By District 1 Senator Jim Woodward
Thanks to all who attended the February Town Halls. We had some great conversations about what is happening in the Legislature. Our next Town Hall is March 28. I expect we’ll be finished with the legislative session by then. Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction Debbie Critchfield will be joining us for the March Town Halls.
This will be a great opportunity to hear directly from our State Superintendent about what is going well in Idaho schools and the challenges we face.
Idaho Values. Idaho Vision: Thoughts and votes this session to date
We are in the ninth week of the legislative session. The budget is still at the forefront of issues this session. We are also working our way through many policy bills at this point. Today I presented a bill on the Senate floor in support of Idaho Department of Lands wildland firefighting capabilities as well as the 2027 Public Safety budget bill. The budget bill includes funding for Idaho State Patrol, the Idaho Department of Corrections and the Juvenile Corrections department.
While a fair number of resolutions and memorials have been adopted, to date only 10 pieces of legislation have been signed into law.
Of note is the removal of the requirement for vehicle license plate stickers. Commercial trucks have not had license plate stickers for a few years. Now, automobiles will also not require registration stickers based on H533.
Responsibility for regulation of solid waste has moved from the health districts to the Department of Environmental Quality with the passage of H555.
Finally, Idaho tax code will conform to the IRS tax code through H559, which means overtime wages and tips will not be taxable for 2025 through 2028.
One way to track the current status of happenings in the Capitol, is to follow legislation by bill number. You will find a description of the bill, the sponsor, its fiscal impact, and its current status in the legislative process.
2026 Legislation by Bill Number
Medical Residency Funding: We are still working our way through a very contentious budget process this year. I am happy to report that we will be training more doctors than ever in Idaho. Currently, we have the lowest number of doctors per person in the country. To address that issue, Idaho funds one-third the cost of medical residencies. Doctors often stay where they train, so the investment in their education provides a return.
The budget that passed out of JFAC provides 15 new residencies or fellowships in specializations including family medicine, OB/GYN, psychiatry and child psychiatry. This budget bill still needs to pass in the House and Senate, which I believe it will.
The Political Fodder Budget Narrative
You don’t have to be around Idaho politics long to hear the narrative that “spending is out of control!” You will also hear that “budgets have grown by 60 percent in the past five years!” The data shows otherwise. General Fund spending (your state income tax and sales tax dollars) has remained flat for the last two decades.
No one will argue the need to limit government growth and maintain efficiency. A 20-year look-back, * adjusted for inflation and our doubled population, shows we are doing just that at the state level. We are fiscally responsible. We are Idaho.
* Source – Idaho Legislative Services Office
Last week I spent a day participating in the University of Idaho Energy Symposium. The focus was on permitting reform for energy projects. It is estimated that we will need 30% more electrical energy generation in the northwest over the next ten years. Part of any energy project is permitting the generating station and/or the necessary electrical transmission lines. Permitting is typically a cumbersome, years-long process. We are working to streamline processing in Idaho through our Office of Energy and Mineral Resources (OEMR). The intent is that OEMR is a one-stop shop to help a company navigate the permitting process, which will help keep the lights on.
Most regulations in regard to permitting are federal, such as the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act, but are administered by Idaho agencies. OEMR will work on more efficient implementation of the regulations, without compromising the standards they uphold.
At the symposium, we listened to regulatory authorities from other western states. They expressed quite a different approach. I am glad to live in Idaho!
As the May 19th primary nears, be sure to plan ahead. If you are out of town on Election Day, absentee voting is the way to go. Or if you prefer voting from the comfort of your home, the ballot will be mailed directly to your home. You must complete a new absentee ballot request form each calendar year. You can do this online or by mailing in a form to your County Clerk.