Important Legislative Summary from Melissa Wintrow

Military Families Told No — AGAIN!  

As if it wasn’t bad enough the first time, Republicans on the budget committee voted down restoring nearly $190,000 in tuition benefits for Idaho Army National Guard members AGAIN.  

Last week, Sen Galloway said she needed more time to research the funding before she could support the budget. So the budget was held in committee. Well, after doing her research, the committee reconsidered the budget again this week and STILL voted NO with Senator Galloway, herself, bringing the motion to cut the funding. It’s so hard to believe that in the face of $1.6 billion in reserve funds, we couldn’t find this funding that will do so much good for individuals in the guard, individuals who have taken an oath to serve their country and put their lives on the line. Unbelievable!

Public Health Home Visiting Programs Fail

On Friday, two versions of the Public Health Budget failed: my motion included restoration of $1 million for Idaho’s Home Visiting Program.  Since both motions died, we will have to reconsider the Public Health budget again and hope that the committee will fund some of the basics.

You can listen to my discussion about the Home Visiting Program, one of the state's best investments in families. You can view the video by clicking here and scrolling to 1:07:37.

For every dollar spent on this program, which supports and teaches good parenting skills, the state sees nearly a $6.00 return. This significant return on investment is achieved by reducing the number of children in the foster care system, improving school readiness for young children, and decreasing incarceration rates. Once again, the budget committee has chosen a short-sighted cut, which will inevitably lead to higher costs for necessary services in the future.

More Drama to Unfold This Monday: Senate to Vote on 4% Across the Board Cuts in 2026

On Monday, S1331, the “Rescission Act” to cut an additional 1% on top of the Gov’s 3% ($131 million) from the current year’s budget will be heard on the Senate floor. It has been held up for weeks, probably because leadership fears it will fail on a floor vote, which would mean that all the other “maintenance budget” bills would have to be redone because the base budget would change.

Stay tuned. The fate of the bill remains uncertain, but it's possible it may be defeated. Several Republican members of the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee (JFAC) are frustrated with the inconsistent rules and overreach by the co-chairs. The budget committee's operations are effectively being controlled by just three individuals: the Speaker of the House and the two co-chairs, who together forced the passage of S1331.

Should S1331 not pass on Monday, all 10 "maintenance budgets" that were previously voted on and drafted to incorporate an additional 2% ongoing cut—resulting in a severe 5% cut in 2027 and subsequent years—will all need to be reprocessed.  That may mean a much longer session!

What a waste of time and effort!  And this is all unnecessary! The Governor’s 3% cuts in the current year and the cash transfers that we have already approved, leaves $35 million on the bottom line.  So the budget is balanced in 2026!  

Instead of wasting all this time and resources, what we should be doing is using the revenue number that we already set as a guide and then use some reserve funds and a few other one time fixes that the Governor has identified in his budget and we would be done.

Instead, the Republican controlled legislature continues to spin its wheels, fighting about just how much harm they can do by cutting vital services, and wasting tax dollars each day we’re in session.

Wasteful. The additional 2% cuts the legislature wants to impose on state agencies for an ongoing 5% cut will do structural harm that will take the state years to recover from.

Even more wasteful…After working hard for years to create innovative programs and services to improve our quality of life, they are just going to cut things in the name of “DOGE” and feeling good about “smaller government” while so many needs go unmet and our quality of life is reduced.  Things like…

• suicide prevention services to address Idaho’s very high suicide rates
• substance abuse prevention and crisis response services to deal with the opioid epidemic
• re-entry programs and treatment courts that are proven to reduce recidivism
• infrastructure projects to address our water needs now and into the future
• home visiting programs where nurses help new parent learn skills that strengthen families and have proven positive outcomes that reduce the number of kids entering foster care and the criminal justice system.

These are the same people who speak endlessly about waste, fraud, and abuse, yet their actions constitute a significant waste of resources and abuse of power. For instance, we previously funded ACT (Assertive Community Treatment) teams to help people with serious mental illness live in the community and avoid institutionalization—a measure that provides immense cost savings. However, the drastic cuts resulting from last year's income tax legislation led to the termination of these services on December 1st, resulting in three deaths and shifting costs to law enforcement, jails, and emergency room visits.

Our state's growth brings with it inevitable impacts and increased demands on existing infrastructure and services. The current approach of continually cutting taxes and striving to "do more with less" is fundamentally incompatible with maintaining our high quality of life. These cuts are ultimately detrimental, undermining existing services and wasting the investment of time, money, and innovation that established them.

That’s wasteful, and we could prevent that kind of waste by setting goals, reviewing program effectiveness and outcomes, and responsibly expanding services or adjusting as needed if outcomes aren’t what we expect.  Don’t just cut to save money. Match funding with outcomes and when we see positive results that save money down the road, that’s where we should invest.

GOP Proposing $21 Million in Disability Services and Threaten Medicaid Expansion Repeal

Last week, the Republican Chair of the House Health and Welfare Committee visited JFAC and as part of his report he brazenly announced a proposal to cut $21 million from residential habilitation services and introduce his bill to repeal Medicaid Expansion.

