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Committee backs introducing bill to shrink state school safety advisory board to six members
Summary
Representative Ted Hill said Idaho's School Safety and Security Advisory Board has struggled to reach quorum and carry out its work; RS31800 would reduce its size and change appointed membership to make meetings more actionable. The committee voted to introduce the RS for printing and a full hearing.
Representative Ted Hill (R.-District 14) told the House Committee on Education on Jan. 23 that Idaho Code currently establishes a 13-member School Safety and Security Advisory Board that ‘‘has not been able to achieve quorum and achieve their mission.’’ He presented RS31800 to reduce the advisory board to six voting members and to clarify appointment authorities.
Under the draft described by Hill, the reconstituted advisory board would include two members appointed by the governor, one member who is a currently employed emergency responder, one member at large selected by the governor, the State Superintendent (or designee), a representative appointed by the State Board of Education and one legislative representative from each chamber (one from the House and one from the Senate). Terms would be two years.
Hill said the proposed change is administrative and intended to make it easier for the advisory body to achieve quorum and fulfill its responsibilities: "They have not been successful. This administrative change should make it more successful," he said. Hill volunteered to serve on the new board and said the change is intended to help coordinate school safety initiatives, including issues like bullying.
Representative Marmon moved to introduce RS31800 for printing and placement on the second-reading calendar; members adopted the motion by voice vote. Representative Mathias asked whether chiefs or sheriffs who would be removed from ex officio membership had objected; Hill said he had not heard objections and that the previous membership structure made quorum difficult to achieve. Representative Hawkins, who said she currently serves on the board, noted that the governor can still appoint former members as ad hoc participants to keep them involved "so they're not being left out of the conversation. It's just so that quorum can be met and business can be done."
The committee introduced RS31800 and the motion carried by voice vote. A public bill hearing will be scheduled as part of the bill-printing process.
