The Idaho Legislature has banned the display of LGBTQ+ pride flags in public schools.
House Bill 41, co-sponsored by Rep. Ted Hill (R-Eagle) and Sen. Tammy Nichols (R-Middleton), bans “flags or banners that present political, religious, or ideological views, including but not limited to political parties, race, gender, sexual orientation, or political ideologies.”
“This bill brings the focus back to education and away from political, religious or ideological pressures,” Nichols said on Instagram after the vote.
Idaho Education Association members opposed the bill from the start. The Senate passed the bill 29-6 on Wednesday after several amendments in the House and Senate. House Bill 41 now awaits Gov. Brad Little’s signature.
House Bill 44, an anti-bullying bill brought forward by Rep. Chris Mathias (D-Boise) that would have alerted parents or guardians when their children are involved in a serious bullying incident, failed in the Senate this week. IEA members had supported the bill, one of several Rep. Mathias has introduced to help schools mitigate student behavioral issues.
In a win for IEA members, however, it appears that Senate Concurrent Resolution 108, which would have affirmed the Idaho Legislature’s support for PragerU Kids’ Supplemental Education Resources, will be held in the Senate Education Committee. Superintendent of Public Instruction Debbie Critchfield introduced PragerU as a supplemental curriculum option last year. PragerU is offered through the Prager University Foundation, a right-wing advocacy group founded by conservative talk host Dennis Prager.
Catching Up on Other Bills
Here are status updates for several of the bills we mentioned in last week’s IEA Reporter, as well as a few more that are new or back for amendments or hearings:
Behavior. House Bill 236, a bipartisan bill that would allow school boards to deny enrollment to pupils with severe behavior issues if they are being disenrolled in lieu of discipline or expulsion, is awaiting a vote in the Senate after passing the House last week. The bill would also require parents and guardians to disclose if a student has been convicted of a severe crime.
Career ladder. Sen. Jim Woodward (R-Sagle) sponsored Senate Bill 1095, which would update career ladder compensation for Idaho educators. The proposed changes would permanently revise salary allocations for three professional tiers: residency, professional and advanced professional. The base level for each of those tiers would increase by $6,359. It is awaiting a hearing in the House Appropriations Committee.
Cellphones. Senate Bill 1032, brought forward by Sen. Treg A. Bernt (R-Meridian), would require Idaho public school districts to create distraction-free learning policies to limit the use of electronic communications devices such as cell phones and tablets. The legislation would require all districts to have a policy in place by Dec. 31, 2025. It passed the House 65-0 and now heads to the governor’s desk.
Certification. If Senate Bill 1092 passes, certified public school teachers and administrators will be eligible for a “lifetime certificate” after 25 years of service. The bill was sponsored by Sen. Lori Den Hartog (R-Meridian) and Rep. Douglas Pickett (R-Oakley). It passed the Senate last week and has been referred to the House Education Committee.
Educational materials. House Bill 351, sponsored by Rep. Dale Hawkins (R-Fernwood) and Sen. Cindy Carlson (R-Riggins), would require districts to post supplemental educational materials, textbooks and course syllabi online. It is expected to be debated on the House floor soon.
Funding. House Bill 350, sponsored by Rep. Kyle Harris (R-Lewiston), would mandate that funds distributed by the state for school districts/charter schools be used specifically for the purpose it was given. If the funds are used for something else, the state would be reimbursed. The bill has been referred to the House Education Committee.
In addition, Rep. Ben Fuhriman (R-Shelley) introduced House Bill 291, which would create a $3 million fund to help address the budget gap in addressing costs for students with disabilities. The bill is awaiting debate on the House floor.
Graduation requirements. House Bill 298, sponsored by Rep. Wendy Horman (R-Idaho Falls), would strip the Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction’s authority to set high school graduation requirements and put them instead in the hands of the Idaho Legislature. Under Horman’s bill, high school graduation requirements would become part of Idaho Code. The bill has been awaiting a vote in the House all week.
Levies. Senate Bill 1094, sponsored by Sen. Ben Toews (R-Coeur d’Alene), would increase the maximum duration of levies from two years to six years. The bill passed the Senate last week and is awaiting a hearing in the House Revenue and Taxation Committee.
Literacy. Senate Bill 1145, sponsored by Sen. Mark Harris (R-Soda Springs) and Rep. Lori McCann (R-Lewiston), would allow districts to use existing literacy intervention funds for an early literacy program for four- and five-year-olds. It has been referred to the Senate Education Committee.
Opt-in to sex education. House Bill 239, sponsored by Rep. Barbara Ehardt (R-Idaho Falls), would require parents and guardians to opt in to “all sexually explicit material.” It passed the House 58-12 this week and now heads to the Senate Education Committee.
