March 9, 2018
REPUBLICAN UPDATE FROM THE
IDAHO LEGISLATURE
The latest from your state lawmakers
Second Amendment rights, budgets, and education were some of the top issues in the state Legislature this week. Read on for more information.

Also, be sure to follow us on Twitter @IdahoGOP and on Facebook: facebook.com/IdahoGOP, where during session we cover all the latest news from the Capitol.
Stand Your Ground bill clears Senate
Last Friday, the state Senate passed Senate Bill 1313, a "Stand Your Ground" bill, on a party-line vote of 29-6. All Democrats voted no. The House State Affairs Committee approved it Thursday morning and it now heads to the House floor for a full vote.

The bill clarifies state law that citizens may defend themselves against intruders in their homes, places of employment or business, and vehicles. Citizens could use deadly force without having to retreat or, for example, determine if the gun held by an intruder is loaded or not. It would put the burden on the prosecutor to prove that the citizen's use of deadly force wasn't justified, as opposed to requiring the citizen to prove so.
Budget action
It's that time of session when budgets are being approved by the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee:

  • The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality would get a four percent increase in state general funds (but an overall decrease of 2.2 percent due to reduction in federal funds), "largely," reports the Spokesman-Review, "because of the continued ramp-up of the Idaho Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, or IPDES, a function for which the state is taking primacy from the federal EPA."
  • Republicans continue to work on reforms and improvements to our state education system at all levels. The committee approved a community colleges budget that, for example, provides $307,700 more for North Idaho College's computer science program.
Other bills of note
  • Senate Bill 1341 is a comprehensive reform of Idaho's foster care and child protection services. It stems from two years of research and input as to how to better protect vulnerable children. The Senate approved it on Thursday. You can read more about it here.
  • Senate Bill 1221 codifies in state law the current practice of State Board of Education allowing the transfer of credits for people seeking an Associate's Degree. It has passed both the Senate and House.
  • Senate Bill 1243, which we've written about previously, would give women who decide not to go through with a chemical abortion information about Abortion Pill Reversal. It has already passed the Senate and was approved by the House State Affairs Committee this week.
  • House Bill 648 would make computer science courses accessible to all Idaho high school students. You can watch a brief video on it here.
  • House Bill 429 directs the Idaho Crime Victims Compensation Program to pay the full cost of sexual assault forensic evidence collection. Currently, sexual assault is the only crime in Idaho where the victim's insurance is billed for the evidence collection. It already passed the House and passed the Senate Thursday morning.
  • Senate Bill 1291 would create a student-outcome improvement program under the Accountability Oversight Committee, which currently exists under the State Board of Education, to assist schools from the lowest-performing five percent in improving student outcomes.
Stay in touch
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