This bill amends Idaho law to revise the Parental Choice Tax Credit, which provides financial assistance to parents for private school and related educational expenses. It establishes eligibility for Idaho residents with children aged 5 to 18, or children with disabilities up to age 21, to claim a refundable tax credit of up to $5,000 per eligible student for qualified expenses including tuition, tutoring, assessments, and transportation. The bill creates a priority application system that favors lower-income families and allows eligible parents to request an advance payment of the credit before filing their tax return. It also repeals the previous advance payment fund and sets specific application deadlines and documentation requirements for claiming the credit.
This bill requires state agencies to follow specific procedures when filing insurance claims for property damage exceeding $100,000, including gathering evidence like law enforcement reports and independent damage assessments before accepting settlement offers. It also mandates that proposed settlement agreements be reported to the state controller at least 14 days before acceptance and requires written confirmation from affected agency leaders that payouts represent the maximum available recovery. Additionally, the bill expands confidentiality protections for certain insurance-related reports and updates reporting requirements for state agency agreements to ensure better transparency and oversight.
This bill appropriates approximately $3.1 billion in state and federal funds to Idaho's Public Schools Educational Support Program for fiscal year 2027, covering teacher salaries, student support services, facilities, and special education programs. It directs specific uses for the money, including professional development for educators, additional compensation for instructional staff, technology infrastructure purchases, and targeted funding for English language learners and students with disabilities. The legislation also establishes reporting requirements for how districts allocate funds and clarifies the original funding sources for these expenditures.
Topics
✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill appropriates $3.1 billion to fund public schools, including teacher salaries, student services, and facilities, directly strengthening state education budget.95% confidence
✓ EducationSupports EducationBill appropriates $3.1 billion for public schools, covering teacher salaries, student services, facilities, and special education programs.95% confidence
✓ ImmigrationSupports ImmigrationBill provides funding for English language learners and students with disabilities, which includes immigrant students accessing educational services.75% confidence
✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill explicitly allocates funding for technology infrastructure purchases in public schools, directly advancing technology access and digital infrastructure in education.85% confidence
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Rep's Stance
✓ Voted Yes
✓ Supports Budget & Taxes
This bill appropriates $30.7 million to the Department of Health and Welfare and $250,000 to the Judicial Branch for fiscal year 2027 to fund assertive community treatment and peer support services. The funding comes from multiple sources, including the State-Directed Opioid Settlement Fund, the Idaho Millennium Income Fund, and federal cooperative welfare funds. The bill also allows the Department of Health and Welfare to transfer money freely between programs to support these services and permits up to $5.8 million of opioid settlement funds to be used for individuals with substance use or mental health issues who do not have opioid use disorder. These changes take effect on July 1, 2026, and the bill was signed into law by the Governor.
This bill directs the Idaho State Controller to transfer specific funds between various state accounts for fiscal years 2026 and 2027, primarily moving money from specialized funds into the General Fund and limiting legislative spending. For fiscal year 2026, it transfers $5.8 million from the Permanent Building Fund to the Legislative Account while capping legislative spending at $8.17 million, and moves $13 million from the Idaho Broadband Fund and remaining School District Building Account balances to the General Fund. The bill also authorizes transfers from the Twenty-seventh Payroll Fund to cover potential budget shortfalls and directs interest earnings from multiple funds to the Strategic Initiatives and Fire Suppression Deficiency Warrant Funds. For fiscal year 2027, the legislation reduces the legislative spending cap to $8.09 million and requires transfers of interest earnings from the Budget Stabilization, Public Education Stabilization, and Water Pollution Control Funds to the General Fund to maintain a minimum cash balance of $150 million.
This bill appropriates and adjusts funding for Idaho's Division of Welfare for fiscal year 2027, covering the period from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027. It allocates $6.9 million total from two Cooperative Welfare funds, with $3 million designated for personnel costs and $3.8 million for operating expenses, while also setting aside $98,300 for benefit payments. The legislation simultaneously reduces the overall appropriation by $3.1 million from the Federal Fund, specifically cutting $3 million for personnel and $98,300 for benefit payments. The bill includes a declaration of emergency and takes effect immediately upon signing.
Idaho's H 730 strengthens SNAP program integrity by requiring the Department of Health and Welfare to verify household eligibility using multiple data sources. It mandates monthly reviews of vital records, corrections data, and federal databases (like death records, incarceration status, and tax filings), and quarterly checks of employment and tax information. The bill also requires the department to disenroll households with lottery winnings exceeding $3,000 or asset limits for elderly/disabled households, and to publish annual reports on fraud investigations and improper payments. Additionally, it prohibits Idaho from applying income or asset standards higher than federal limits without federal approval. This directly affects SNAP recipients whose circumstances (like income changes, incarceration, or lottery winnings) trigger verification reviews.
This bill allocates $46.1 million to Idaho's Office of Species, Minerals, and Energy Coordination for fiscal year 2027 while simultaneously reducing funding and staffing for two related offices. It sets a maximum of 23 full-time positions for the main office, cuts 11 positions from the Office of Energy and Mineral Resources, and reduces 16 positions from the Office of Species Conservation. The legislation also lowers operating budgets for the energy and minerals office and the species conservation office, while maintaining or increasing funding for the main coordination office from various state and federal sources.
This bill eliminates the proration of Idaho's homestead property tax exemption, allowing homeowners to receive the full exemption amount for the entire tax year if they qualify. It applies to owners who use their primary residence as their main dwelling and meet specific eligibility requirements, including uniform property appraisal certification by the state tax commission. Under the new rules, the exemption is calculated based on the full market value reduction rather than being divided by the number of days the property is occupied, and applications must be submitted by the end of the county's business year to receive the full benefit. The law also clarifies that if a homeowner's eligibility status changes during the year, taxes will be prorated only for the period after the status change occurs.
This bill appropriates $72.5 million from Idaho's Permanent Building Fund to the Department of Administration's Division of Public Works for fiscal year 2027 to fund capital projects, maintenance, and repairs across state facilities. The funds are allocated for specific purposes including building maintenance, ADA compliance projects, and the design of a new readiness center in Bonneville County. The bill requires the Division of Public Works to report annually on project status and allows unused funds from completed projects or delayed projects to be reallocated for new priorities with approval from the Permanent Building Fund Advisory Council.
