Representative Steve Miller
2025 Legislative Update
For Week 6 Ending February 14, 2025
Current
H231 Grocery Tax Credit was passed 61-6-3. It increased the tax credit from $120 per family member and $140 for over 65 to $155 for all. A credit of up to $250 is available for those who provide receipts. The cost is estimated to be $50 million. That still leaves close to $200 million paid by tourists and travelers. If the grocery tax were eliminated, the state would loose $200 million in tax revenue paid by non-residents. For a family of 4, the credit would cover the tax for $199 per week or $10,333 per year. Representative Monks made a good point: all tax is bad, but property tax is the worst and sales tax is probably the best choice. If it costs $40,000 per day to run this place, then it cost about $5,000 to debate a bill that received 87% of the House vote. Interesting!
H98 prohibits public officials from allowing school district funds, personnel, and other resources to be used in support of teachers’ unions. Examples given were school districts (districts) deducting union dues from payroll, one district paying extra to cover union dues, requiring teachers to meet with the union representatives, providing union only communication bulletin boards, allowing teaching to work on union activities during school time and allowing one union president 30 days paid leave to work on union activities.
My own experience with the Idaho Education Association(IEA)and the National Education Association (NEA) was that of a Political Action Committee (PAC). I have always worked on education budgets and supported any budget increases that made sense such as Teachers Salary Ladder, leadership awards, professional development, 3rd grade literacy, math and reading remediation, school safety, funding for health insurance, discretionary funding for districts, to name a few. With this record of education support, the IEA and NEA spent money and campaigned against me to support a Democrat opponent. So no, the IEAs and NEAsprimary concern is not about supporting education, it is about politics. I voted in support of H98.
Coming:
H221 prohibits foreign adversaries from purchasing land near military bases or from purchasing agricultural land, forestland, water rights, mining claims, or mineral rights. Foreign interest must register with ISDA within 60 days and sell, transfer or divest itself of these properties or assets within 180 days. A foreign adversary may not hold more than a de minimis amount (under 5%) or noncontrolling interest of a company registered with the US securities and exchange commission. If the foreign principal doesn’t comply, the land may be sold through judicial foreclosure.
Bills may be viewed at: Bill List
Upcoming Millertime
Senator Zuiderveld, Representative Hostetler and I are scheduling a series of Townhall meetings for Saturday February 22. The 45 minute meetings will begin in Gooding at 9:00am, Hagerman 10:15, Buhl at City Hall Chambers11:25, Filer 1:00, Kimberly 2:15 and conclude in Hansen 3:25. Gooding and Buhl are confirmed at this time.
I will be attending the 4H Know Your Government breakfast on Monday, Idaho Ag Summit dinner Monday evening, Idaho School Boards luncheon Tuesday and the Career Technical Education student showcase Wednesday.
I will be attending the Twin Falls Republican Lincoln Day event on February 22 at Canyon Crest.
The Week
There were16 bills passed on the floor this week.
H83 Order to return to foreign nation for illegal entry into Idaho
H59 H&W adds to Medical Ethics Defense Act- Provides protection from being forced to participate in non-emergency procedures that would violate sincerely held religious, moral, or ethical beliefs.
SCR102 Establishes a committee to study Idaho’s response to COVID-19 pandemic.
H144 Exempts certain small sellers from sales and use tax.
A full list of bills may be found at: Bill List.
House Session & Votes
There are now 215 House bills, 12 House Concurrent Resolutions, 3 House Joint Resolutions, 7 House Resolutions, 111 Senate bills, 9 Senate Concurrent Resolutions, 1 Senate Joint Memorial, 1 Senate Joint Memorial and 6 Senate Resolutions at this time. That is 365 bills, resolutions and memorials! And more to come!
You may see all of this at: Bill List
The House Session may be viewed live at: House Session
Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee (JFAC)
JFAC voted on 15 budget motions on Friday. Fourteen passed and one failed. It failed primarily because 3 House members were presenting in other committees. Let that lesson be learned!!JFAC is comprised of 10 House members and 10 Senate members. It requires 6 House votes and 6 Senate votes to approve a motion. So even if there is a majority of the committee (>10), it still requires 6 votes from each chamber.
The composite of these motions would appropriate $86 million general funds, $109 million dedicated funds and $162 million federal funds for a total of $357 million. These will be printed as bills and sent to the House or Senate to be heard.
The Idaho State Police is receiving an 8% increase in employee compensation but is still way behind many counties, cities and adjacent states. Col. Gardinar stated that by the time a trooper comes off probation (about 18 months), the agency has invested nearly $1 million in training, equipment, salary etc.
Budget hearing and setting schedules may be viewed at: Budget Schedules
JFAC agendas may be viewed at: JFAC Agendas
The JFAC meetings may be viewed live at: View JFAC
To look further into Idaho’s fiscal transparency, Idahoans can now quickly click to view historic and current statewide budget appropriations and agency expenditures for the fiscal year at Budget Information and Fiscal Dashboards.
Agricultural Affairs Committee
U of I College of Agriculture Dean Parrella presented in Ag committee. He has been at U of I for 9 years and will retire this coming summer. He has made many positive changes during his tenure. U of I is a land grant college established in 1892 under the Morrill act of 1862. Parrella said Idaho lost 144,000 acres of farmland to development last year.
Some highlights:
MacDonald’s accepts 6 varieties of potato French fries- U of I bred 4 of them.
75,000 kids are in 4H, there is a 5% to 7% higher go on to college rate of these kids.
Idaho is #3 in the nation for dairy production
Dairy produces $3.8 billion, 60% of the ag gross state product in Idaho
Idaho produced $160 million worth of eggs last year
Ag Committee meetings may be viewed live on even numbered days at 1:30pm at: View Ag
Resources and Conservation Committee
H129 seeks to extend the time that the Endowment Board may reinvest money into land purchase from 5 years to 10 years. For example, when the Board sold some business property it did not immediately purchase real estate with the funds. The funds eventually reverted to the endowment fund where it is invested. I see both sides of the issue but tend to think endowment lands should be replaced when sold.
H82 would allow livestock depredation claims to be made on “possible” depredation finding. It is a slightly lower level of proof but still adequate to determine loss. These claims would only be paid after the higher level of claims were all satisfied. I supported the bill.
A portion of a Lands rule determined potential lease cancelation with a 180-day notice. If a lessor had a 10-year range lease contract, it would allow Lands to cancel the lease with 180 day notice. The committee felt that a contract should be fulfilled and rejected the rule.
Resources meetings may be viewed live on odd numbered days at 1:30pm at: View Resources
You may view the full list of bills at and the bill status at: Bill List
It is an honor to serve as your Representative in the Idaho House of Representatives. Please forward this update to anyone you feel would be interested in receiving it. If you send me an email, list your town or city in the subject line. Thanks.
Representative Steven Miller
District 24B
Camas, Gooding, and Rural Twin Falls Counties
Idaho State Capitol
P.O. Box 83720
Boise, ID 83720-0038
208-332-1061
SMiller@house.idaho.gov
Common Sense Solutions 