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House panel advances bill to repurpose $50.5 million for rural school safety, repair grants and low‑rate repayable awards
Summary
House Bill 338 would combine an existing school facilities fund with remaining bond-levy-equalization money to create a $50.5 million revolving grant program prioritized for smaller rural districts with health, safety or deferred‑maintenance needs. The panel introduced the bill and voted to send it to the floor with a due-pass recommendation.
Representative Doug Pickett and others presented House Bill 338 to the Idaho House Education Committee on March 3, 2025. HB 338 would modify an existing public school facilities program and use $50,500,000 of previously appropriated funds — a combination of a long-dormant school facilities account and the remainder of the bond levy equalization fund — to create a revolving grant/low-interest repayment program for districts with urgent safety, repair or renovation needs.
Pickett said the balance is not new money but an existing appropriation repurposed to help districts that cannot meet capital needs through local bonding. "This relates to an essentially dormant school facilities fund that's been in place for 20 some odd years," Pickett said, noting the fund's original purpose was to address longstanding facility deficiencies, particularly in rural districts.
Representative Monroe Furness, who detailed the bill’s mechanics, said the program would be administered by the state superintendent of public instruction rather than the State Board of Education, and a panel under the…
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