From The IDGOP Legislative Action Center

IDGOP Legislative Action Center

Fellow Republicans,
Welcome to the IDGOP Legislative Action Center’s Newsletter, an initiative aimed at keeping Idahoans informed of important legislative action items.
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Investing in Idaho for the LongtermIdaho Republicans are addressing the highest priorities of Idaho citizens. A recently released survey by Boise State University gives insight into the thoughts of Idahoans. Tax relief continues to be one of the highest priorities of citizens in our state. This is not a surprise given the current situation. Inflation is high due to the policies of the current administration in Washington D.C. But in Idaho, we have one of the strongest economies in the nation. The state of Idaho has a record surplus that is the result of Idaho revenues. Employment has fully recovered all the jobs lost to the pandemic and we have continued to grow employment.
BSU asked Idahoans, “If the budget surplus is used to provide Idahoans with tax relief, which type of tax should be reduced to provide the most help to Idahoans during this time?” The two highest responses were essentially equal in importance. Those two types of tax relief were property tax (37.7%) and income tax (37.4%). Sales tax relief was a distant third at 19.6%. Income tax is a tax charged by the state of Idaho, and property tax is charged by local governments and school districts.
House Bill 436 has been passed by the House and is currently being addressed in the Senate. This bill provides the largest tax cut in the history of the state of Idaho. It cuts our income tax rates and gives Idaho taxpayers a rebate on state taxes. Every Idahoan who pays income tax or receives a grocery tax credit will get at least $75 in tax relief.
Republicans in the Legislature are also working on additional property tax measures that build on the relief from the rapid increase in property taxes that was passed last year. County assessors have been working with me on measures that will reduce the impact of high increases in assessed values. This includes a measure that uses five-year rolling averages of property values to address spiking values.
Even while providing historic tax relief and addressing our property taxes, Idaho Republicans will provide significant increases in education funding that local school districts can use to increase teacher pay and reduce the cost of their health insurance. At the same time, Idaho Republicans will address our transportation funding with a large investment this year and a record ongoing investment for both state and local roads.
Indeed Idaho Republicans are addressing the highest priorities of Idahoans with record new investment in education and transportation along with the largest tax cuts in Idaho history.
This editorial first appeared in the Idaho Press
Senator Jim Rice is the chairman of the Senate Local Government and Tax Committee and is a member of the Transportation Committee.

House Bill H0436 – Income Tax
As of February 3rd, House Bill H0436 has been passed by both Idaho’s House and Senate. We are awaiting approval from Governor Little before this goes into law.
This 2022 Tax Relief bill makes the following changes to Idaho’s income tax laws:
It consolidates the income tax brackets from five brackets to four and lowers rates to 1%, 3%, 4.5% and 6% retroactive to January 1, 2022.It lowers the corporate income tax to 6% retroactive to January 1, 2022.It provides a one-time tax rebate of $350 million, returning approximately 12% of 2020 Idaho personal income tax (line 20) or $75 for each taxpayer and dependent, whichever is greater.
Link: H 436 Bill Text

House Bill H443 – Education, leadership premiums, insurance
Sponsors – Representative Wendy Horman
This bill has already passed the House. We are waiting for it to be read a third time in the Senate, and then it will be up for debate and vote.
Statement of Purpose“This proposal creates a dedicated fund for the purpose of funding the one-time amount required for public schools to buy in to the state’s medical and dental group insurance plan. It establishes limits for the amount that can be allocated per school district, and how to handle situations in which the demand exceeds available funds. To offset an ongoing amount of funding for school health insurance, this bill also sunsets leadership premiums and removes references to it throughout code.”
Link: H 443 Bill Text

Senate Bill 1255 – Empowering Parents Grant Program
Sponsor – Senator Lori Den Hartog
Statement of Purpose“The Empowering Parents Grant Program provides funding to parents to help meet their child’s educational needs and to address any learning loss. $1,000 per student or a maximum of $3,000 per family will be available for public and non-public students to address learning loss and provide support for our most at-risk students by providing resources in addition to what is available during the school day. Grants are available first to families whose Adjusted Gross Income is at or below $60,000 per year, then to families earning up to $75,000, and then to everyone else for as long as the funding lasts. Parents will be able to access and spend the grant funds on behalf of their child for approved educational expenses through a digital platform. A Parental Advisory Panel is established to help with the implementation and administration of the program. The purpose of the emergency clause is to allow the program to be instituted quickly by the State Board of Education and to get funding into the hands of parents as quickly as possible.”
LINK: S1255 Bill Text

House Bill H0465 – Digital Assets
Sponsor – Representative Dustin ManwaringThe bill is currently in the House Judiciary, Rules & Administration Committee.
Statement of Purpose“The purpose is to define the legal status of digital assets, classify digital assets as personal property, and specify rights of purchase, possession, and control.”
Link: H 465 Bill Text

House Bill 0481 – Property Taxes Circuit Breaker Program
Sponsor – Representative Charlie Shepard
Statement of Purpose“Relating to property tax reduction, to create a threshold of $300,000 or 150% median of assessed valuation, whichever is greater for homes in the county amending Section 63-705 of Idaho Code.”
Link: H 481 Bill Text

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Senate Bill 1241 – Property Taxes Circuit Breaker Program
Sponsor – Senator Regina BayerStatement of Purpose“This bill makes a change to IDAHO CODE 63-705, SECTION 1, by increasing the maximum value of a home that qualifies for the property tax reduction program (aka Circuit Breaker) to assist more low-income applicants to remain in their homes.”
Link: S 1241 Bill Text

Legislative All-Stars

Senator Lee Heider
Water Statesman Award 2022
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Rep. Laurie Lickley
Ag All Star

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Rep. Mike Moyle
Friend of Manufactured Housing
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Redistricting

This case arises out of multiple petitions challenging the constitutionality of Plan L03, the legislative redistricting plan adopted by the Idaho Commission for Reapportionment (“the Commission”) following the 2020 federal census. Under Article III, Section 2 of the Idaho Constitution, the six-member bipartisan Commission is tasked with creating 35 new legislative districts after each decennial federal census. These districts, collectively referred to as a “plan,” must conform to the requirements set forth by the Federal Constitution, the Idaho Constitution, and statute. Petitioners generally argue that Plan L03 splits more counties than is required to comport with federal constitutional requirements, rendering Plan L03 unconstitutional under the Idaho Constitution. The petitions were filed before this Court, which has original jurisdiction over them pursuant to Article III, Section 2 of the Idaho Constitution. Petitioners request that this Court issue a writ of prohibition to restrain the Secretary of State from transmitting a copy of the Commission’s Final Report and Plan L03 to the President Pro Tempore of the Idaho Senate and the Speaker of the Idaho House of Representatives. For the reasons discussed below, we decline to issue such a writ.

Link: Opinion
Link: Maps