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The most consequential 11 weeks for education funding and policy started Monday, Jan. 12 as state lawmakers return to Boise for the annual legislative session.
The second session of the 68th Idaho Legislature kicked off Jan. 12 with the governor’s State of the State address, followed by roughly two-and-a-half months of budget and policy debates among lawmakers and advocates.
This year’s session is primed for drama: The state faces a revenue shortfall that could approach an estimated $1 billion, and lawmakers will have to figure out how to fill the gap — during an election year. All 105 legislative seats are up for grabs in this year’s May primary and November general elections.
As always, education will be a focus of the legislative session and the election. Funding for K-12 represents about half of the state’s budget, and lawmakers play an active role in local school policy, from curriculum standards to teacher credentials and classroom rules. Not to mention, the state governs and mostly funds public colleges and universities.
Here’s your guide to following education issues during the session, with key dates, committees to watch and ways you can participate in the lawmaking process: Key legislative session dates Jan. 12 – Legislative session convenes. Governor delivers State of the State address.
Jan. 19 – Idaho Education Association’s “Lobby Day.”
Feb. 11 – Homeschool Idaho’s “Legislative Day” (a.k.a. “Pie Day”).
Feb. 16 – Constitutional amendment deadline.
Feb. 16-17 – Idaho School Boards Association’s “Day on the Hill.”
Feb. 26 – Bill introduction deadline.
March 6 – Transmittal deadline (the final date to move bills from the House to the Senate, and vice versa).
March 12 – Target date for JFAC to complete budget- setting.
March 27 – Target date for adjournment, sine die.
JFAC
The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee starts its work Jan. 13 with a review of the governor’s budget proposals.
The powerful 20-member committee is evenly represented by the House and Senate and fulfills the Legislature’s primary constitutional mandates: balancing the budget and funding public schools.
Over the next two months, the committee will meet with agency directors to scrutinize their budget requests. JFAC is also responsible for statewide spending decisions, like setting a revenue target and distributing state employee raises, including teacher raises.
According to the committee’s calendar, key education-related budget hearings are scheduled for the week of Jan. 19–23, when JFAC will hear presentations from the Idaho State Board of Education and Idaho Department of Education.
JFAC’s leadership will look different in 2026. Former co-chair Rep. Wendy Horman, R-Idaho Falls, who resigned for a Trump administration post, will be replaced by Rep. Josh Tanner, an Eagle Republican who served as House assistant majority leader last session. Tanner will lead the committee with returning co-chair Sen. C. Scott Grow, R-Eagle.
Education committees
The Legislature has two policy committees — one in the Senate and one in the House — that focus on education and meet almost daily throughout most of the session.
Policy committees vet and vote on bills before they advance to the full House or Senate and eventually reach the governor’s desk for his signature or veto. Committees also host hearings that give the public an opportunity to share their view on a particular bill.
Last year, the Legislature introduced 790 bills, the highest number over the last seven legislative sessions, and 341 became law. Since 2019, an average of 337 bills have been signed into law each session.
Lobby days
Advocacy groups representing teachers, school board trustees, home-schoolers and others host events each session that allow their members to meet with lawmakers and lobby for education-related issues.
These include, among others: Idaho Education Association’s “Lobby Day” – Jan. 19.
Homeschool Idaho’s “Legislative Day” (a.k.a. “Pie Day”) – Feb. 11.
Idaho School Boards Association’s “Day on the Hill” – Feb. 16-17.
Election year
A common conception among politicos is that election-year legislative sessions are shorter than others — because lawmakers want to get home and start campaigning.
There is some truth to this. Since 2016, election- year sessions have been seven working days shorter, on average, than sessions in non-election years. This is excluding the 311-day session in 2021 when the Legislature chose to recess for several months rather than adjourn.
Every legislator’s two-year term expires in 2026, and we’ll know which of the 70 representatives and 35 senators are running for reelection mid-session. The candidate filing period is Feb. 23–27.
Idaho’s seven constitutional officers — including the governor, state superintendent and attorney general — are also up for reelection this year.
The primary election is May 19.
For more information about elections and voting, go to https://voteidaho. gov.
