A bill barring schools from enforcing “medical mandates” is heading to Gov. Brad Little’s desk.
Senate Bill 1023 cleared the House on a 47-23 vote Wednesday. The legislation would forbid schools — public and private — from mandating vaccines or other “medical interventions” to “cure a disease or alter the health or biological function of a person.”
“It is just plain wrong to force someone to take a medication against their will,” said sponsoring Rep. Rob Beiswenger, R-Horseshoe Bend. “Employers, they’re not medical experts.”
The legislation would shield students, employees and visitors in schools. It expands an existing statute that barred required COVID-19 vaccines during the pandemic.
Opponents said the effects would be far-reaching. If a student with head lice attended school, for instance, “you have no way to turn them back, send them home and have them have some sort of treatment,” said Rep. Stephanie Mickelsen, R-Idaho Falls.
The Senate already approved SB 1023, meaning Little now has the final say.
K-12 administrator ‘apprenticeship’ bill killed
The Senate Education Committee essentially killed a bill to allow rural schools to hire administrators through an apprenticeship program.
Sponsors said House Bill 295 would help rural communities that cannot lure administrators away from higher-paying jobs at larger schools. The bill would have allowed rural schools to recruit locals with experience in other fields, such as government, business, the military or nonprofits.
“We can’t avoid the fact that this is needed,” said Rep. Dale Hawkins, R-Fernwood, the bill’s sponsor.
Sponsors said they were willing to work with opponents — the Idaho Association of School Administrators — on amended language to set up a mentoring program.
Opponents were not sold on fixing the bill. Instead, they said they wanted to give the Idaho Department of Education and the State Board of Education time to continue working on a solution.
And Sen. Jim Woodward brought up a recent example from his Panhandle district: the West Bonner School District’s controversial and short-lived plan to hire former legislator and state superintendent’s candidate Branden Durst as superintendent. Durst sought emergency certification for the job, but the State Board turned down the request. Durst later submitted a letter of resignation; he also has sued West Bonner.
“That was quite destructive to the school district, and they’re still reeling,” said Woodward, R-Sagle.
On identical 6-3 votes, the committee rejected a motion to amend the bill, then passed a motion to hold the bill, likely for the session.
Ban on classroom LGBTQ+ instruction heads to Senate
A bill banning schools from addressing gender identity and sexual orientation is headed to the Senate.
Supporters said House Bill 352 would protect parental rights, by letting parents decide when and how they want to discuss sensitive topics.
“It’s about keeping schools focused on core curriculum and protecting children,” Kristina Hardy, a Kuna parent, told the Senate Education Committee.
Opponents said the wording could censor teachers. Chris Parri of the Idaho Education Association said the bill could prevent schools from talking about AIDS and Harvey Milk, an openly gay elected official assassinated in 1978. “Are we trying to rewrite history? If not, you’re going to need a new bill.”
The bill would “prohibit classroom instruction by public school personnel on sexual orientation or gender identity” from kindergarten through 12th grade.
Sen. Jim Woodward, R-Sagle, asked if this wording would affect what school counselors can say to students. The sponsor, Rep. Dale Hawkins, R-Fernwood, said he was unsure, but said other regulations address counselors. “This (bill) does deal with instruction.”
Voting along party lines, Senate Education sent the bill to the Senate floor.
Senate approves campus free speech bill
The Senate approved a bill aimed at shielding free speech rights on public college and university campuses.
House Bill 240 would prohibit Idaho colleges and universities from restricting “the protected expressive activity of any member of the campus community.” It would bar “free speech zones” and forbid institutions from charging security fees for controversial guest speakers.
“It doesn’t matter what the issue is and what side of that issue you stand on,” said Sen. Kevin Cook, R-Idaho Falls, “This protects individuals on our campuses, and protects our universities and colleges.”
The Senate approved the bill 26-6, sending it to Gov. Brad Little’s desk.
Senate Democrats spoke against the bill. Sen. James Ruchti objected to a proposed private cause of action that would make colleges and universities liable for lawsuits and fines up to $25,000. Ruchti, D-Pocatello, also said the bill wades into a local control issue for colleges and universities.
