Idaho Bills

States findings of the Legislature and urges the federal government to respect state criminal justice priorities and advance change through partnerships rather than mandates.

The purpose of this Memorial is to request the President of the United States and the U.S. congress to respect the Tenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and avoid federalizing crime policy by withholding state criminal justice grants or other funding as a penalty for state policy choices made to ensure public safety and the administration of justice. The Idaho Legislature affirms its support for constitutional federalism that reserves broad powers to the states and respects the predominant responsibility of the states to ensure public safety and the administration of justice. Federal criminal justice grants to states should be used in partnership with the state but should not be used to coerce states to substitute federal policies for state and local policies affecting criminal and juvenile justice.

Amends and adds to existing law to clarify who has the authority to close schools or limit school activities or programs for the purpose of stopping the spread of infectious disease.

ThislegislationreducesthenumberofgovernmententitieswiththeauthoritytocloseK-12schools,orotherwise limit any aspect of school programs or activities to prevent the spread of contagious or infectious disease. Duly elected school boards representing the parents in a community, including charter school boards of directors are authorized to close schools. Department of Health and Welfare, district boards of health, and cities shall not have this authority.

Adds to existing law to provide for the creation of innovation classrooms in which an alternative curriculum will be taught.

This bill creates a framework for parents to request an alternative curriculum within a regular public school if parents of at least 24 students request such accommodation. The bill lays out the framework, time frames, and issuesthatneedtobenegotiatedaswellasaccountabilityandfunding. Thehopeisthattheinnovativeclassroom will give parents a stronger voice advocating for the needs of their children while encouraging a working relationship between parents, teachers, students, and administration. Parental involvement and engagement is a critical factor in student success. As parents get engaged and take ownership over their own child’s education, outcomes will improve.

Relates to the appropriation to the STEM Action Center for fiscal year 2022.

ThisistheFY2022originalappropriationbillfortheSTEMActionCenter. Itappropriatesatotalof$5,986,000 and caps the number of authorized full-time equivalent positions at 6.00. For benefit costs, the bill maintains the current appropriated amount for health insurance at $11,650 per eligible FTP, extends the holiday for the employer's sick leave contribution rate for another year, and restores funding for the employer's unemployment insurance contribution rate. The bill also provides funding for the equivalent of a 2% change in employee compensation for permanent state employees. The bill funds two line items, which provide a decrease of $74,100 from dedicated funds and shifts $74,100 of General Fund from operating expenditures to personnel costs; and a second, which includes a decrease of $100,000 ongoing from the Miscellaneous Revenue Fund to eliminate a fund no longer in use.

Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding garnishment procedures.

Thisproposalamendsexistinglawregardingfinancialinstitutiongarnishmentsearchfees, lookbackobligations and provisions regarding the answer of a garnishee. The bill requires an increase in the financial institution search fees from $5 to $7 and execution fees from $10 to $12. It clarifies the time allowed for the garnishment review from sixty-four days to two months to match federal standards. It provides the judgment creditor with a thirty-day provision to except the answer of the garnishee for insufficiency.

Relates to the appropriation to the Department of Environmental Quality for fiscal year 2022.

This is the FY 2022 original appropriation bill for the Department of Environmental Quality. It appropriates a total of $71,755,800 and caps the number of authorized full-time equivalent positions at 379.00. For benefit costs, the bill maintains the current appropriated amount for health insurance at $11,650 per eligible FTP, extends the holiday for the employer's sick leave contribution rate for another year, and restores funding for the employer'sunemploymentinsurancecontributionrate. Thebillalsoprovidesfundingfortheequivalentofa2% change in employee compensation for permanent state employees and a 2% upward shift in the compensation schedule. The bill funds nine line items, which provide $2,119,600 for operations at the Bunker Hill Central Treatment Plant; a transfer of $1,500,000 from the Water Pollution Control Fund to the Environmental Remediation (Triumph Mine) Fund; $560,200 onetime to clean up the Triumph Mine; $980,400 onetime to repair the Triumph Mine tunnel; $573,200 onetime for the Lake Coeur d'Alene study; a transfer of 2.00 FTP and $248,900 in the General Fund from the Water Quality Program to the Administration and Support Services Program; a transfer of $1,000,000 from the General Fund to the Agricultural Best Management Practices Fund; a transfer of $2,000,000 from the General Fund to the Water Pollution Control Fund and a onetime $2,000,000 appropriation from the same fund for projects around Lake Coeur d'Alene; and a transfer of $6,181,700 from the General Fund to the Water Pollution Control Fund for assistance to disadvantaged communities. DISCLAIMER: This statement of purpose and

Repeals and amends existing law to remove obsolete insurance provisions.

This legislation repeals several outdated or otherwise unnecessary provisions of Title 41. This includes repealing Chapter 35, Title 41, to move authority over certain bonds from the Department of Insurance to Department of Administration by adding limited wording to Section 67-5773, Idaho Code.

Amends existing law to provide for in-person instruction when possible during an emergency.

ThislegislationwouldhelpensurethatIdaho’sconstitutionalmandatetoprovideathorougheducationismetby providing students with access to in-person instruction where safety requirements can be developed at the local level. Research shows that most students, particularly those with special needs and elementary students, learn best when in person, in a structured setting. School districts should attempt, to the greatest extent practical, to provide in-person instruction to any student whose needs would best be met in that manner.

