Week Eleven | Idaho State Legislature

March 20 - March 24, 2023

The eleventh week of the Sixty-Seventh Idaho Legislature’s First Regular Session marks the target adjournment date of March 24, 2023. However, the session continued as the legislature worked through Friday afternoon. An adjournment was no longer possible early in the week as the House voted down more budgets and the Senate’s third reading calendar amassed several pages. The House decided not to meet until next Tuesday at 9:00 AM to allow the Senate to catch up. Although we did not hear our favorite phrase of adjournment, “Sine Die” this week, we are keeping hope for next week as they complete many of the major issues and appropriations finally move forward.

The Senate moved HB 24 – Idaho Launch Program, from the Amending Order to the second reading calendar. HB 24 and S 1167 were both taken up on Wednesday. HB 24 led to a similar situation as in the House, as the Senate debated through their lunch with a nearly two-hour debate with no predicted vote changing. After a grueling two-month holding period, the Senate’s final vote on Idaho Launch was 20-15. SB 1167 – Launch Trailer Bill was taken up directly after minimal debate, leading to a similar outcome of a 21-14 vote. The bill passed out of the House Commerce and Human Resources Committee with a do-pass recommendation late Friday morning and will be taken up on the House Floor as early as Tuesday next week.

JFAC aimed to finish their work on Wednesday when they reconsidered the Division of Medicaid Budget. The Committee adjourned the call of the chair but had to meet Thursday due to the Medicaid budget not having a broad consensus. We are still determining if the newest draft has the backing it needs to get across the House Floor. Currently, the House is looking for budgets to hold hostage to maintain political leverage over the Senate and Governor, their choice at the moment is surprising, the Budget for Secretary of State, which has wide support in the House. Although an interesting choice of a hostage, we may see more budgets taken hostage next week.

The first vetoed bill of the 2023 Idaho Legislative Session happened on Tuesday: HB 133 – Driver’s Education. The bill would have allowed parents and legal guardians to be educators for their children’s Class D Driver’s Training Instruction Permits. Governor Little stated, “I cannot support allowing different requirements for driver’s training. Safety must be the utmost priority when preparing students for the responsibility of driving and there needs to be clear, consistent, and fair guidelines.” To read the Governor’s full Veto Letter, click here.

HB 292 – Property Tax Relief, was passed on the Senate Floor on Monday afternoon with a 32-3 vote. The bill moved through the process, and Governor Little received it on Wednesday, March 22, 2023. The new property tax relief bill will take effect immediately after signage in the hopes of more swift relief to homeowners in desperate need.

The House and Senate Floor sessions were onerous this week, with time spent working through heavily controversial budgets and bills. Both chambers suspended their rules multiple times to work on different items. We also saw both House and Senate committees begin to shut down midweek as the session started to wrap up. However, both State Affairs Committees continue to hold meetings and have not slowed down. House State Affairs plans to print bills next week, including two abortion bills.

As we move into the twelfth week of the session, we hope to see the Senate continue through bills and appointments to finish their work early in the week. The House will also have work done upon returning to the floor on Tuesday morning. The end of the session is nearly here, as we are still working to see many bills across the finish line. Even with hope in site for next week, we may have to wait again, as the Governor must treat all bills before adjournment.

To see progress on bills, budgets, and rules we are monitoring on our Bill Tracker.