Senate Bill 1259, sponsored by Sen. Melissa Wintrow (D-Boise), allows a person who owns a certified family home to qualify for the state’s property tax reduction program, 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. Last year, it died in the House by one vote. It now goes to Gov. Brad Little, who declared November as In-Home Caregiver Appreciation Month.

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.

Wintrow worked closely with a number of in-home caregivers and stakeholders, as well as Rep. Ben Adams (R-Nampa), who carried the bill in the House. It was supported by the AARP, the Idaho Caregivers Alliance, and the Idaho Council on Developmental Disabilities. She said the issue first came to her attention in 2020 at an annual caregiver’s conference by JoAnn Vasko, who owns a certified-family home and is a full-time, in-home caregiver for her son.

“That conversation with JoAnn led me to the state Tax Commission and the Department of Health and Welfare to learn the scope of the issue. And after a two-year push, we finally got it,” she said. “I’m honored to have worked with so many people to get to this point, and hope it’ll receive the governor’s signature, so we can give our in-home caregivers much-needed property tax relief. This approach saves a lot of money and keeps people in a home setting — the best of both worlds.”

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. 

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.

Ward-Engelking and Toone 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. Both said they appreciate the support of the governor to finally make this multi-year effort a reality.

“This is a great day for educators in our rural and underserved schools,” Toone said. “The program will offer incredible opportunities for our beginning teachers and additional programs to districts, helping keep educators in these critical areas of our state.”

“Educators are the backbone of our local communities,” Ward-Engelking added. “This program is a way to give them more time working with students, instead of needing two jobs just to cover rent and a loan payment. By investing in our teachers, we can better keep them not only in our rural and underserved schools but the profession.”

House Bill 824 died in a 33-36 vote. The legislation had been reworked twice, and objections from legislators led to $307,000 being cut from the commission’s budget, which would eliminate a statewide e-book collection. The ongoing money had been used annually to purchase new e-book and e-audio titles for K-12 students at all Idaho schools, since many districts lack an adequate book budget. The e-books in the collection are also available to homeschooled students and others through most public libraries.

Republicans didn’t believe the cut went far enough, leading them to kill the bill. Assistant Democratic Leader Lauren Necochea (D-Boise) said it was clear the attack on library funding was motivated by GOP legislators’ desire for vengeance over House Bill 666, which sought to criminalize librarians, being held in the Senate.

“The revised budget already punished Idaho students, reducing their access to books so that House GOP legislators could make a political statement,” Necochea said. “This vote was senseless retribution against the librarians who spoke out against the absurd House Bill 666. When you propose legislation that threatens jail time and fines for librarians, you should expect their opposition. Ultimately, Idaho’s children are paying the price with diminished access to books, especially in schools with limited resources.”

The budget will now have to be revised in the Joint Finance-Appropriation Committee, then pass both the House and Senate before the legislature can adjourn.

Senate Bill 1240, sponsored by Sen. Melissa Wintrow (D-Boise), unanimously passed both the House and Senate. It allows 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. The law goes into effect on July 1.

McKay Cunningham, the director of on-campus experiential learning at the College of Idaho, worked with Wintrow on the bill, and told the Senate Judiciary and Rules committee 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 worked with a number of stakeholders, such as District 19 constituents Ed and Cynthia Labenski, who found racially restrictive language in the deed to their own home built in the 1970s. Others included the Idaho Realtors, NAACP of the Treasure Valley, Idaho Land Title Association, Boise Regional Realtors, Idaho Fair Housing Council, and the Association of Idaho Cities.

“This really is a historic day for our state,” Wintrow said during the bill’s public signing ceremony Wednesday. “We can’t move forward as a state or nation until we come to terms with our past and commit ourselves to ensuring it doesn’t repeat itself in the future. With this legislation, we acknowledge that this housing practice has been responsible for a lot of wealth disparities between people who are white and people of color and make sure it never will again.”

Rep. James Ruchti

House Bill 782 passed the body in a 44-24 vote Friday and now heads to the Senate. The bill expands the council from seven members to 11. Currently, it is composed of three non-attorneys, a district court judge, two attorneys appointed by the Idaho State Bar Association with approval from the Idaho Senate, and the chief justice of the Idaho Supreme Court, who serves as the chair. The governor selects the three non-attorney members, all of whom must also be confirmed by the Senate. Under the legislation, the governor would select 8 of the 11 members, going from roughly 40% control to over 70%. It also gives the governor the power to reject one list of nominees from the council for any judicial appointment and get a new list of names.

