Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Choice topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Senate Education Committee votes to print school-choice measure RS 31,992
Summary
The Idaho Senate Education Committee on Jan. 16 voted to print RS 31,992, a proposal that would expand state-sponsored school-choice funding; sponsors described accountability and a $50 million new-dollar cap while opponents called it a voucher plan.
The Senate Education Committee voted to print RS 31,992 on a voice vote after a brief presentation by State Senator Dave Lynn and a short member discussion. The motion to print was made by Senator Woodward and seconded by Senator Burton Shaw; the measure was ordered printed for further committee work.
Senator Dave Lynn (R., District 33) framed RS 31,992 as an effort to expand options for students and families while building on existing programs. He described the proposal as adding $50 million in new funding targeted largely at households with adjusted gross income under $80,000, and said the bill would “utiliz[e] the existing $30,000,000 that’s already included in the Empowering Parents program,” producing $80 million in total program funding. Lynn said the proposal would allow tuition to be used with “significant guardrails” and would require participating private or religious schools to meet an accountability “threshold.” He also said the bill includes “red tape reduction,” with a proposal to remove state-required reporting that is not federally tied.
The committee’s vote to print the bill does not adopt the legislation; printing places the text on paper so members and the public can review the full language and allow the committee to schedule subsequent hearings and amendments. Senator Summerer said she would vote to print because the committee needs a bill text to define terms such as “fair, accountable, responsible and transparent.” Senator Ward Engelking said the measure “looks like a voucher bill to me” and said she would vote no on the underlying policy, but she did not stop the printing motion.
Senator Woodward moved to print RS 31,992. Senator Burton Shaw seconded. After brief comments from several members about the purpose of a print vote, the chair called the question and the motion passed by voice vote. The committee did not take a roll-call tally on the record in the transcript; members recorded speaking for and against before the voice vote.
What’s next: Printing the routing slip generates a committee bill file and allows staff to prepare the bill text for future hearings and possible amendments. Committee members said printing is a procedural step to enable more detailed review and public input.
