Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Panel backs bill allowing state treasurer to join ABLE consortium to offer Idaho accounts
Summary
The Senate Health and Welfare Committee voted to send House Bill 26 to the Senate floor with a due‑pass recommendation after hearing from State Treasurer Julie Ellsworth and disability advocates. The bill would let the treasurer join an interstate ABLE consortium to operate an Idaho ABLE program, which the sponsor said would lower fees and permit in‑state outreach.
The Senate Health and Welfare Committee voted to send House Bill 26 to the Senate floor with a due‑pass recommendation after hearing testimony from State Treasurer Julie Ellsworth and several disability‑advocacy witnesses.
Treasurer Julie Ellsworth told the committee the bill would let the Idaho State Treasurer join an existing interstate consortium to operate an Idaho ABLE program rather than building a standalone state program. "By joining a consortium we will have as part of the contract the ability to reach out and do outreach in the state of Idaho," Ellsworth said, adding that shared administration would lower fees for account holders.
ABLE accounts (tax‑advantaged savings for people with disabilities) allow eligible Idahoans to save for disability‑related expenses without risking Medicaid or Supplemental Security Income. Ellsworth said Idaho currently lacks an in‑state ABLE program; account holders often open plans in other states and pay fees that benefit those states…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
