Idaho Bills

Repeals, amends and adds to existing law to establish additional provisions regarding the determination of staff allowance; and to provide an effective date.

This legislation would allow school districts and public charter schools to receive salary-based apportionment based on adjusted mid-term support units, if full-term support units are at least 3% greater than mid-term support units. The adjustment is equal to 75% of the difference between full-term support units and mid-term support units. For example, salary-based apportionment for a school district or charter school with 100 mid-term units and 104 full-term support units would be based on 103 support units. Currently, all salary-based apportionment funds are based solely on mid-term support units. This would enable the minority of schools, which experience enrollment growth as the school year progresses, to receive additional funding for these students. This legislation has a three year sunset clause.

Amends existing law to remove reference to the University of Idaho Caine Veterinary Teaching and Research Center and to provide for the annual transfer of certain moneys to the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Department of Animal and Veterinary Science.

It was announced in January, 2016, that the University of Idaho Caine Veterinary Teaching and Research Center, located near Caldwell, Idaho, will be closed by the end of 2016. Idaho Code 36-107(a) requires that one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) be transferred annually from the Fish and Game account to the University of Idaho Caine Veterinary Teaching and Research Center "for disease research regarding the interaction of disease between wildlife and domestic livestock." This proposed legislation would redirect these moneys to the University of Idaho College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Department of Animal and Veterinary Science where this work will now be accomplished.

Repeals, amends and adds to existing law to provide for the Postsecondary Credit Scholarship.

This bill provides college scholarships to students who earn college credits while in high school. The intent of the bill is to encourage Idaho's high school students to: 1) attend post-secondary schools in Idaho; 2) enter a post-secondary field of study where there are good paying jobs which willhelpIdaho'seconomygrow; and3)takerigorouscourseswhileinhighschool. Thebillrequires a matching postsecondary scholarship. A student who earns 10 to 19 college credits will qualify for a $1000 state scholarship/year, good at any state college or university, for up to two years if a matching scholarship is received. A student who earns 20 or more college credits will qualify for a $2,000 state scholarship/year for up to two years if a matching scholarship is received. A student who earns an Associate Degree while still in high school will qualify for a full tuition state scholarship/year for up to two years if a matching scholarship is received.

Appropriates $54,525,400 to the Department of Lands for fiscal year 2017; limits the number of authorized full-time equivalent positions to 291.1; and exempts certain appropriation object transfer limitations.

This is the fiscal year 2017 appropriation to the Department of Lands. It appropriates $5,344,900 from the General Fund, $42,562,900 from dedicated funds, and $6,617,600 in federal funds for a total of $54,525,400. It limits the number of full-time equivalent positions to 291.1. The bill includes funding for the increased costs for health insurance, funding for increases in leased office space at Capitol Park Plaza, provides funding for replacement items, and accounts for an increase in statewide cost allocation. This bill includes an ongoing 3% merit-based increase in employee compensation for permanent employees to be distributed at the discretion of agency heads and accounts for the 27th payroll. The budget also includes an annualization of $540,800 to account for the remaining nine months of costs for the fire preparedness supplemental previously approved. The appropriation includes approval of seventeen line items as follow: $960,000 for the second phase of the Lands and Waterways Information System; $113,800 for a new eastern Idaho fire services coordinator; the addition of 0.66 full-time equivalent positons to make two part-time positions full-time; $112,400 for seasonal fire fighting support; $171,000 and one position for oil and gas and mineral resource protection; $223,500 for a remote sensing analyst and seasonal personnel; $140,000 for startup costs for two additional rangeland fire protection associations; $79,200foranITsystemsanalyst; $63,000forgeospatialserversoftware; $195,000tocontinuethe Governor's sage-grouse conservation initiative; $150,100 for additional equipment for the Forest Resource Management, Lands and Waterways, and Forest and Range Fire Protection programs; $562,000 and 2.33 positions to use the Good Neighbor Authority Agreement; $1,350,000 to match a $1,665,300 Permanent Building Fund appropriation to expand the Coeur d'Alene staff office; $60,000 to match a $54,500 Permanent Building Fund appropriation to remodel the existing Coeur d

Amends existing law to provide an exception to a certain testing requirement.

Repeals and adds to existing law regarding reading instruction and intervention.

This new section of code brings to light the importance of productive collaboration between the home and school in a student's success in reading on grade level by the end of third grade. It emphasizes strong reading intervention with required parental involvement in the process of developing a reading improvement plan for deficient readers. Parental notification is required, and a time period is given for the reading plan to be put in place. Annual district reporting to the state board of education, the public, governor and the legislature is required through the state department of education.

Repeals and amends existing law regarding license renewal and reinstatement.

Amends existing law to clarify certain revenue distribution provisions; and to provide for the distribution of revenues received from tax imposed on certain special fuels.

Amends existing law to change the filing deadline to apply for a hardship application with the Board of Equalization.

Amends existing law to allow certain employers to pay income tax withholding on a monthly basis.

Amends existing law to change the name of the Bureau of Homeland Security to the Idaho Office of Emergency Management.

Amends existing law to remove a sunset clause.

Appropriates an additional $300,000 to the Division of Building Safety for a new school security inspections program for fiscal year 2016.

Amends existing law to revise cigarette wholesaler bonding requirements and to provide an alternative of prepaying the full value of stamps in lieu of posting bond.

Adds to existing law to establish the Computer Science Initiative for Public Schools.

Amends existing law to provide what the notice of claim of lien must include; and to provide that a notice of claim of lien will be deemed by the Secretary of State to meet the requirements of a farm products financing statement.

Amends existing law to expand Department of Labor notice provisions.

Repeals and adds to existing law to establish the Revised Uniform Athlete Agents Act.