Outcomes-based funding. Senate Bill 1147, sponsored by Sens. Dave Lent (R-Idaho Falls) and Kelly Anthon (R-Burley), would add an outcomes-based component to the public school funding formula. The bill would make $35 million available, but that money would be tied to math outcomes and attaining college and career readiness credentials. It has been referred to the Senate Education Committee.
Parent tech awareness program. The Senate last week passed Senate Bill 1070, sponsored by Sen. Kevin Cook (R-Idaho Falls), to create a parent tech awareness program to combat “online threats.” It has been referred to the House Education Committee.
Parental rights. House Bill 352, co-sponsored by Rep. Dale Hawkins (R-Fernwood) and Sen. Cindy Carlson (R-Riggins), is being pitched as a parental rights bill. Among other provisions, HB 352 would allow parents to reject any activity or subject and withdraw their children from it. The bill would also prohibit classroom instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity. It could be heard by the full House soon.
Professional development for literacy. Senate Bill 1069 would offer professional development to reading educators. Open to educators who teach K-3, the “multi-year” training would be administered by the Idaho Department of Education. The bill is awaiting a hearing in the House Education Committee.
Teaching cursive. Sen. Tam)my Nichols (R-Middleton) sponsored Senate Bill 1044, which would require proficiency benchmarks for cursive handwriting. It is awaiting a vote on the House floor.
Ultrasounds in class. Senate Bill 1046, sponsored by Sen. Tammy Nichols (R-Middleton), would require educators to show “a high-definition ultrasound video” lasting at least three minutes to fifth- through 12th-graders studying contraception, sexually transmitted diseases or human biology. The bill is awaiting a hearing in the House Education Committee.
Weighted funding formula. Senate Bill 1096, introduced by Sen. James Woodward (R-Sagle), would distribute more money for students who require more attention and funding, including gifted and talented students, special education students, students learning English, low-income students, and students who attend alternative school. The bill is still awaiting debate on the Senate floor.
IEA has been watching several other bills that have not made progress recently:
Bible reading in class. House Bill 162 would require all public school teachers to read a passage from the Bible to their classrooms every day “without instruction or comment.” The bill’s text includes “reasonable accommodations” for teachers and students who object. The U.S. Supreme Court barred public school-sponsored prayer and Bible reading in 1963. The bill has yet to be heard by the House Education Committee.
More cellphone bills. The House Education Committee heard a bill, House Bill 229, from Rep. Jaron Crane (R-Nampa) that would ban the use of “wireless electronic communication devices” during class time. The bill has yet to be taken up before the House Education Committee.
Rep. Wendy Horman (R-Idaho Falls) and Rep. Chris Mathias (D-Boise) proposed a “Mobile Device Policy Fund” addition to the Phone Free Learning Act, an executive order made by Governor Little that is already in place. The fund would issue grants of $1,500 to help districts create their own policies. House Bill 225 has been re-referred to the House Education Committee.
Education savings accounts. Senate Bill 1068, brought forward by former legislator Steven Thayn, would allow public schools, including charters, to offer education savings accounts for tutoring, supplies and other items. It received a hearing this week in the Senate Education Committee that was cut short; it’s expected to be taken up at a later date.
Guns in schools. House Bill 273, introduced by Rep. Ted Hill (R-Eagle), would require educators to opt into an enhanced concealed weapon training course or a completed Police Officer Standards Training course; the training must include a refresher course once per year. Once trained, any school employee could carry a concealed weapon into the classroom. The bill would also require all K-12 schools to remove “Gun Free Zone” signs from their campuses. It is awaiting a hearing in the House State Affairs Committee.
Priority access to public charter schools. If House Bill 163 passes, students whose parents are active-duty military will receive priority registration at the state’s public charter schools. The bill stalled before reaching the full House and has been sent back to the Education Committee.
Rural facilities school funding. Boise Education Association member Rep. Soñia Galaviz (D-Boise) and Rep. Rod Furniss (R-Rigby) co-sponsored House Bill 75, which would create a new fund to support public education facilities. The fund would draw $25 million from the public school facilities cooperative fund and $28 million from the public school health insurance participation fund. To access the funds, public schools could apply for a need-based grant to pay for school construction, remodeling and maintenance, with priority given to rural districts. The bill is still awaiting a hearing in the House Education Committee.
Ten Commandments. House Bill 238 would require public schools to display the Ten Commandments. It has been referred to the House Education Committee.
Union busting. House Bill 98 – a union-busting bill that only targets IEA – passed the House in February but is still waiting for a hearing in the Senate State Affairs Committee.
The House State Affairs Committee advanced a bill that targets the Professional Fire Fighters of Idaho; if enacted, the legislation would severely limit Idaho fire fighters’ collective bargaining rights. PFFI, just like IEA, has been able to collectively bargain for more than 50 years. It is not clear if House Bill 340 will receive a hearing in the Commerce and Human Resources Committee, where it has been referred.
