[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6114447,"mediaKeyId","2743437-2765d3a5f54bf91251d3d60ac1649d60","parentId",2743437,"title","Idaho House education committee hears debate on bill to enforce use of earmarked education dollars","audioSeconds",2138,"startMs",72000,"endMs",2210000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2743437-2765d3a5f54bf91251d3d60ac1649d60&start=72&end=2210","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2743437-2765d3a5f54bf91251d3d60ac1649d60/thumbnail_72000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6114447/Idaho/Idaho-House-education-committee-hears-debate-on-bill-to-enforce-use-of-earmarked-education-dollars","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6114447-cc3055d02623820fb2ee792a976038b8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771190065&Signature=Rx9-Hf5fzHtnQYY-OKhjCSrGlO1QnXzWOlhFhMyCF0p9xJIGC9Dbd89R7rCsl1b5F4R1TpxXlfApmhF3ldaGdL0dhdF83I6D7c5a602yYZsKOyoL~ADqVZFK7bx-aZYVL2nIluaypCKWDhT~GnG0gaiacAF5JW2SHOFrRzxpVXWkmx0dxExLAXPbhGmGInopIAP9hEUrfR0WATssR3n3WzzzMoC81XaltT0oqPKEDEAM9Genw~KkpRZhuTPerEQ9GCQVMFLEhS-aU1-6KNiKwVoi9j81v6NtF9ES19fccB7zqtaSymUqy0RiJZLQaPI-RMmkXr808wBbRRw8lg2hdA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Idaho House of Representatives","date","2025-03-18T00:00:00Z","article","Representative Kyle Harris, District 7, told the House Committee on Education that House Bill 350 is “an accountability bill” intended to ensure money the Legislature earmarks for specific education purposes is spent for those purposes. “If we do allocate money and the State Department of Education gets that money and they send it out to teachers or math and science or special education or maintenance or anything along those lines, that money would have to be used for those purposes that we allocate that money for,” Harris said.

The bill would require funds distributed for a specified purpose to be used for that purpose, require repayment if the money is used otherwise, and give the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee authority to reduce future appropriations if funds are not returned.

Why it matters: Harris and some committee members framed the issue as one of legislative intent and accountability after multiple audits flagged problems. Opponents — including school finance and administration representatives — said the rules and audit mechanisms already exist and warned the bill could add costly, redundant compliance work for districts.

Caddo Joint School District fiscal director Chris James testified in opposition and said the bill would duplicate existing rules. “These allocations are already governed by Idaho code or IDAPA ensuring that they are used as intended,” James said, adding that districts already post monthly expenditures and are audited by independent firms.

Jonathan Gillen, president of the Idaho Association of School Business Officials, said external audits and existing reporting create transparency but questioned how compliance would be determined and who would bear additional costs. “How does the process occur whereby money is taken back or identified as spent inappropriately?” Gillen asked, saying the identification and remediation process would likely add costs for districts or require additional state staff.

Heather Williams of the Idaho Rural Schools Association and Andy Grover, executive director of the Idaho Association of School Administrators, also opposed the bill, saying local boards, external auditors and the Department of Education provide multiple existing oversight layers and that the bill risks creating harmful restrictions for districts that need flexibility.

Representative Harris and several committee members pointed to audit findings at the Department of Education and said the bill would give enforcement “teeth.” Gideon Tullman of the Department of Education said the department had audit findings related to review of district-submitted data and that the agency hired an auditor last fall as a corrective action step.

After public testimony and committee questions, the committee took two actions tied to the item. The committee voted to hold House Bill 350 in committee on a voice vote after a motion from Representative Marmon. The committee separately moved to introduce a revised draft, RS32683, and send that RS to the second-reading calendar with a due-pass recommendation; that motion passed on a roll call vote, 9-5.

What remains: The committee did not advance the original House Bill 350 out of committee. RS32683 (the revised language that narrows enforcement responsibility to the State Department of Education) was ordered to the floor with a due-pass recommendation in a 9-5 vote; any further legislative action will occur on the second-reading calendar.

