Education Committee printed a bill that would bar K-3 public school instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity.

Rep. Dale Hawkins’ bill would direct school districts to adopt policies prohibiting instruction “by public school personnel on sexual orientation or gender identity” for children in kindergarten through third grade. It would also require that districts post required textbooks and course syllabi online. 

“This ensures that parents have full visibility into what their children are being taught, promoting transparency and accountability in education,” Hawkins, R-Fernwood, told the committee Thursday.

Sen. Cindy Carlson, R-Riggins, is listed as a bill co-sponsor. 

Rep. Mark Sauter, R-Sandpoint, asked Hawkins whether he considered giving the same requirements to private schools, after the Legislature this week passed House Bill 93, which directs public funds to private schoolers. 

House Education Chairman Douglas Pickett, R-Oakley, told Hawkins he didn’t have to answer the question. “That’s not part of your bill.” But Hawkins responded that private schools are “outside of the scope of what we’re talking about.”

Rep. Monica Church, D-Boise, also asked Hawkins to explain what it means “not to teach gender identity.” 

Idaho stands against “a lot of the stuff that we’re seeing in diversity, equity and inclusion in our university systems and other places,” Hawkins said. “We have found that in some areas, and I’m not even saying we have it here in Idaho, it’s being started in elementary schools now.”

When Church again asked for a definition, Hawkins responded, “I think you know the answer, so I don’t know why you’re asking me.” 

Church, a public school teacher, made an unsuccessful motion to return the bill to its sponsor.

“The sponsor has admitted that, one, this may not be happening in Idaho,” Church said. “And two, it is very difficult for a public school teacher or administrator to uphold rules when the definitions are not clear. To talk about gender identity is a very broad thing.”

The committee approved a substitute motion, from Rep. Steve Tanner, to introduce the bill. 

“I feel like this doesn’t go far enough,” said Tanner, R-Nampa, noting he would prefer it applied to kindergarten through 12th grade. “It’s just the domain of the parents, their right to have these conversations.”

House Education introduced three other new bills Thursday:

Administrator certification

Also co-sponsored by Hawkins and Carlson, this bill would create a new path for public school administrators to serve without meeting State Board of Education standards for principals and superintendents. 

The “administrator leadership apprenticeship” program would require: 

• A background check. 
• A bachelor’s degree. 
• Sponsorship by a public school district.
• A professional background showing “competency” in an “education-related experience” or a leadership role in government, business, nonprofit or military settings.
• Enrollment in or completion of an administrator leadership program at an accredited university in Idaho. 

Stopping short of mentioning him by name, Hawkins and Sauter appeared to have a brief back-and-forth about how the bill relates to Branden Durst, former superintendent of the West Bonner School District. 

Durst in 2023 resigned after the State Board denied him emergency certification to continue serving as superintendent without the standard credentials. Durst later sued West Bonner, alleging that he didn’t resign, and the district breached his contract. The lawsuit is scheduled for trial next year. 

Special education funding 

State superintendent Debbie Critchfield’s proposal would create a $3 million fund that helps schools cover the cost of serving special education students requiring additional attention. 

Some students need help from full-time staff, which can cost up to $100,000 for a public school district, said Rep. Ben Fuhriman, R-Shelley. 

Rep. Kyle Harris, R-Lewiston, opposed introducing the bill.

Transportation funding

This bill would increase the state’s public school transportation reimbursement rate from 50% to 85%. It would also allow districts to obtain state reimbursement for vehicles other than yellow buses. 

The committee unanimously voted to introduce the bill from Reps. Dan Garner, R-Clifton, and Jack Nelsen, R-Jerome.

Bill extending supplemental levy terms advances

The Senate Education Committee on Thursday unanimously approved a bill extending maximum supplemental levy terms from two years to six years.

During a public hearing, Coeur d’Alene school board trustee Jimmy McAndrew said supporters and opponents of the district’s latest levy election all asked the same question: “Why do you guys have to do this every two years? It feels like we just went through this, and it’s a burden on teachers, it’s a burden on our community.”

Administrators “spend a ridiculous amount of time” on “What if?” budgets, anticipating failed levies, McAndrew said. And it’s more difficult to recruit and retain teachers when salary funding is uncertain every couple years, he said. 

Senate Bill 1094 would also bar districts from asking voters for continuous supplemental levies — levies with indefinite terms. 

The Idaho School Boards Association supports the bill. ISBA deputy director Quinn Perry said it’s a “good compromise” by extending levy terms and phasing out continuous supplemental levies.

Six school districts — Boise, Blaine, Moscow, Lewiston, Mullan and Lake Pend Oreille — have continuous supplemental levies. The bill wouldn’t nullify these levies, but it would prohibit districts from asking for continuous levies in the future. 

Sen. Ben Toews, R-Coeur d’Alene, is sponsoring the bill, which now heads to the full Senate. 

The Senate Education Committee advanced three other bills Thursday: 

• Senate Bill 1092 is headed to the Senate floor for minor amendments. Sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Lori Den Hartog, R-Meridian, the bill would create lifetime teaching certificates for teachers and administrators with more than 25 years under their belts. 
• Senate Bill 1093, also sponsored by Den Hartog, would create a pilot program allowing Idahoans 21 and older to obtain an accredited high school diploma.
• Senate Bill 1091 would align a section of code with a successful bill from last year that made the Idaho State Board of Education responsible for distributing broadband program funds rather than the Department of Education.