House Education Committee introduces RS 32040 to create need-based school facilities grant fund

The Idaho House Committee on Education on Jan. 28, 2025 voted to introduce RS 32040, a bill sponsored by Representative Rod Furness and Representative Sony Galaviz to establish a state grant program for public school facilities. The committee moved to print the request for hearing and the motion carried by voice vote; the chair cast an affirmative vote.

The bill would repeal an older statutory program and establish a public education facilities fund to provide need-based grants for construction, remodeling and maintenance directly related to a district’s core educational mission. Representative Rod Furness, sponsor of the RS, told the committee: "This is a ... bill that helps public education, facilities." Representative Sony Galaviz said the program is aimed at rural districts that cannot access sufficient bonding capacity and "seeks to address that issue directly and allow a means to get some of the projects done and help for those rural districts."

RS 32040 would transfer an existing $25 million account into the new grant fund and would authorize an additional transfer of up to half of the balance in the "public school health insurance participation fund," which sponsors said…