Republicans suspended the rules to speed up the voting process on the legislation. It went before the House Judiciary, Rules and Administration Committee Thursday and passed in a 10-7 vote after lengthy debate, which revealed strong opposition from the judicial branch. A spokesperson for the state Supreme Court said the justices were not consulted for feedback and only received the bill Wednesday — the same day Chief Justice Richard Bevan left the country on a long-planned trip. Opposition also was expressed by five former justices, who submitted a joint letter to lawmakers against the bill.

Rep. Colin Nash

Rep. James Ruchti (D-Pocatello), an attorney and former president of the Idaho Trial Lawyers Association, said if signed into law, the legislation would bring politics into the judicial selection process, jeopardize the courts’ independence and create unequal branches of government.

“This bill shifts the influence of the governor’s office heavily. The independence of the judiciary is essential,” Ruchti said. “There are some in the legislature who are angry with the Idaho Supreme Court because it has deemed many bills passed here as unconstitutional. But rather than write better legislation, they want to do a full upheaval of the judicial council so they can better control who serves on the courts. The legislature has a habit of trying to solve non-existent problems. The council has operated in its current form for over 50 years, and backers of this bill have failed to cite any real issues with the system we have now.”

Rep. Colin Nash (D-Boise), also an attorney, echoed Ruchti and called the legislation “a monumental expansion of gubernatorial authority over the judiciary, which will weaken its independence and risks the politicization of Idaho’s courts.”

House Concurrent Resolution 51 celebrated the federal act that officially preserved the 760,000-acre land in 1972. An earlier resolution, Senate Concurrent Resolution 117, was killed in the House on an 18-51 vote March 10 after unanimously passing the Senate several weeks prior. Both were sponsored by Sen. Michelle Stennett (D-Ketchum) and Reps. Ned Burns (D-Bellevue) and Sally Toone (D-Gooding), all of whom represent District 26.

“We were just trying to honor the fine, hard-working people who’ve worked there for the last 50 years and recognize some beautiful land in our state,” Burns said. “Politics got in the way both times. It’s incredibly disappointing. I thank the representatives, particularly those in the Magic Valley, who rose above the political games to celebrate this remarkable area.”

Burns reintroduced HCR 51 on Monday in the House Ways and Means Committee, and removed language House Republicans objected to when it first came to the floor. This time, they took issue with the resolution because the land is managed by the federal government — and has been long before 1972, dating back to the 1890s, which Burns pointed out.

“The SNRA is truly one of the greatest gems in our state,” Toone said. “The federal act has helped ensure that land stays pristine and Idahoans can continue to enjoy it. That deserves recognition.”

“The Senate recognizes the extraordinary beauty in the SNRA and its economic benefit to many Idahoans who live and work in and around its boundaries. Without this act, it would have been privatized and Idahoans would have lost the amazing access they now enjoy,” Stennett said. “It mystifies me why the House does not also recognize its importance. HCR 51 was a 50-year anniversary celebration of a universally loved place.”

House Joint Memorial 6, sponsored by Reps. Matt Bundy (R-Mountain Home) and Colin Nash (D-Boise), commends the bravery and resolve of the Ukrainian people in defending their country from Russian troops, and asks Gov. Brad Little to take all appropriate measures to sanction Russia. It also calls on Congress and Idaho’s delegation to fully support the Ukrainian government and penalize Russia in order to deter the country’s violent and illegal attack. 

“Russia’s violent incursion against Ukraine is inexcusable,” Speaker Scott Bedke (R-Oakley) said. “It is our duty as Americans to continue to work and support all countries fighting for the same rights and freedoms we have enjoyed and defended for centuries.” 

“This is a time to join together across party lines to express our support for the Ukrainian people, who are showing unparalleled courage in the face of Russia’s ruthless attack,” Minority Leader Ilana Rubel (D-Boise)  said. “We stand with Ukraine and President Volodymyr Zelensky, and against the perpetrators of human rights abuses.”

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.