Ending: Committee members expressed differing views about local control, auditing capacity and the risk of unintended consequences if narrowly written intent language is enforced statewide. The committee record shows both a push for added enforcement powers and repeated concerns from school finance professionals about implementation costs and the mechanics of determining misuse.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Education Meeting March 18, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Representative Kyle Harris, District 7, told the House Committee on Education that House Bill 350 is “an accountability bill” intended to ensure money the Legislature earmarks for specific education purposes is spent for those purposes.","taxTitle","Education, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Committees, Legislative, Idaho","taxId",54711,"location","Idaho","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6114437,"Department of Education briefs committee on $1 billion school modernization bond program and statewide facility condition assessment",1510,4631000,6141000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2743437-2765d3a5f54bf91251d3d60ac1649d60&start=4631&end=6141","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2743437-2765d3a5f54bf91251d3d60ac1649d60/thumbnail_4631000.jpg","/articles/6114437/Idaho/Department-of-Education-briefs-committee-on-1-billion-school-modernization-bond-program-and-statewide-facility-condition-assessment","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6114437-52114001ca5feccde7c229113e799ea8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771190065&Signature=fX3LgZAumi3LJVQg5WHs1HkbZK8NklcGHYiJ86v9uMMubXwBlVhYnsf9MV3Nb7wfWVWcVzED2QlTTvZ8PdIVdjekv8c5Arbm9x-~zNDLxCw0H7nA70~~vpQZrMyenhkJXcoYIiH-ibC609IZBM1eaWexUk01xAizEF8jd8CM3I4HXHJlt18QP8SpNUFt2I3JEILyECwKfUc0HDy6G6lrFDxfiWMvLRv0w~yvwFRCVWY-bl2SdTTnYbuvHQ8nOvnFx4LO9lSPdNdLvMwHgLFIjhT51q4n2KKZhmhlBuDKo3CyWOpcCW4CTKMgBGysLShiwhXocFvL8TnDgqCPRJsYmQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Gideon Tullman, financial officer at the Idaho Department of Education, and Spencer Barzee, deputy superintendent, briefed the House Committee on Education on the School Modernization Facilities Fund established in House Bill 521 from the prior legislative session.

Tullman said the program used the State Building Authority and underwriters to access tax-exempt bond markets and that the state issued bond proceeds in two issuances (a $750 million issuance followed by an issuance that produced an additional $336.5 million in proceeds). He told the committee the first issuance totaled $750,000,000 and the second produced proceeds that brought the program total above $1 billion; the department has distributed $1 billion to districts and planned distribution of the roughly $86.5 million in additional proceeds using the same allocation formula unless the legislature directs otherwise.

District allocations followed the law’s formula, which is based on each district’s best 28 weeks average daily attendance. The department required districts to develop 10-year facilities plans, attend training webinars (topics included construction, architecture and state procurement), and attest to statutory conditions before receiving funds. Tullman said all districts chose a lump-sum distribution rather than annual installments so that districts could earn interest while planning and executing projects.

Spencer Barzee described the facility condition assessment process the department used. The department contracted Jacobs Construction to perform standardized facility condition assessments across 653 student-occupied buildings (about 50 million square feet) using a 37-category rubric. Each category was rated (good, fair, poor, unsatisfactory) and the survey generated a Facility Condition Index (FCI). Barzee summarized the FCI thresholds the department used: an FCI greater than 60% suggests replacement is likely; 40–60% is poor; 21–40% fair; under 21% is good.

Barzee reported estimated repair and replacement needs calculated by the assessment software: approximately $2.7 billion for work in years 0–5, $5.6 billion for years 6–10, $10.0 billion for years 11–20, and a 20-year total just under $19 billion (the department presented a separate line that applies 5% annual inflation for longer-term planning). The department emphasized that bond proceeds must be used for capital projects that meet bonding-law requirements (useful life of seven years or more) and that routine maintenance funding rules differ depending on the funding source.

Committee members asked implementation questions including how proceeds were issued (negotiated vs. competitive underwriting), why the department used average daily attendance for allocation rather than a needs-based targeting of the worst facilities, what happens to any additional proceeds if the legislature does not act, and how closed or soon-to-be-closed facilities were treated. Tullman and Barzee said the allocation followed the statute (attendance-based) and that the December 2024 condition assessment reported on buildings occupied in fiscal year 2024; districts that closed facilities after that date would not be reflected in the FY24 snapshot.

