Senate Bill 1290, sponsored by Sen. Janie Ward-Engelking (D-Boise) and Rep. Sally Toone (D-Gooding), establishes a rural educator incentive program for educators who work in high-need or rural school districts and charter schools. It would provide the maximum amount of eligible funding, which gradually increases for each year the educator stays in the school. 

Ward-Engelking said the program provides $1,500 to an educator after their first year, $2,500 the second, $3,500 the third, and $4,500 the fourth, for a max total of $12,000. The funds could cover education loan repayments, additional and advanced degrees, or other educational costs.

Both Ward-Engelking and Toone have spent a number of years trying to pass different versions of the bill, which aims to help retain and support Idaho educators in rural and high-need areas, where the state’s teacher shortage is even more severe.

“Our educators do so much for our children and local communities,” Ward-Engelking said. “This program is a way to give them more time working with students, instead of needing two jobs just to pay rent and a loan payment, making it easier to stay in our rural areas and the profession.”

Senate Bill 1319, sponsored by Sen. David Nelson (D-Moscow), fixes a flaw in state code that was a barrier for some of Idaho’s bigger school districts and charter schools to apply for funds from the Federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, which appropriated $5 billion to help purchase low or zero emission school buses. 

Nelson said Idaho schools will be able to buy practical, electric school buses and utilize the state’s inexpensive and clean electric power from renewable sources, helping save money over the life of the buses. 

“Our schools will save money in the long run and our students will be less exposed to dirty diesel emissions with these new buses,” he said.

Sen. Melissa Wintrow

Senate Bill 1259, sponsored by Sen. Melissa Wintrow (D-Boise), would allow a person who is the owner of a certified family home to qualify for the state’s property tax reduction program, also known as the circuit breaker, by exempting the payment they receive from the state for caring for someone 24/7 in their home from the income counted toward their application. 

Wintrow said in order to keep people with disabilities out of institutions, Idaho is one of many states that allows someone to become licensed to care for a person in their home. The in-home caregiver is compensated, and receives an average of $54 per day from Medicaid. Currently, that money isn’t considered income by federal standards. Wintrow said it doesn’t make sense for the state of Idaho to be more onerous than the federal government, and the bill would change that policy. 

Institutionalized nursing care costs $273 per day, or about $100,000 annually, according to the Division of Medicaid. Right now, roughly 3,000 Idaho residents receive in-home care in a certified family home. If all were institutionalized, that cost would be about $300 million per year.

“We are so thankful for the love and care adults with disabilities receive in these homes instead of being placed in institutions,” Wintrow said. “These folks are doing some of the hardest work on the planet and saving the state millions of dollars. I’m honored to have worked with so many people to get to this point today, and hope this bill can pass the House, so we can give our in-home caregivers much needed relief as property taxes continue to skyrocket. This approach saves a lot of money and keeps people in a home setting — the best of both worlds.”

Wintrow worked closely with a number of in-home caregivers and stakeholders on the bill, which is supported by the AARP, the Idaho Caregivers Alliance, and the Idaho Council on Developmental Disabilities. It now heads to the House, carrying with it strong bipartisan support and 22 co-sponsors. A version of the legislation was brought by Wintrow last year, and died in the House by two votes. 

Sen. David Nelson

The Idaho Legislature’s Office of Performance Evaluations recently found 20% of schools should be retired in the next 10 years, and 53% need significant maintenance or else they will soon fall in that category as well. The estimated cost to bring just the buildings in the 77 districts surveyed up to a “good” condition is at least $847 million. It will take between $1-2 billion for all school districts.

And we still don’t have enough information to really know the extent of the problem. The last statewide facility condition assessment of K-12 public school buildings was in 1993. At the time, districts had a total of almost $700 million in building repairs, additional facilities, or upgrades. When adjusted for inflation to 2020 dollars, that amount is $1.3 billion.

Currently, Idaho is almost last in the U.S. for funding school maintenance. We may be underfunding maintenance and capital investment by as much as $767 million per year due to the antiquated system we use to determine how much to spend.

A 2005 Idaho Supreme Court ruling found the legislature failed to meet its constitutional obligation to sufficiently fund school buildings. That still hasn’t changed. Of all 50 states, Idaho spent the least per student on school buildings at an average of $1,080. The national average was $2,306. The legislature has a yearly responsibility to revisit the formula used to calculate replacement value and revise, if necessary, but hasn’t done so since 2008.

Schools are forced to rely heavily on supplemental levies and bonds to address district needs — mechanisms designed as fallback systems that are now responsible for keeping the lights on. Since 2006, the year school funding shifted to the sales tax, 111 of 120, or 92%, school districts willing to run a bond had an active supplemental levy in place.

Only 40% of bonds — which require two-thirds voter approval — passed in that same time as well. If the voting requirement was lowered to 60%, most would have passed.

Idaho’s negligence isn’t just damaging our schools and communities but our children’s futures, and it presents a serious public safety issue. The legislature needs to address this issue immediately, and I want to see two things happen.

We should create a state bond matching fund that aims to match half of the funding for new construction and remodeling. All of Idaho’s neighboring states, except Nevada, have grant programs that help districts with the building plans and provide capital funding for projects. If we appropriated $100 million yearly to start, we could make a real difference.

