Hello District 19,
We hope this message finds you well and healthy.
The legislature returned from a two-week recess this week. We are pleased to share the updates below.
Ballot Initiative Rights Suffer a Major Blow
The right of Idahoans to pass laws through ballot initiatives is enshrined in the Idaho State Constitution. The House passed Senate Bill 1101, putting that right in serious jeopardy. This bill is a power grab by the legislature and would make it nearly impossible for a citizen-led effort to qualify for the ballot. It requires meeting a signature target in every single legislative district across the state, which is nearly double the current requirement. This will make it harder for all voters–especially rural ones–to organize a ballot initiative effort.
The Idaho Legislature has already made it more difficult for citizens to put an initiative on the ballot over the years. Only one measure has passed since the most recent change in 2012. That was Medicaid expansion, which passed with 61% support after the Legislature refused to take action on the issue.
We join thousands of Idahoans in calling on Governor Little to veto this legislation. You can add your voice here.
Kindergarten Funding Bill Delayed
One bright spot in the legislative session was a push to fully fund kindergarten. This was part of our Idaho Working Families Agenda and Democrats were working behind the scenes to build support among our colleagues across the aisle.
We know that giving our kids a strong early start puts them on a path to success, but we currently have a patchwork of “haves” and “have-nots.” Some schools have the resources to offer full-day kindergarten (usually at the expense of property taxpayers), while other parents are left without this choice. Where full-day kindergarten is fee-based, some children have parents who can afford the fees, and those who can’t are left behind. HB 331 would level the playing field and give every child the opportunity to receive the proven benefits of full-day kindergarten. It would also reduce property taxes where those funds are used for full-day kindergarten.
This could have been the most positive thing that the Legislature did for education this year. We are disappointed that the majority party has decided not to hear this bill and will instead kick the can down the road.
Modest Renter Protections Narrowly Defeated
Senator Ali Rabe (D-Boise) brought a well-negotiated bill, Senate Bill 1088, to require that rental fees be disclosed to tenants in advance. Landlords could change fees simply by giving tenants 30 days notice. Unfortunately, this common sense bill was defeated in a 28-40 vote.
We recently heard of a Boise tenant being charged a surprise $500 fee for paying rent one day late. This is not a fair nor reasonable practice. We hope this legislation will come back next year so that we can protect renters from predatory fees.
Lauren’s Corner
I am disappointed that the legislative session is winding down while we have done nothing to address property taxes, improve education, or otherwise strengthen the state of Idaho. There will likely be another interim committee dedicated to property taxes and I hope we can finally drill down to the root causes: an ever-increasing tax shift onto homeowners and growth that is not paying for itself.
Chris’s Corner
I want to echo Rep. Necochea’s disappointment in this legislative session. In fact, on Friday while in State Affairs, we discussed yet another abortion related bill and I thought to myself at the time: If we spent as much time talking about residential property taxes as we did about abortion, I’m certain we could have provided homeowner relief this legislative session.
As we head into the final stretch of this session, I’m burning the midnight oil conducting research for committee bills and those on the floor, as well as preparing for floor debates.
Vaccine Reminder
Residents over the age of 16 are now eligible to receive a COVID vaccine and availability has increased substantially. Please visit Idaho’s pre-registration system to book an appointment. Crush the Curve Idaho also has consolidated information about vaccination sites with available appointments.