Legislative Notebook: Gov. Brad Little signs bill allowing state funds for private education

Idaho Gov. Brad Little gives a press conference after delivering his annual State of the State address on Jan. 6, 2025, in the Lincoln Auditorium in the Idaho Capitol. (Pat Sutphin for the Idaho Capital Sun)

In an effort to help Idahoans follow major bills, resolutions and memorials through the legislative process, the Idaho Capital Sun will produce a “legislative notebook” at the end of each week to gather information in one place that concerns major happenings in the Legislature and other news relating to state government. To receive the full extent of our reporting in your inbox each day, sign up for our free email newsletter, The Sunrise, on our website at idahocapitalsun.com/subscribe/.

Here is our quick rundown of the major happenings during the eighth week of the Idaho Legislature’s 2025 session.

Idaho Gov. Brad Little signed House Bill 93 – which may be one of the most contentious bills considered during the 2025 legislative session – into law on Thursday.

After several years of failed attempts from conservative legislators, it will allow state taxpayer dollars to fund private, religious and home schooling expenses like tuition, tutoring and other costs.

The bill provides a refundable tax credit up to $5,000 for a parent of homeschooled or private school students to pay for expenses including tuition and fees, tutoring, textbook costs, curriculum and transportation. The refundable tax credit is increased to $7,500 for special needs students.

“Idaho can have it all – strong public schools AND education freedom. Providing high-quality education for Idaho students will always be our top priority,” Little said in a press release about signing the bill.

Critics, including Idaho’s Democratic legislators, some Republican legislators and many public school teachers and administrators, say the bill will take away $50 million of public taxpayer dollars from the state’s general fund that could have supported public schools, transportation needs and other important public services.

In a statement by the entire Democratic legislative caucus, the legislators said the governor betrayed promises he made during his Jan. 6 State of the State address that any bill that would use state funds to support private education would “meet standards of fairness, accountability, responsibility, and transparency.”

“HB93 has none of these, but, like so many Republicans, he bowed to out-of-state billionaires instead of prioritizing the needs of real Idahoans,” the Democratic caucus said. “The governor has sacrificed his legacy as a pro-public schools governor and a fiscal conservative by signing a bill that siphons public dollars to subsidize private school tuition for the wealthy. The people of Idaho can now expect what has happened in other voucher states: starved public schools, higher property taxes as local districts will be forced to run bonds and levies, and exploding state budgets that threaten infrastructure and public safety.”

But Little, in the press release, defended his record of supporting increased public education funding every year he has been governor.

“I am proud that we have put close to $17 billion into our K-12 public school system since I took office and increased public school funding by close to 60 percent in just a few years,” he said. “Our investments in education initiatives have increased 80 percent overall since my first year in office. In addition, Idaho ranks first in the nation for our return on investment in public schools.”

Little also signed House Bill 7, which would create a $300 minimum fine for adults convicted of possessing three ounces or less of marijuana. 

Co-sponsored by Rep. Bruce Skaug, R-Nampa; Sen. Brandon Shippy, R-New Plymouth; and nine other Republican legislators, including House Speaker Mike Moyle, R-Star, it was the sixth bill to become law during the 2025 legislative session.

Supporters of the law, including Skaug, said the law is a way to be tough on marijuana and differentiate Idaho from its surrounding states of Oregon, Washington, Montana, Nevada and Utah, which have all legalized cannabis use by adults in various forms.

The new law will go into effect on July 1.