We also need to change the bond approval rate from the current two-thirds standard. No neighboring state has that supermajority threshold. We should set it at 60% and consider having a voter turnout threshold added. The Idaho Constitution would need to be amended to do this, which allows all Idahoans to weigh in. This process should start now.

We can’t continue to kick the problem down the road and shirk our constitutional obligation. It is our job to ensure public schools receive adequate and uniform support, so we can best foster the next generation. But if safe facilities don’t exist, that can’t happen. Our educators and children deserve better. It’s beyond time to invest in Idaho schools.

Sen. David Nelson

The legislation, sponsored by Sen. David Nelson (D-Moscow), would enable the Idaho Legislature to appropriate additional funding to K-12 schools. Per the bill, if a school has a supplemental levy in place, 75% of the allocated money must go to reducing the levy. But if there is no levy, the school can use the funds at their discretion. 

Nelson said the proposal not only benefits schools, but lowers property taxes for residential homeowners, as more districts have been forced to rely on levies for general maintenance. Currently, 89 of Idaho’s 115 school districts have levies in place totaling $218 million.

Nelson said if the bill passed and $300 million were appropriated, property taxes would be reduced by $141 million. The number of schools with an active levy would be cut in half as well. 

“Strong and successful communities start with our children’s schools. By providing our school districts the resources they desperately need, we can ensure facilities are safe and sustainable, teachers have access to the tools they need to succeed, and children receive an excellent education anywhere in the state. With the bill, we can also alleviate the growing property tax burden on homeowners,” Nelson said. “This is a win-win.”

Sen. Melissa Wintrow

Senate Bill 1240, sponsored by Sen. Melissa Wintrow (D-Boise), now heads to the full Senate, carrying with it strong bipartisan support. The legislation would allow homeowners and/or tenants to go to their county clerk’s office and update their housing covenant free of charge in compliance with the federal Fair Housing Act of 1968, which outlawed the use of racially restrictive language in these kinds of documents.

McKay Cunningham, the director of on-campus experiential learning at the College of Idaho, worked with Wintrow on the bill, and said this practice, along with redlining, was a common tool in the 20th century to create housing disparities based on race and prohibit people of color from buying homes. While it is illegal to embed racial covenants in property deeds nowadays, that language can still be found. 

Wintrow said she was contacted by one of her constituents, Ed Labenski, who found racially restrictive language in the deed to his own home built in the 1970s.

Labenski said he and his wife, Cynthia, purchased their house in 2018, and they only learned of the provision after their bid had been accepted. 

“Of course, I spent several subsequent hours researching this provision, and learned that it was void and unenforceable. But the initial impact of the language was clear and unavoidable, and it shaped our perception of the home,” Labenski told the committee in his testimony. “We have a chance to address this. … We can modify our records in a meaningful and standard way to better reflect the communities we live in today, the shared feeling and love we have for our neighbor, and the special status and prominence we give to the law in Idaho.”

Others who also spoke or submitted testimony in support of the bill included:

• Zoe Ann Olson, executive director at the Intermountain Fair Housing Council
• Linda Ipaye, a licensed real estate agent 

“This housing practice has been responsible for a lot of wealth disparities between people who are white and people of color,” Wintrow said. “The legislation won’t solve that problem, but it’s a way to acknowledge the issue and replace that very ugly language and policy in our state, ensuring all people know they are welcome here.”

Sen. David Nelson

All Democrats voted against the legislation, advocating instead for more critical tax solutions, such as reducing property taxes or repealing the sales tax on groceries, and using state funds to plug the holes in school budgets that must be filled by supplemental levies.

Under the bill, someone with $1 million in annual taxable income will receive an ongoing yearly tax cut of over $5,000 on top of a nearly $8,000 one-time rebate. Idahoans with the most modest incomes will receive a rebate of about $75. It also lowers the corporate income tax rate from 6.5% to 6%, matching the sales tax rate people pay for food, diapers, medicines, and other needs. 

Sen. David Nelson, D-Moscow, was one of several Democrats who said they hadn’t been contacted by a single constituent asking for an income tax cut. In his debate against the bill, Nelson said he’d received a number of calls asking for a repeal of the grocery tax, meaningful property tax relief, and well-funded schools. But if signed into law, HB436 will gobble up much of the dollars needed to address any of those critical needs, he added. The bill has a one-time cost of $350 million in addition to an ongoing cost of $250 million, for a total of $600 million.

Sen. Michelle Stennett

“Our legislative priorities are completely lopsided when the first bill we pass blatantly ignores the needs of Idaho’s working families,” Nelson said. “Why not help our local schools and provide the necessary funding needed to make essential facility repairs rather than force districts to rely on supplemental levies for general maintenance. Or increase our property tax assistance program to help keep fixed-income seniors in their homes. That’s what we should be doing.”

Senate Democratic Leader Michelle Stennett, D-Ketchum, echoed Nelson, and said Idahoans deserve long-term benefits from their tax investments.

