Legislative Weekly Update; Senator Mark Harris, LD35 — Week #3, ending Jan 24, 2025
Legislation is starting to move through the committees this week. Tax bills usually begin in the House of Representatives per the Idaho Constitution. As a result, some significant tax bills have been introduced this week in the House Revenue & Taxation Committee. There is a proposal to lower the individual and corporate tax rate to 5.3%. There is also a proposal to exempt pensions for working military retirees from State income taxes. It is early in the Session and there may likely be tweaks to these pieces of legislation before we see final drafts.
The other big issues this week are two different bills relating to school choice. House Bill 39 (H39) provides a tax credit of up to $5,000 per qualifying child who moves from a public school to a private school. Another provision of the bill allows $7,500 for special needs students. The program would be administered by the Idaho State Tax Commission who would have the authority to perform audits. The Commission would also be required to report annually to the Legislature, and a priority would be placed on low-income families.
Senate Bill 1025 (S1025) was introduced this week as another school choice bill. This bill’s funding works off the existing Empowering Parents Program. This Legislation would require that participating private schools be vetted by the State Board of Education. It would also prioritize low-income families by providing up to $5,000 per student, with a $15,000 cap for families. It further sets sideboards for participating schools. The schools must be accredited, the teachers must be certified, and the students would be tested.
There are many concerns with both these pieces of legislation, and I expect there will be many changes made before any of them are considered by either the Senate or the House. There is a possibility there may not be an agreement on either of these bills. Time will tell as the Session progresses and we will most likely see more proposals and alternatives as we work through this issue.
This week we had an opportunity to visit with many of our city officials as they came to Boise to hold meetings. It is always good to visit with our mayors and city council members, hear their concerns, and work through their issues. They all work hard on the behalf of our citizens regarding a variety of issues that include water, airports, state highways, and more.
I am excited to announce that a new, improved version of an Emergency Medical Services (EMS) bill has been drafted for legislative consideration. We have worked on this draft for well over a year now and many of us have gotten to the point where we agree on this latest version. It is way overdue that our EMS personnel and volunteers are recognized as a critical part of our first responders’ program. As many of you know, this issue is very important to me. I will have more information in the following weeks.
It continues to be a privilege and an honor to serve the good people of Legislative District 35. I look forward to hearing from you with any questions or concerns. You can email me at [email protected].
