Majority of input to Little asked him to veto school choice bill

BOISE — When the Gov. Brad Little’s office set up to receive input on its main phone line on whether constituents thought he should sign or veto House Bill 93, more than 86% of constituents asked him to veto it.

The $50 million school choice tax credit bill was signed into law by the governor Thursday, despite the majority of participants providing input by call or email opposing the bill, according to numbers provided by Little’s office over the weekend.

There were 32,366 requests for a veto and 5,091 asking him to sign the bill.

“Gov. Little considers a variety of factors in weighing his decision on any bill that reaches his desk,” Little’s Press Secretary Joan Varsek wrote in an email.

The bill makes available a tax credit of up to $5,000 per student, or $7,500 per student with a disability, for educational expenses that can include private school tuition. Families earning at or below 300% of the federal poverty level would be eligible to receive the credit as an advance.

The first year, families at or below 300% of federal poverty guidelines would receive priority. After that, families that had previously received the credit would get priority.

HB 93 passed narrowly out of committee, advanced out of the House in a 42-28 vote, and passed the Senate 20-15. The bill has faced strong opposition from public school advocates, who argue that Idaho is not meeting its constitutional obligation to fully fund public education, and shouldn’t be looking to also put funding toward a different system of education.

Supporters argued that parents should have some assistance to educate their children differently if they decide the public system isn’t working. They said those parents are paying taxes and should therefore be able to receive some of the taxpayer funds to educate their child as they see fit.

This is the first time in state history that state funds will be able to go toward private and religious K-12 education.