“Right now, there are over 2,000 bridges in need of repair in our state — some of the most dangerous are in my district. This is a major public safety issue. We have to be looking at the real problems, like Idaho’s crumbling infrastructure, before anything else,” Stennett said. “Do people want a one-time $75 check, or to have services that boost the safety, wellbeing and quality of life for themselves and their children?”

Semmelroth, who will serve out Rabe’s remaining term for 2022, works in the College of Education at Boise State University, where she earned her doctorate in education with an emphasis in special education, master’s in special education, and bachelor’s in sociology.

Carrie Semmelroth

“I am honored to represent the many voices and people of District 17. I thank Ali Rabe for her service and dedication to all Idahoans, not just her constituents. The 2022 Legislative Session offers important opportunities to address the many issues impacting our district and state the most. I am eager to collaborate with lawmakers throughout Idaho to draft and pass policy geared toward creating a better tomorrow for our future generations,” Semmelroth said following Little’s announcement. “I look forward to listening and learning from District 17 voters in the coming months, as well as those in other districts.”

Semmelroth was one of three names submitted to the governor’s office by the Idaho Democratic Party’s District 17 Legislative Committee.

“I fully support Carrie in her new role as senator for District 17. Her expertise in education, ability to work across the aisle, and diversity in background and perspective will bring a lot to the Senate. I look forward to seeing what she will accomplish,” said Rabe, who intends to run in 2022 for the District 16 Senate seat after Sen. Grant Burgoyne retires.

“We are excited to welcome Carrie to our caucus and start working with her in January. We were sad to lose Sen. Rabe, who had to resign after moving to a new district, but are pleased to see she’s being replaced by someone capable and eager to serve the people of Idaho,” Senate Democratic Leader Michelle Stennett said. “I look forward to seeing all Carrie will accomplish in the 2022 session and beyond, as well as the rest of the members of our caucus.”

Sens. Michelle Stennett, Grant Burgoyne, and Janie Ward-Engelking raised concerns about the possible legal ramifications that could stem from the Senate, specifically, coming back into session after adjourning in May, not recessing like the House. No mechanism exists for the body to reconvene once its members officially sine die unless the governor calls a special session.

The three said the majority isn’t adhering to proper protocol, and seem more focused on political grandstanding than passing legally-sound legislation aimed at mitigating the state’s ongoing health crisis. Since Sept. 16, Idaho has been in crisis standards of care.

Senate Republicans are expected to propose a bill to set up another defense fund to join other state legal actions against the Biden administration over its COVID-19 rules for employers. Like the Constitutional Defense Fund, this legal defense fund would authorize the legislature to give sole power to the speaker of the House and the Senate pro-tem to use state funds to pay for litigation expenses, such as hiring outside counsel.

“Other states have been leading this charge and already filed lawsuits against the Biden administration; there’s no need for Idaho to be spending its own money,” Burgoyne said. “We should wait for the federal courts to make a decision rather than writing another blank check to lawyers.”

The group told reporters Senate Democrats have drafted legislation to direct COVID-19 relief funds to help Idaho workers and their families. Some of the bill’s provisions include:

• Reimbursing employers for wages paid to staff in need of time off to get the vaccine and recover from any side effects, or assist a family member in getting it or their recovery
• Rapid testing for businesses and schools
• Compensation for anyone missing work after contracting COVID-19 or being exposed
• A sick-leave bank for all public employees and school personnel
• One-time bonus payments to essential workers

“If we’re going to be here, we should be doing some actual good for Idahoans, not misusing their hard-earned tax dollars on likely unconstitutional bills,” Stennett said. 

“People across our state are struggling, especially our teachers. We are sitting on more than two billion in state and federal funds right now. Why not direct some of that money toward helping Idaho’s working families?” Ward-Engelking said. “Let’s not continue to sit on it; let’s invest it in our people when they need it most.

Sen. Ali Rabe, who argued against it in the Senate Local Government and Taxation Committee, said the bill makes sweeping changes that are neither fair to working Idahoans nor responsible, and it is the hope of the Senate Democratic Caucus the legislation is killed on the floor.

The bill, a revised version of HB 332, Idahoans in the top 1% will receive nearly $9,000 each year, on average; while roughly 60% of Idahoans will receive only $14-15 a month. Middle-class families will see their taxes go down by just $246, on average. Households with very modest incomes can expect $80 in tax savings. 

Rabe said it also makes Idaho ineligible for a portion of the much-needed infrastructure dollars, threatens our ability to balance our budget, and directs benefits to the people (as well as profitable corporations and out-of-state shareholders) who need them the least.

Democrats in both the House and Senate have tried to introduce numerous pieces of legislation that address the real problems in the state, such as increasing investment in education and delivering targeted tax reform that benefits working Idahoans. Rabe said some of the proposed solutions included increasing the grocery tax credit, leveraging state funds to reduce property taxes, expanding property tax assistance, and increasing the homeowner’s exemption. The majority party denied the Democrats hearings at each point. 

“Idahoans have been asking us for property tax relief, not deep cuts to our budget which mainly benefit people in the top income tax bracket. This is one more stark reminder of the disconnect between the supermajority’s actions and what Idahoans really want us to do,” Rabe said.