Ending: The department said it will continue to monitor district reporting, and districts will be required to annually report use of proceeds under the bonding law’s restrictions. Committee members asked for follow-up details on underwriting process and the second-issuance proceeds.","Department of Education staff described distribution of roughly $1 billion in bond proceeds authorized by last session’s House Bill 521, the methodology used to allocate funds to districts, reporting and training requirements, and a statewide facility-condition assessment estimating about $19 billion in needs over 20 years.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6114442,"Committee advances bill that would allow school districts to authorize chaplains; opponents cite legal and practical concerns",1589,3041000,4630000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2743437-2765d3a5f54bf91251d3d60ac1649d60&start=3041&end=4630","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2743437-2765d3a5f54bf91251d3d60ac1649d60/thumbnail_3041000.jpg","/articles/6114442/Idaho/Committee-advances-bill-that-would-allow-school-districts-to-authorize-chaplains-opponents-cite-legal-and-practical-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6114442-c92a96cbd8c960037d23bbc06bc97584/orig.mp4?Expires=1771190065&Signature=ZW1pdZzlUxLY1vdwZa4QYvlIJ--f77wdyVx-idNoLPyaYUWItY11d-ZiSKdttvaet-7FQcVvsL55KHVscLxaa4gua7vSxLv11TWC4hQfCBm8Or~yBjJ56G0j5bzXgNlDAD453T3DYYeRGN3XSEc6ruNNmI3f0USpu9r0yszv~bfRHVgSq1YFNe4jH5PTHPNIA8XA1ZtvErRR0stia04xKGsteL2PfjFBYY881HVJ~HsO5E96MbgtM533K2A7AQV6RtDOwveAalj7iTtFrCjCLQIPdxSbE65mYxioL83RofSclhejFk7wG7DP~5rPxi8MM3x77acSqJC2bp6THeqq2w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representative Dale Hawkins introduced House Bill 410 as a measure to allow local districts, if they choose, to authorize and vet chaplains to serve in school communities. “This legislation honors the demanding work of educators by making it possible for vetted professionals to serve in our school communities,” Hawkins said, adding the bill is optional and does not force districts to adopt the policy.

Supporters told the committee the change would allow districts to offer spiritual support, mentorship and crisis assistance to teachers and students where communities desire those services. Hans Snyder, who identified himself as an ordained minister and the founder of Satanic Idaho, spoke in favor and said he and others would be willing to serve as chaplains; Snyder also called for enhanced background checks for anyone working with children.

Opponents focused on legal risk, parental rights and the practical burden on boards and administrators. Quinn Perry, deputy director of the Idaho School Boards Association, said boards would be put in difficult positions selecting chaplains and warned of possible community division and “legal risks involved” including the potential for public resources to be used for proselytizing. “We ask that you please vote no on this bill,” Perry said.

Committee members asked whether existing laws on parental permission, mandatory reporting and limitations on in-school instruction would apply to any chaplain program. Representative John Church (commenting on earlier related statutes) and others pointed to 2022 changes requiring public posting of materials and parental notification for some social-emotional instruction, and asked how a chaplain’s work would intersect with those requirements. Ms. Perry said districts would need to ensure parental permission and other statutory safeguards if a chaplain program were adopted.

After public testimony and deliberation, Representative Kyle Harris moved that the committee send House Bill 410 to the House floor with a due-pass recommendation. The motion carried on a roll-call vote recorded by the committee as 10-4.

Ending: The bill moves to the House floor with a due-pass recommendation; if enacted into law, the option to adopt chaplain policies would be left to local boards, who would need to consider parental-consent rules, mandatory reporting and local policy details before implementing any program.","House Bill 410, sponsored by Representative Dale Hawkins, would permit local school districts to adopt policies allowing vetted chaplains to serve in schools; committee voted to send the bill to the House floor with a due-pass recommendation, 10-4.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Idaho House education committee hears debate on bill to enforce use of earmarked education dollars

Department of Education briefs committee on $1 billion school modernization bond program and statewide facility condition assessment

Committee advances bill that would allow school districts to authorize chaplains; opponents cite legal and practical concerns