“We’re just dictating more and more. I don’t think that’s what we want to do as a state government. They can figure these things out on their own.”
High-needs student fund bill heads to Senate
A bill creating a new $3 million special education fund is headed to the Senate.
The high-needs students fund is not designed to cover all special education costs. Instead, according to House Bill 291’s sponsor, it would create a “last-dollar” fund to help schools pay for aides for special-needs students.
“This is (for) a unique and out-of-the-ordinary situation,” Rep. Ben Fuhriman, R-Shelley, told the Senate Education Committee.
Furhiman cited one example in his legislative district: the Firth School District is paying about $65,000 a year for a full-time aide, assigned to a student with autism who has limited verbal skills.
Citing the state’s larger special education funding gap, highlighted in a recent state report, Fred Birnbaum of the Idaho Freedom Foundation urged the committee to hold the line. The current $3 million request, he said, “(will) probably be an $82 million ask in a number of years.”
Senate Education approved HB 291 on a 6-3 vote, over objections from the committee’s three hardline conservatives. It now goes to the Senate floor.
Gov. Brad Little and state superintendent Debbie Critchfield support the high-needs fund, which passed the House last week on a thin 36-34 vote.
Rural school facilities funding heads to governor
A bill to recharge a rural school facilities fund is heading to Gov. Brad Little’s desk.
After a brief discussion Wednesday, the Senate unanimously approved House Bill 338. The bipartisan legislation attempts to spark a dormant facilities fund that could provide gap financing for rural schools raising construction money.
HB 338 would increase the existing “school facilities cooperative fund” from $25.5 million to $50.5 million. It would also remove — for requests seeking $5 million or less — an existing requirement that recipients agree to state supervision for the duration of a construction project.
The House unanimously approved the bill as well.
Transgender student access bill will be amended
A rewritten bill on transgender students’ access to campus facilities will get even more rewrite.
The Senate State Affairs Committee voted to send House Bill 264 to the Senate’s amending order.
As currently written, HB 264 does not directly address transgender students. But it directs the state’s public four-year schools to restrict student access to campus facilities.
“Every restroom, changing room, or sleeping quarters … that is designated for females or males shall only be used by members of that sex,” the bill reads, in part. “No individual shall enter a restroom, changing room, or sleeping quarters that is designated for females or males unless such individual is a member of that sex.”
(Full coverage of Wednesday’s hearing, from Laura Guido of the Idaho Press.)
House agrees with changes to child care deregulation bill
An amended version of a child care deregulation cleared the House, after the Senate removed its most controversial provision.
House Bill 243 would repeal a statute that allows local governments to set more stringent child care regulations than the state. It would also relax staff-to-child ratio standards. Before the Senate amended it last week, the bill would have repealed the ratio standards altogether, allowing centers to set their own.
The House voted 55-7 to approve the amended bill. Only Democrats opposed it.
Some child care advocates also continue to oppose the bill, despite the Senate’s changes, the Idaho Capital Sun reported Wednesday. The existing ratios are the 41st loosest in the nation, a report by Idaho Voices for Children found.
“Idaho already is among the weakest states for child care licensing standards in the country, and any rollback of regulations or increase of child to staff ratios is a potential risk to children in child care settings,” Idaho Association for the Education of Young Children’s external relations director Sheralynn Bauder told the Sun.
Click here to read reporter Kyle Pfannenstiel’s full story.
HB 243 now heads to Gov. Brad Little’s desk.
Senate quickly confirms Whitworth, Amador
With no debate, the Senate quickly confirmed Joshua Whitworth as the State Board of Education’s executive director.
Wednesday afternoon’s voice vote brought a quiet end to a new confirmation process. A far-reaching 2024 school facilities law also gave the Legislature say over the State Board hire.
Whitworth was hired in June, pending Senate confirmation.
In another quick move, the Senate reappointed former state Rep. Paul Amador to the Idaho Public Charter School Commission.
