Committee introduces bill to raise charter school facilities funding cap to $500 million

Representative Doug Pickett (District 27, Cassia, Oneida, Minidoka counties) told the House Committee on Education that RS 32,388 would increase the state cap on charter school facilities funding and simplify the formula used to allocate that cap.

"What this bill would do is it would help the charter schools to establish better interest rates and, on their bonds and ensure that those dollars, that are appropriated for those schools, make it to the students and their needs more directly without any unnecessary overhead or interest costs," Representative Doug Pickett said. He said the bill would raise the program cap from about $200,000,000 to $500,000,000 and change the formula to make facilitation simpler.

Pickett said that recent school funding changes affecting property taxes and the use of sales tax dollars had constrained the program’s cap and effectiveness. After Pickett explained the bill and took no questions, Representative Mendyev moved to introduce RS 32,388. The committee approved the motion by voice vote.

The sponsor framed the proposal as an effort to improve financing terms and direct more dollars to students rather than overhead costs associated with facilities financing. The committee did not record a roll-call tally in the transcript; members expressed no recorded opposition during the introduction vote.

Next steps: RS 32,388 was introduced by the committee and will proceed through the legislative process for further consideration and possible amendment.