Idaho legislators seem to have saved the worst for last.  

In a legislative session that has been the most dismal for education in the past 10 years, this week stands out for a series of bills that would harm students, further erode local control — and, possibly, set Idaho up for yet another unnecessary constitutional showdown in court.  

“We’re not even to the end of the session,” said Idaho Education Association Political Director Chris Parri. “At this point, lawmakers feel emboldened to bring forth their wildest and worst bills, and they’re betting we’ll be too tired to oppose them. They’ve made a miscalculation.”  

It seems lawmakers are tired of fighting each other, as well. Last week, Boise Education Association member Rep. Soñia Galaviz made news when she attempted to soothe frayed tempers during an intense argument among the leadership of the Joint-Finance and Appropriations Committee.  

But the increasing rancor among lawmakers in the majority hasn’t been enough to stymie the tide of bad bills washing through the Statehouse. These bills are particularly egregious examples of a Legislature gone off the rails.  

Senate Bill 1141: Threatening Homeless and Unhoused Students 

What it does: In yet another example of the Legislature overriding local control, Senate Bill 1141 would enforce a ban on public camping or sleeping, including in RVs and cars (campgrounds and certain other areas traditionally used for camping and sleeping would be exempt.) The bill has been amended to apply only to cities with populations over 100,000: Boise, Nampa and Meridian. Homelessness has been of particular concern in the Treasure Valley due to skyrocketing home and rent prices.  

As has become increasingly customary, Senate Bill 1141 is designed to preemptively override any attempts at local control. The bill expressly forbids any “political subdivision” from choosing not to enforce the law. Failure to enforce could result in a $10,000 fine.  

The bill was brought forward by Sen. Codi Galloway (R-Boise), Sen. Kelly Anthon (R-Burley) and Rep. Bruce Skaug (R-Nampa). 

Why it’s bad for students: The number of unhoused or homeless students in Idaho has been increasing over the past several years, according to State Department of Education data. Roughly 3 percent of Idaho public school students are affected by homelessness, but it’s difficult to know exactly how many more students may be quietly hiding their status.  

This bill could make life much more difficult for students and families who do not have access to shelter, potentially hampering their ability to attend school.  

“This is a prime example of the way some in the Idaho Legislature continuously focus on the wrong problems,” said IEA Executive Director Paul Stark. “Our public schools are required to serve all students, no matter their status. Instead of supporting some of our most vulnerable public school students in Idaho’s largest cities, some lawmakers are furthering their dedication to punitive measures that ultimately harm the students our members serve.”   

Where is the bill now? As of this writing, Senate Bill 1141 has been passed out of the Senate State Affairs Committee and is awaiting debate on the Senate floor.  

What you can do about it: Contact your senator to voice your opposition, especially if you have experience working with homeless or unhoused students. “Legislators need to know that these bills have major consequences they haven’t even begun to consider,” Parri said.  

House Bill 298: Inserting Partisan Politics into Graduation Requirements 

What it does: Sponsored by Rep. Wendy Horman (R-Idaho Falls), House Bill 298 would move the responsibility for setting graduation requirements into the hands of the Idaho Legislature. Under Horman’s bill, high school graduation requirements would become part of Idaho Code, which Horman says will help standardize them throughout the state.  

Why it’s bad for students: For years, the Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction has worked with public school educators to set high school graduation requirements. This bill strips away that input and would allow the Legislature or the governor to change requirements simply by passing a bill.  

“This is such a bad, partisan, tone-deaf bill,” Parri said. “Idaho public schools are already struggling to keep up with the bureaucratic hurdles the Legislature insists on foisting upon them. This bill piles on the madness by making graduation requirements subject to political whims and election results, completely ignoring what is actually good for students.”  

Where is the bill now? The bill passed quickly out of the House Education Committee in late February, but lawmakers have declined to take it up for a vote — it has been returned to the House Ways and Means Committee.  

What you can do about it: Use this contact form to tell legislators the graduation requirements system already works as it should.  

House Bill 243: Deregulating Child Care 

What it does: The bill makes provisions that sponsors say will address the childcare crisis in the state, including defining “supervision,” mandating a review of existing administrative rules and eliminating the two-tier regulatory system for childcare. In its original form, House Bill 243 would have eliminated mandatory staff-to-child ratios in daycare settings and instead allowed providers to determine what is safe and appropriate. The bill is co-sponsored by  Rep. Barbara Ehardt (R-Idaho Falls) and Rep. Rod Furniss (R-Rigby).  

