Early Education is Under Attack
Idaho was fortunate to be awarded a $6 million grant last year to support early learning collaboratives all across the state. These collaboratives are designed and implemented with local stakeholders, including educators, child care centers, preschools, business leaders, and others. They support children and parents and help our youngest children arrive at school ready to learn. This grant is critical because Idaho is one of a handful states that does not fund preschool. About half of our children are already behind in their literacy schools when they arrive in kindergarten.
It was therefore jarring that the House narrowly killed HB 226, legislation to authorize the early learning grant. One representative made the sexist statement (for which he later apologized) that we should not provide early education because it would encourage mothers “to come out of the home.”
We know mothers have the right (and also often the need) to work. We were thrilled to join Senator Wintrow and roughly a hundred Idahoans to protest the legislature’s vote. To the mothers who urged the legislature to put Idaho’s working families first: We hear you and will do just that.
Budget Bills Face Obstacles from Republicans in the House
On Wednesday, the House failed to pass (SB 1081) an appropriation for the state’s Catastrophic Health Care Fund. This program helps cover a portion of medical bills for emergencies in certain circumstances. The eligibility guidelines are written in statute and take into consideration insurance status and income. This is a must-pass budget to cover bills that our state has already incurred. This budget will come back to the House Floor and we hope a sufficient number of Republicans will join us so that the state can simply pay our bills and avoid costly lawsuits.
One of the functions of the Idaho Attorney’s General Office is to provide legislators with analysis on proposed legislation. We often pose questions to the office about whether a bill is constitutional, enforceable, or likely to land the state in court. The majority party has proposed a series of bills over recent years that have not passed muster according to this analysis. Retribution seems the most likely explanation for the House killing HB 271, the budget for the AG Office, in a 29-40 vote. The Attorney General’s functions, including consumer protection, are essential to the state. Now the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee will have to go back to the drawing board and bring forward another version of the bill. This wastes time and resources. We hope cooler heads will prevail when this budget bill comes back.
Renter Protections Dodged a Bullet
In this extremely tight housing market, landlords have the upper hand. We are certain that many landlords act in good faith. We are also hearing concerning stories about predatory practices, including the inappropriate use of rental application fees.
Rep. Greg Ferch (R-Boise), who is a landlord with numerous properties himself, brought a bill to invalidate Boise’s rental application fee cap and prevent any Idaho city from regulating rental application fees in any way. Boise is the only city in the state with this protection, which is one of the few that renters have. Thankfully, the House Judiciary, Rules and Administration Committee had the wisdom to hold the bill, in a narrow 8-7 vote.
House Seeks to Lower the Bar for Instructional Standards
Idaho continues to struggle to fill vacant teaching positions as our pay lags that of neighboring states. Unfortunately, the House moved forward with an ill-conceived response. The body voted 54-13 in favor of legislation allowing local school districts to certify as teachers anyone who meets locally set criteria, as long as they are at least 18, do not have an infectious disease, pass a criminal background check, and hold a bachelor’s degree. We opposed this bill. Adequate compensation is the only way we can recruit and retain qualified educators. Lowering our standards will only harm students.
Lauren’s Corner
I presented the Fair Chance Employment Act in committee this week. I am deeply grateful to the impacted Idahoans who testified. They described the barriers they face as they pound the pavement to find jobs post-incarceration. I am saddened and disappointed by the committee’s decision to kill the bill. Our returning citizens will continue to struggle to find employment that can put them on a productive path and reduce costly recidivism.
My bill to increase the homeowner’s exemption and allow it to adjust to housing prices in the future has yet to be given a hearing. Please reach out to Rep. Harris (sharris@house.idaho.gov), chairman of the House Revenue and Taxation Committee, if you would like him to hear the bill.
Chris’s Corner
First, the good news. One of my afternoon committees – House Agricultural Affairs – unanimously voted to send HB 126, an industrial hemp legalization bill, to the full House with a “do pass” recommendation — though several legislators said they reserved their right to later oppose the bill. The measure would differentiate between hemp, a crop that’s legal in 49 states and used for various agricultural and industrial purposes, and its psychoactive relative, marijuana.
On Monday the 8th, the House State Affairs Committee will be taking testimony – for less than 75 minutes – and voting on SB1110. This bill would likely end regular Idahoans’ ability to exercise their right under Article 3 Section 1 of Idaho’s Constitution to “approve or reject at the polls any act or measure passed by the legislature.” When the legislature has failed to act despite significant pressure, Idaho voters have judiciously used this right to enact broadly popular legislation – like the original homeowner’s exemption and Medicaid expansion, to the creation of the Fish and Game Commission. Passing SB1110 will mean that only heavily-funded proposals will ever get on the ballot. This is the legislature’s latest attempt to consolidate its power over the people and its government.