Hello {{CFirstName}},

The Idaho Legislature returns to Boise this Monday, January 12.

What to Expect:  We anticipate a fast-paced environment as lawmakers navigate an election year and a projected revenue shortfall that could approach $1 billion. 

Call to Action: As legislators return to Boise, now is the time to reach out to your local representatives and senators. Remind them that stable, predictable funding for public schools remains the ISBA’s top priority. You can find your legislators and their contact information by entering your home address here, on the Idaho State Legislature website. 

ISBA will be keeping you updated with weekly Capitol Notes emails on Fridays during the Session.

Legislative Updates: JFAC Leadership & K-12 Budgets

Significant leadership shifts are underway at the start of this session. Following the departure of Representative Wendy Horman, Speaker Mike Moyle has appointed Representative Josh Tanner (R-Eagle) as the new Chair of the House Appropriations Committee (JFAC Co-Chair). 

What this means for education: Current House Education Chair Douglas Pickett (R-Oakley) has expressed interest in the leadership vacancy. If he moves into a leadership role, we may see a new chair appointed to the House Education Committee. In addition, several other new appointees have yet to receive a committee assignment. We expect more than a handful of shuffles. 

ISBA will be closely monitoring these assignments, as they dictate the flow of education policy and the tone of budget discussions.

As we mentioned, one major topic we are likely to see addressed is the solution to Idaho’s budget shortfall. Governor Little and legislative leaders have expressed a strong commitment to keeping K-12 budgets "whole" and "unscathed", and we will be holding them to that promise. We are staying on high alert to block any legislation that might redirect public tax dollars away from our public schools. 

Legislative Leadership:

House of Representatives

Senate

Education Committee Members:

(subject to change pending leadership movement)

House of Representatives

Senate

Chair: Douglas T. Pickett

Vice Chair: Dale R. Hawkins 

Vacancy due to Lance Clow's resignation

Ron Mendive 

Tony Wisniewski

Dan Garner

Jack Nelsen

Mark Sauter

Kyle Harris

Kent Marmon 

Steve Tanner

Chris Mathias 

Monica Church

Chair: Dave Lent

Vice Chair: Kevin Cook

James W. Woodward 

Tammy Nichols

Cindy J. Carlson

Van T. Burtenshaw

Christy Zito

Janie Ward-Engelking

Carrie Semmelroth

Potential Legislation to Watch For

Our Stance on Vouchers: The ISBA is—and always will be—firmly opposed to school vouchers. We are currently monitoring a pending lawsuit regarding HB 93 (the "Parental Choice Tax Credit") which passed last year. This bill created a $50 million program to send tax dollars to private schools. We are standing ready to fight any "replacement" bills that try to redirect public tax dollars away from our public schools and into private institutions.

• Read more about the legal challenge here: Lawsuit Challenges Idaho's Private School Tax Credit

Other issues we expect to see:

• Special Education: While Superintendent Critchfield has withdrawn her original $50 million proposal for special education initiatives due to the state’s budget deficit, we still anticipate legislation this session aimed at beginning to address these critical needs. You can read more about Superintendent Critchfield’s priorities for the session here.

• Local Control: We expect bills that might try to take away a school board's power to set local policies, like cell phone usage in schools.

• Artificial Intelligence (AI): New rules on how AI can (and cannot) be used in classrooms.

• Staff Regulations: Potential bills regarding drug testing for school staff or changes to teacher associations.

Governor Little's State of the State - January 12

Governor Little will be holding his 2026 State of the State address on Monday, January 12, in Boise, at 1 p.m. MT. You can view the address on Idaho Public Televisions website, here: https://www.idahoptv.org/shows/idahoinsession/house/.

ISBA Bill Tracker

As bills get published this year, we will share information about them weekly through our Capitol Notes Legislative Newsletter and the ISBA Bill Tracker. You can also click here to visit our Advocacy webpage, where you can find old Capitol Notes, the online bill tracker, advocacy documents, and more. 

ISBA's 2026 Legislative Platform 

Are you interested in seeing the progress of ISBA's legislative resolutions since 2018?

Click here to learn which resolutions have become law; which resolutions are still in progress; and which resolutions have stalled. 

ISBA is excited to launch our new Legislative Representatives (Leg Rep) Program to help school boards stay informed and engaged during the session. Each district or charter board can designate a board member to serve as their Leg Rep, who will act as their board’s point person for legislative updates, resources, and advocacy opportunities from ISBA.

Leg Reps will meet virtually twice a month during the legislative session and then monthly afterward. Boards are encouraged to select their Leg Rep as an action item at their January 2026 meeting. The first official Leg Rep meeting called "The Bench" will be held on January 29 at 12:30 p.m. MT/11 a.m. PT. 

Learn more about the program and how to get started at https://www.idsba.org/isba-leg-rep-program/.

Once selected, be sure to have your Leg Rep fill out the form found here, to let us know they are participating.

You can find committee agendas, reading calendars, legislator information, and more by visiting the Idaho State Legislature Website.

You can find live video coverage and footage of the 2026 Legislative Session by visiting the Idaho Public Television - Idaho in Session site.

To view previous editions of ISBA's 2025 Capitol Notes, click here.

• Lawsuit Challenges Idaho's Private School Tax Credit Program: Catch up on the legal battle over HB 93 (2025). This article explains the lawsuit filed to protect public education funds from being used for private school tuition.

• GOP Leaders Signal K-12 Safe from Budget Cuts: Despite a projected state revenue shortfall, legislative leaders have indicated that protecting the K-12 public school budget is a top priority for this session.

• A case to streamline federal funding: This recent piece by President Jason Sevy discusses the ISBA's position on making federal funding more direct and dependable for local school boards, especially in uncertain times.

• Representative Tanner Named New JFAC Co-Chair: Read about the leadership shift at the head of Idaho's powerful budget-writing committee and what it could mean for the education funding debate.

• In rural Idaho, IDLA isn’t a luxury. It’s a lifeline. An op-ed authored by the Butte County and Challis School District Trustees highlights the valuable service IDLA provides to Idaho's rural schools.
• In times of revenue uncertainty, it’s time to think outside the box. A recent op-ed authored by trustees from the West Bonner and Teton School District highlight creative ways school board members are thinking about finding new funding streams for public schools in Idaho. This piece highlights one of ISBA's 2026 Legislative Resolutions (Resolution 8: Modification of Capital Gains 60% Exemption for Non-Residents).

Who is representing ISBA at the Capitol?

Quinn Perry

Deputy Director &

Government Affairs

Katie Reynolds

Communications & Program Associate

Katie McInally

Legislative & Communications Intern

199 N. Capitol Blvd.

Suite 503

Boise, ID 83702

(208) 854-1476