Why it’s bad for students: Pre-K care matters. Children who have received proper care, supervision and early childhood education are better set up for success when they enter the public K-12 system. And, as more than 40 people testified in the bill’s Senate Health and Welfare Committee meeting, the bill would place children at risk by eliminating safety standards. If the bill had proceeded as originally written, Idaho would have become the only state in the union without minimum staffing requirements.  

One of the testifiers, Mark Kirby of Soda Springs, shared emotional testimony about the baby nephew he never had a chance to meet. His nephew, Logan, was only 11 weeks old when he asphyxiated at an understaffed daycare center in Homedale last year.  

“Consider how much differently you might think if what happened to Logan Stuart Emory happened to your son, grandson, brother, nephew or cousin,” he implored lawmakers.  

Only two people spoke in support of the bill: representatives from the Mountain States Policy Center and the Idaho Freedom Foundation. Both organizations were behind the voucher legislation Gov. Brad Little signed into law this month.  

Where is the bill now? The bill passed the House in its original form, but the most crucial and controversial section has been amended by Senate members, led by Sen. Mark Harris (R-Soda Springs). The Senate version amends the section about minimum staffing requirements to loosen — but not eliminate — the current standard. Sen. Harris fought throughout the committee process to keep staffing requirements in place.  

The bill may be voted on by the Senate at any time.  

What you can do about it: Contact your senator and ask for a “no” vote on House Bill 243 — there are better ways to solve the childcare crisis in Idaho than by weakening safety protections meant to protect kids.  

House Bill 135: Stripping Food and Care from Undocumented Immigrants 

What it does: Right now, any low-income person in Idaho — regardless of immigration status — is eligible for healthcare services like prenatal and postnatal care. House Bill 135 will put an end to that. It would also ban access to other programs like soup kitchens and food pantries that receive money from the state, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and temporary shelter. The bill includes an exception for emergency medical treatment.  

Immigrants without legal status are already excluded from most public programs in Idaho. 

House Bill 135 is sponsored by Rep. Jordan Redman (R-Coeur d’Alene), who also led the charge to overturn the state’s Medicaid expansion program — an expansion passed overwhelmingly through the citizen initiative process.  

Why it’s bad for students: Idaho students deserve access to food, shelter and healthcare, no matter their immigration status. Without it, they are less likely to thrive both in the classroom and in life.  

Where is the bill now? In an emotional debate among committee members, IEA-endorsed Rep. Lori McCann (R-Lewiston) said the “mean-spirited” bill could leave children hungry. Rep. Ben Fuhriman (R-Shelley) teared up while talking about the potential effects of the bill on immigrants: “It’s sad we’re attacking them in this way.” Fuhriman eventually sided with Democrats in opposing the bill, but it still passed out of committee. It is awaiting debate on the House floor.  

What you can do about it: Tell your representatives that you are required to serve all students, no matter their status, because it is the moral thing to do. The state should hold itself to the same standard. Idaho children need the basics, like food and healthcare and shelter, to succeed in school and become engaged citizens.  

House Bill 410: Religious Chaplains in Schools 

What it does: A bill introduced into committee this week would allow religious chaplains in public schools, in either paid or unpaid positions. The bill was introduced by Rep. Dale Hawkins (R-Fernwood) and Sen. Ben Toews (R-Coeur d’Alene), two of the most consistently anti-public education legislators at the Statehouse.  

But they didn’t come up with this bill themselves. The legislation is part of a nationwide push to put chaplains in public schools in an effort to address policy issues “from a biblical world view,” the Washington Post reported.  

Lawmakers in Montana introduced an identical bill this week.  

Why it’s bad for students: Idaho public schools are staffed with trained, certified counselors — counselors who comply with the Constitutional separation of church and state.  

“This is a ridiculous bill,” Stark said. “We already have excellent counselors in our schools who know how to serve diverse public school populations. This bill is unnecessary and further erodes the separation of church and state, a recurring theme during this legislative session.”  

Where is the bill now? The committee voted to introduce the bill, with a single no vote provided by Rep. Jack Nelsen (R-Jerome). Nelsen has been a staunch advocate of the separation of church and state throughout the session. A public committee hearing has not been scheduled yet.  

What you can do about it: Tell lawmakers on the House Education Committee you oppose House Bill 410 and support the continued separation of church and state in Idaho public schools.