• House Bill 32: Sponsored by Sen. Brian Lenney, R-Nampa, and Rep. Robert Beiswenger, R-Horseshoe Bend, the bill would prohibit local governments, health districts and school districts from mandating that an individual must wear a mask or face covering to prevent the spread of an infectious disease. The bill was delivered to the governor on Friday. The Idaho Constitution says the governor has five days – not counting Sundays – after the bill has been presented to him to act on legislation. Little then has three options: to sign it into law, to allow the law to go into effect without his signature or to veto the bill. 
• House Bill 243: Co-sponsored by Reps. Barbara Ehardt, R-Idaho Falls, and Rod Furniss, R-Rigby, the bill would repeal age-based child-to-staff ratios for child care facilities in Idaho law. The Idaho House passed the bill on a 54-15 vote Thursday. It now heads to the Senate Health and Welfare Committee for consideration.
• House Bill 83 and Senate Bill 1039: The bills sponsored by Sen. Todd Lakey, R-Nampa, and Senate Pro Tem Kelly Anthon, R-Burley, respectively, would combine two immigration-related bills proposed this legislative session. House Bill 83 would allow law enforcement to record a person’s documentation status only if they are already detained or under investigation for a crime. If an individual involved in a crime is found to be living in Idaho without legal authorization, they would face a misdemeanor charge for “illegal entry.” A second offense would result in a felony charge, and a conviction would lead to deportation. Senate Bill 1039 would ban immigration sanctuaries in Idaho, criminalize the presence of “dangerous illegal aliens,” and prohibit their transportation into the state. It would also require law enforcement to cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE. House Bill 83 was sent to the Senate’s amending order, where the bills may be combined in the coming days of the session.
• Senate Bill 1101: Sponsored by Sen. Melissa Wintrow, D-Boise, the bill would clarify and add guidance to Idaho coroners’ roles in death investigations. The Idaho Senate passed the bill on a 25-10 vote Wednesday. It may be taken up by the House Local Government Committee in the coming days of the session.
• Senate Bill 1077: Sponsored by Sen. Ben Adams, R-Nampa, the bill would subsidize crisis pregnancy centers in Idaho through a grant program with the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, providing more than $1 million in taxpayer funds to qualified centers, with centers receiving a minimum grant of $25,000. The Senate State Affairs Committee voted against advancing the bill on Friday, which may have killed it for the session.
• House Bill 109: Sponsored by Rep. Jordan Redman, R-Coeur d’Alene, the bill would require the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare to seek federal approval to exclude candy and soda from foods eligible for coverage by the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP (formerly known as food stamps). The Idaho House Health and Welfare Committee, on an 8-7 vote Tuesday, sent the bill to the House floor with a recommendation that it pass. It is on the House’s third reading calendar and may be taken up in the coming days of the session.
• House Bill 322: Co-sponsored by Reps. Bruce Skaug, R-Nampa, and Dustin Manwaring, R-Pocatello, the bill would raise the salary for each judicial position in Idaho by $17,000. The House Judiciary, Rules and Administration voted to advance the bill to the full House with a recommendation that it pass. It may be taken up in the coming days of the session.
• House Bill 158: Co-sponsored by Reps. Barbara Ehardt and Marco Erickson, both R-Idaho Falls, the bill would protect the identity of sources who provide journalists with confidential information or documents. The House voted unanimously to pass the bill on Tuesday. It now heads to the Senate Judiciary and Rules Committee for consideration.

week 8

Senate State Affairs Committee
Senate Bill 1124: Sponsored by Sen. Jim Woodward, R-Sagle, the bill would create the “Wildfire Standard of Care Act,” which would establish a standard of care through electric utility wildfire mitigation plans, subject to approval by the Idaho Public Utilities Commission for regulated utilities. It would also establish that an electric corporation that substantially complies with a wildfire mitigation plan could not be “found liable in any civil action to recover damages or impose liability, including for death of or injury” to people or property. The bill is scheduled for a public hearing before the committee on Monday.

Senate Education Committee
Senate Concurrent Resolution 108: Sponsored by Sen. Tammy Nichols, R-Middleton, the resolution would affirm the Idaho Legislature’s support for inclusion of PragerU Kids’ supplemental education resources in Idaho public schools. “This resolution recognizes their value in fostering patriotism, personal responsibility, and a strong appreciation for America’s founding principles while commending the Department of Education for its commitment to educational excellence and expanding innovative learning opportunities,” the resolution’s statement of purpose says. The resolution is scheduled for a public hearing before the committee on Monday.

House Health and Welfare Committee
House Bill 290: Sponsored by Rep. Dori Healey, R-Boise, the bill would transfer decision-making authority about vaccination requirements for children attending day cares and schools from the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare to the Idaho Legislature. The bill is scheduled for a public hearing before the committee on Monday.

Quote of the week
“As a mother of young children and someone living with a chronic illness, I vote absentee in most elections. There are many reasons a voter may choose to vote absentee, but like many personal decisions, are not the government’s business. What matters is that every legally eligible Idahoan has the freedom to vote in whatever way works best for them. Voting absentee is not a partisan issue. It is a matter of access.” – Meridian resident Laura Miller, testifying against House Bill 139, which would restrict who can request an absentee ballot in Idaho. The bill failed to get enough votes to advance out of the House State Affairs Committee on Wednesday.

Social media post of the week

Idaho Legal Aid Services received notice late last night that our Fair Housing education and outreach grant had been canceled at the direction of the President pursuant to EO 14158 and at the direction of DOGE. This funding allowed us to operate our Housing Advice Line and provide free legal advice

— Idaho Legal Aid Services (@idaholegalaid.bsky.social) February 28, 2025 at 9:30 AM

Reporting from Idaho Capital Sun journalists Clark Corbin, Mia Maldonado and Kyle Pfannenstiel contributed to this legislative notebook.