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Committee advances bill to revive and expand public school facilities program for rural districts
Summary
Lawmakers advanced House Bill 338 to make roughly $50.5 million available to help rural Idaho school districts address facility needs; the bill consolidates eligibility rules, adjusts repayment priorities and exempts the first $5 million of assistance from appointment of a district supervisor.
The Senate Education Committee voted to advance House Bill 338, a measure to make state facility funds available for rural school districts that cannot meet building needs through local bonds.
Representative Doug Pickett, a House member representing District 27, outlined the bill’s purpose and history. He said the proposal would free up $25 million that has been unused since a 2006 law created the Public School Facilities Cooperative Fund, and add $25 million more from the bond levy equalization fund for a combined $50.5 million available primarily to rural districts. “This legislation is intended to free up those funds that have essentially been laying there dormant for 20 years and also to add an additional 25 million from the bond levy equalization fund for a total of $50,500,000 to be made available primarily to rural public school facilities,” Pickett said.
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