Slow start to Idaho's legislative session looks to pick up next week

New and returning lawmakers took to the Capitol this week for the official beginning of the 2025 session. 

A handful of bills were introduced on the House side in the few committees that officially met this week. One item, the House concurrent resolution to commend the Boise State University women's volleyball team for forfeiting against San José State this year, passed out of committee after a hearing Thursday, marking the first hearing to take place. 

Bills introduced include one to increase the vote threshold on voter initiatives, the annual update references to the Internal Revenue Code, a requirement for multifactor authentication for cybersecurity, legal immunity in use of behavioral threat assessment teams in schools, one regarding investigating city and council elected officials and one to establish a mandatory minimum fine on marijuana possession. 

One school choice bill was proposed by a freshman legislator, Rep. Clint Hostetler, R-Twin Falls, but it was brought up as a personal bill instead of through the committee process. The bill was filed with the chief clerk, where it is likely to die. 

No legislation came out of the Senate this week, but Sen. Ben Toews, R-Coeur d'Alene on Thursday presented a draft of a bill to prohibit DEI at Idaho's higher education institutions.

The Joint Change in Employee Compensation Committee on Thursday also voted to provide its recommendation to the budget committee regarding pay raises for state employees. The Economic Outlook and Revenue Assessment Committee also met Thursday and voted on its recommended revenue projection, which will also go to the budget committee. 

The budget writers of the Joint Finance and Appropriation Committee met all week, largely hearing presentations on the process. 

Next week, budget hearings and even some budget-setting are scheduled to commence. The state's largest agency, the Department of Health and Welfare, will kick off the hearings Monday morning. 

Senate committees Monday will hear proposed rules and consider gubernatorial appointments. 

As lawmakers finish refining their legislation, committee schedules are likely to pick up soon. Major issues tend to show up later in session; some of the big topics to expect this session are a private school tuition tax credit, tax cuts, wildfire suppression funds and proposals to put limits on or eliminate Medicaid expansion.