Idaho House passes five budget bills for 2025

The Idaho House of Representatives has passed five budget bills for the 2025 legislative session, focusing on maintenance budgets that maintain previous funding levels without new enhancements. These budgets, which lump together various state agencies, are designed to keep operations running while a separate process will address new spending requests. Meanwhile, Idaho lawmakers are considering Senate Bill 1036, which seeks to pause gene therapy immunizations for ten years, named after a rancher who claims he was paralyzed due to a COVID-19 vaccine. Additionally, a bill to subsidize private school tuition has been approved, offering tax credits to families but raising concerns about accountability and potential discrimination in private education. Critics of the tuition subsidy argue it could divert funds from public schools and lead to unregulated educational practices. The ongoing discussions and approvals highlight the state's focus on budget management amid significant educational and health-related legislative debates.