Relates to the appropriation to the State Tax Commission for fiscal year 2021.

This is an FY 2021 rescission for the State Tax Commission. It reflects a reduction in the current year appropriation to account for reduced rent at the main office for the State Tax Commission at the Chinden Campus.

Stating findings of the Legislature and expressing opposition to the Biden Administration vaccine mandates.

This joint memorial notifies the Biden Administration that the Idaho Legislature strongly opposes vaccine mandates for federal workers and contractors, as well as proposed requirements for large employers and health care employers to require vaccination and testing.

Relates to the appropriation to the Commission on Aging for fiscal year 2022.

This is the FY 2022 original appropriation bill for the Commission on Aging. It appropriates a total of $14,631,800 and caps the number of authorized full-time equivalent positions at 13.00. For benefit costs, the bill maintains the current appropriated amount for health insurance at $11,650 per eligible FTP, extends the holiday for the employer's sick leave contribution rate for another year, and restores funding for the employer's unemployment insurance contribution rate. The bill also provides funding for the equivalent of a 2% change in employee compensation for permanent state employees. The bill funds three line items, which provide $704,100 for enhanced Adult Protective Services from allocations from the COVID Relief Act; $20,600 for enhanced services provided under the long-term care ombudsman from allocations from the COVID Relief Act; and $120,700 for a chronic disease self-management education program.

Relates to the appropriation to the Public Schools Educational Support Program's Division of Central Services for fiscal year 2022.

This is the FY 2022 original appropriation bill for the Public Schools Educational Support Program's Division of Central Services. This division includes programs and funds that are spent at the state level by the Department of Education for the benefit of all school districts and charter schools. Funds are primarily used to contract for services and for program oversight and evaluation. This bill includes an additional $1.3 million for digital content and curriculum from the set-aside portion of the federal Elementary and Secondary Support Relief Funds (ESSER II).

Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding notification of change in ownership of water rights.

This legislation will amend Section 42-248 to provide notice of water right ownership changes to landowners in circumstances where the water rights used on the land are owned by a third party to remove outdated provisions and to improve readability. Clarifying that a change of ownership in the records of the Department of Water Resources is not a determination of ownership and it's not an administrative action subject to challenge. Disputes over water right ownership should be addressed through a quiet title action.

Relates to the appropriation to the Public Schools Educational Support Program's Division of Educational Services for the Deaf and the Blind for fiscal year 2022.

This is the FY 2022 original appropriation bill for the Public Schools Educational Support Program's Division of Educational Services for the Deaf and the Blind. Pursuant to Section 33-3403, Idaho Code, the goal of the divisionistoassistschooldistrictsandstateagenciesinprovidingaccessibility,quality,andequitytostudentsin the state with sensory impairments through a continuum of service and placement options. Services include the operation of a school for the deaf and the blind and an outreach program to provide services to students outside the campus area, as well as early intervention and family consultation. This bill includes standard statewide adjustments for employee salaries and benefits. Also included is additional funding for teachers to maintain equity with teachers in the public school system on the career ladder. The bill also removes appropriation that is no longer needed; these moneys are off-budget and do not go through the state's accounting system; this reduction will not impact the operations of the organization. This bill also fully restores the Governor's 5% budget holdback.

Relates to the appropriation to the Legislative Branch for fiscal year 2022.

This is the FY 2022 original appropriation bill for the Legislative Branch, which includes the Legislative Services Office (LSO), Office of Performance Evaluations (OPE), and the Commission on Redistricting. It appropriates $9,232,300 and 70.00 FTP to LSO; $983,800 and 8.00 FTP to OPE, and $171,800 for the Commission on Redistricting. The grand total for all three divisions is $10,387,900 from all funds for an 11.8% increase. For benefit costs, the bill maintains the current appropriated amount for health insurance at $11,650 per eligible FTP, extends the holiday for the employer’s sick leave contribution rate for another year, and restores funding for the employer’s unemployment insurance contribution rate. Funding for replacement items includes $15,400 to LSO for eight laptop computers and $6,100 to OPE for replacement of laptops, monitors, and phones. The bill also provides funding for the equivalent of a 2% change in employee compensation for permanent state employees. The bill funds four line items. Line item 1 provides 1.00 FTP and $105,000 to LSO for a Legislative Drafting Attorney. Line item 2 restores funding to LSO's budget for technology and computer costs that have been paid bytheSenateandHouseofRepresentativesoverthepastseveralyears. Lineitem3adds3.00FTPand$316,500 toLSOforadditionalstaffinginthebudgetdivision,technologydivision,andadministrativeservices. Lineitem 4 provides $171,800 onetime for the Commission on Redistricting's requirements of redrawing congressional and legislative boundaries, which require GIS mapping and drawing functions, software, a network server, and contracting. Also included is reappropriation authority for the Professional Services Fund, the Technology Infrastructure Fund, and the General Fund for the Commission on Redistricting, only, and exemptions from budget laws for LSO to allow movement of funds between object codes. Lastly, there is no FTP cap. DISCLAIMER: This statement of purpose and