Idaho House reviews governor—s emergency fund report, introduces bill to redirect sales tax to transportation fund

The Idaho House of Representatives met Jan. 20, 2025, and received a report from Gov. Brad Little on the governor—s emergency fund, advanced several committee referrals and introduced House Bill 25, a bill that would change distribution of certain sales tax revenues to the Transportation Expansion and Congestion Mitigation Fund and to local units of government for highway projects.

The clerk reported a roll call of 64 present and six absent and excused, after which the House proceeded to business. The clerk filed a letter from Gov. Brad Little transmitting the governor—s emergency fund report for fiscal years 2024 and 2025; the text read to the chamber included balances and expenditures. As presented to the chamber, the report listed a beginning balance of $667,276.96 as of July 1, 2023; Moscow homicide-investigation expenditures shown as $839,920; a balance as of June 30, 2024, of $658,877.76; and a reported balance as of Dec. 31, 2024, of $652,527.22. The report was entered in the Office of the Chief Clerk.

On legislation, the House introduced House Bill 25, sponsored by the Revenue and Taxation Committee, described in the introduction as "an act relating to sales tax distribution, amending section 633638 Idaho code to provide for the distribution of certain sales tax revenues to the transportation expansion and congestion mitigation fund and to local units of government for highway projects, amending section 4720 Idaho code to revise provisions regarding monies apportioned to local units of government and declaring an emergency." The bill was referred to committee as part of the chamber—s regular referral process.

The clerk also reported committee action to print and refer a group of bills: House bills 20, 21, 22 and 23 were referred to the Transportation and Defense Committee and House Bill 24 was referred to the Agricultural Affairs Committee. The Committee on Resources and Conservation returned House Concurrent Resolution 3 to the desk for re-referral; that measure was filed for the second-reading calendar. House Bill 125 was referred to Judiciary, Rules and Administration for printing.

On routine business, the House approved the journal of the 12th legislative day on a motion moved by Representative Skog and seconded by Representative Gannon. The motion passed on a voice vote. A member asked unanimous consent to hold the bills on the third-reading calendar in place for one legislative day; no objection was raised and the request was granted. The House then adopted a motion to adjourn until 11 a.m. Jan. 21, 2025; that motion was seconded by a member identified as the representative from District 18 and passed on a voice vote.

The remainder of the session included member announcements, recognition of educators in the gallery and scheduling notices for standing committees. Committee meeting times announced for the coming days included Agricultural Affairs, Environment, Energy and Technology, Transportation and Defense, Appropriations, Education, Health and Welfare, Revenue and Taxation, State Affairs and Ways and Means.

Votes at a glance: - Approval of House journal (12th legislative day): motion moved by Representative Skog, seconded by Representative Gannon; outcome: approved (voice vote). - Unanimous consent to hold third-reading calendar one legislative day: request granted (no objection recorded). - Motion to adjourn until 11 a.m. Jan. 21, 2025: moved (unnamed), seconded by the representative from District 18; outcome: approved (voice vote).

What the House did not decide: The introduction of House Bill 25 and the committee referrals begin formal steps in the legislative process; no floor votes on the substance of HB25 or the other newly printed bills were taken during this session.