These are not abstract line items.

Residential habilitation services are the in-home supports that allow Idahoans with developmental and intellectual disabilities to live safely in their communities instead of institutions.

These services help with:

• Daily living support
• Medication management
• Behavioral stability
• Safety and supervision

Cutting $21 million does not eliminate need. It eliminates stability.

At the same time, some Republican lawmakers continue pushing to repeal voter-approved Medicaid expansion, coverage that protects nearly more than 80,000 working Idahoans.

Slash services. Override voters. Shift costs to counties. Protect tax breaks for the wealthy.

That is the bad pattern.

Public Schools Are Already Absorbing Damage

No matter what politicians say publicly, schools are already feeling the effects. 

• $22.3 million automatically cut due to Idaho’s attendance-based funding formula
• $9 million proposed cut to state health insurance support for 149 districts
• $50 million special education proposal pulled
• Schools still facing a $100 million gap in funding for 41,200 students with disabilities

That gap does not disappear. It drains classroom dollars.

Rural districts and at-risk students will be hit first.

The Idaho Digital Learning Academy is facing nearly a 40% cut — about $10 million — shrinking access for districts that rely on it to offer advanced courses, credit recovery, and driver’s education.

Career Pathways Shrinking with Threats of Cuts

Budget decisions are not just affecting classrooms. They are narrowing opportunity statewide.

• Up to 164 Career Technical Education programs could be eliminated
• $20 million cut from the LAUNCH program — a 40% reduction
• Community colleges facing reduced course sections and training capacity
• Universities absorbing $15 million this year and $30 million next year

The University of Idaho is preparing to cap enrollment in health professions and engineering.

Boise State is delaying hiring in workforce-critical fields.

Idaho State University is eliminating 45 positions.

These are pipeline decisions. Workforce decisions. Economic decisions.

The Pattern is Clear

We are watching deliberate choices being made.

Choices to:

• Preserve income tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations
• Protect voucher-style credits that syphon funds away from public schools
• Lock in permanent agency reductions that harm all Idahoans

And the costs land on:

• Students
• Seniors
• People with disabilities
• Military families
• Rural communities
• Working families
  

We can budget responsibly. We have reserves. We have options.

What we lack right now is political will from the majority.

• Idaho House passes bill to fine city of Boise for flying LGBTQ+ pride flag Rep. Ted Hill’s bill would fine cities $2,000 daily, per offending flag, building onto last year’s ban that lacked an enforcement mechanism. 

H537 – Allow anyone to make public comments at any public meeting regardless of what is on the agenda.

H574 – Remove all immunization requirements for all children entering public school.
H606, H607 – Restrictions on the use of public restrooms.
H747 – Individual opt-out of mosquito abatement district treatments.
H800 – Manufactured homes in residential neighborhoods.
H819 – Redefines what is sexually explicit and prevent such materials to be in school libraries.
H820 – Tax exemptions for data centers.
H840 – Defund the Commission for Hispanic Affairs.
H845 – Changes to Medicaid Expansion.
S1227 – Address use of AI in public education.
S1239 – Extend existing sex offender residency restrictions.
S1271 – Rat abatement 

S1290 – Create a “social path” for homeschool students to attend public school events.
S1349 – Provide legal protection for fully automatic weapons within the state of Idaho.
S1356 – Change the way highway district commissioners are elected. 

•  Harriman State Park in jeopardy?  Legislation threatens founding charter at Idaho’s oldest state park. The Idaho Senate voted 21 to 14 Monday to pass Senate Bill 1300 that would require the directors of the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation, Idaho Fish and Game and the Idaho Transportation Department to be appointed by the Governor, subject to Senate confirmation, making them political appointees instead of selected based on merit. – LocalNews8 
• Idaho House passes bill to require police, sheriff’s offices to sign 287(g) agreements with ICE  House Bill 659, which faced opposition from law enforcement, now goes to the state Senate for further consideration– Idaho Capital Sun 
• Anti-DEI bill for Medicaid health care providers introduced in Idaho Legislature – Idaho Capital Sun 
• Lawmakers bring bill to phase out state funding of Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs  and would remove the charitable income tax credit for private donations made to the commission. Another legislative committee in the House previously rejected a proposal to eliminate the commission earlier in the 2026 session- Idaho Capital Sun 
• Attorney general’s office asks judge to dismiss ‘Everyone is Welcome Here’ lawsuit - IdEdNEWS 
• Why was Donald Trump Jr. in Idaho? To put our money in his pocket!
• Idaho attorney general asks Legislature to restore budget cuts to his office AG Raúl Labrador says state budget cuts will require him to implement unpaid furloughs or staff reductions – Idaho Capital Sun 
• Idaho Republican lawmaker proposes reworking library book restriction law • Idaho Capital Sun At Alison Bechdel’s Reading & Conversations on Thursday, she said that the issue is not so much about banning books, but more about banning people. Banning People!?!
• A projected shortfall puts Idaho's tax cuts and spending plans under new scrutiny | Boise State Public Radio 
• Some Idaho lawmakers called this Medicaid cut an accident. But a bill to undo the cut is stalling. Senate Health and Welfare Committee Chairwoman Julie VanOrden said doesn’t see a path forward for the bill to reinstate Healthy Connections right now– Idaho Capital Sun
• Idaho’s school lands are working lands, but are still open to public use The system is not broken and does not need fixing, write guest columnists Jerry Evans, Lawrence Wasden, Ben Ysursa, Jim Jones, and J.D. Williams. – Idaho Capital Sun 
• House Business Committee criticized after allowing individual to deliver racist testimony in brownface 
• Senate President Ty Masterson and Kansas Republicans just voted to send men into ladies’ bathrooms | News From The States  As is usual for Idaho legislators, they cannot see one step in front of them and the unintended consequences they inflict on us all! 
• A third patient has died after Idaho cut a Medicaid mental health service Legislative committee will consider introducing bill to reinstate Assertive Community Treatment program on Monday, Rep. Ben Fuhriman says– Idaho Capital Sun 
• Idaho industry leaders push back on slate of legislative proposals to address immigration Report outlines economic output of unauthorized immigrant workforce. Multiple immigration bills were introduced in the state Legislature last week. – Idaho Capital Sun
•  Data centers and other new large loads are driving sharp increases in Idaho farmers’ electric bills This year, it will cost 45% more for my family to irrigate our crops than it did in 2021. That’s an increase of about $73,000, writes guest columnist Adam Young. – IdahoCapitalSun   
• Idaho's CTE division faces nearly $4M in cuts, warns of decade-long recovery and workforce impacts Budget cuts are pulling supplies and mentorship out of Idaho's career training classrooms. Industry leaders warn of a less prepared and non-homegrown workforce. ' - KREM
• Idaho deserves solutions, not culture war distractions Idahoans, no matter their political leanings, literally can no longer afford to ignore what our legislators are doing, write guest columnists Nancy Vannorsdel, Julie Yamamoto, Jarom Wagoner and John Rusche. – Idaho Capital Sun 
• Idaho activists, officials decry anti-LGBTQ+ bills as House passes trans bathroom ban in businesses • Idaho Capital Sun 
• House Republicans pass ‘SAVE America Act’ to require proof of citizenship to vote while acknowledging it could disenfranchise Americans – Spokesman Review.  Asked if he had a copy of his own birth certificate to prove his citizenship, Simpson replied, “I assume my wife’s got one somewhere.” and “I’d make them vote on it every day,” because the issue is a “huge” political winner for Republicans ahead of the midterm elections. 
• SAVE Act (VOTING ID) US House approves bill mandating proof of citizenship for voting in federal elections  If passed by both chambers and signed into law by Trump, the measure would take effect immediately” –  prior to the 2026 mid-terms. 
• ISU President Speaks on Major Changes to the University– LocalNews8  and ‘A difficult moment’: ISU announces sweeping changes amid budget constraints  
• New bill would track immigration status of Idaho students - IDEdNews 
• New state budget cuts will lead to reduced water quality monitoring across Idaho  Idaho Department of Environmental Quality to reduce funding used to monitor harmful algal blooms across the state    
•  H 572 Pediatric Transition Parental Rights Act – must tell parents if child expresses interest in being treated as a different sex than their parents have agreed to.  (Because not all parents can handle non-conformity) 
• Idaho Health and Welfare budget cuts may endanger state’s crisis system  Further cuts to suicide prevention, mental health, child welfare are likely to have long-term consequences, top official says 
• Idaho tax policy isn’t neutral. It’s a direct hit to our state’s families and children. Cuts to corporate taxes and cuts to income taxes for higher earners, and special interest tax credits, have diminished our revenues, write guest columnists Julie Yamamoto, John Rusche and Chris Loucks. – Idaho Capital Sun
• Breast cancer survival rates higher in Medicaid expansion states, study finds Researchers found that Medicaid expansion was associated with lower overall mortality — no matter the disease stage, race or ethnicity, or neighborhood income– Idaho Capital Sun 
• Idaho lawmakers propose sweeping expansion of bathroom restrictions based on biological sex
• The ‘degradation of society:’ Idaho lawmakers push new bathroom bills– Idaho Statesman 
• Rep. Bruce Skaug, R-Nampa introduced proposal in the House State Affairs Committee to require people gathering signatures for a petition or initiative to wear a badge that identifies who is paying them.
• Thousands of Idahoans faced with canceled homeowners insurance policies, spike in rates over wildfire risk 
• Trials show successful ballot initiatives are only the beginning of restoring abortion access There is an effort to overturn Idaho’s abortion ban via ballot initiative in November 2026

• A Practical Guide to Paying Attention During the Idaho Legislative Session.  
• Idaho Legislature (bills)
• Eye on Boise (Idaho Press)
• Idaho Capitol Sun
• Idaho Education News
• James Dawson - KBSU radio
• Idaho Reports (Idaho Public Television)
• Idaho In Session - Video and audio recording of proceedings at the State Capitol. NOTE: You will have to do some navigating to find what you're looking for.

Agendas are updated regularly and include bill numbers, hearing times, and room locations

House committee agenda link

Senate committee agenda link