[{"_1":2,"_105":-5,"_106":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,85,95],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6100853,"mediaKeyId","2811835-be75bccce8337d0f1a0d05c408776bf3","parentId",2811835,"title","Votes at a glance: major final‑action items from the March 27 Idaho Senate session","audioSeconds",3966,"startMs",12378000,"endMs",16344000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2811835-be75bccce8337d0f1a0d05c408776bf3&start=12378&end=16344","thumbnailUrl","https://d352y6ypj4mjo3.cloudfront.net/AudioPlaceholder.png","articleUrl","/articles/6100853/Idaho/Votes-at-a-glance-major-finalaction-items-from-the-March-27-Idaho-Senate-session","mediaUrl","author","Idaho Legislature","date","2025-03-28T00:00:00Z","article","BOISE — The Idaho Senate took final action on multiple bills March 27, 2025. Below are brief summaries and outcomes for measures the record shows received a final vote or were reported passed on the floor. Items that had extended debate are covered in separate articles.

Votes at a glance

- Senate Bill 11-85 (Judicial branch appropriation): Passed the Senate (29–6). Finance committee measure funding judgeships, court reporters, magistrate judges and IT enhancements tied to recent policy bills. Senate sponsor: Sen. Sarah Cook. (See fuller report.)

- Senate Bill 11-42 (Repeal of Empowering Parents program): Passed the Senate (32–3). Sponsor Sen. Sarah Blaylock said program spending had shifted toward electronics; supporters pressed repeal, opponents urged targeted fixes. (See fuller report.)

- Senate Bill 11-80 (Automated license plate readers; front‑plate mounting‑bracket exemption): Passed the Senate (25–10). The bill sets privacy, access and auditing rules for passive plate‑reader systems and exempts vehicles that lack a factory front‑plate bracket from the front‑plate requirement.

Appropriations and finance items (final Senate action)

- House Bill 3-91 (Agency replacement items: six agencies): Passed the Senate (roll call recorded). JFAC described this as replacement items for several agencies totaling approximately $654,100 in one‑time funds (about $416,500 general fund and remainder dedicated funds). Agencies listed included Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Lt. Governor's office, Idaho State Lottery, Brand Inspection Division, Commission of Pardons and Parole, Public Utilities Commission, and Idaho Public Television.

- House Bill 4-17 (Community college enrollment/workload adjustment): Passed the Senate (30–5). The bill funds enrollment workload adjustments to community colleges (EWA) with a reported total enhancement of about $1,679,800 to respond to increased student demand; North Idaho College was held harmless by committee action.

- House Bill 4-18 (Division of Career & Technical Education): Passed the Senate (31–2). The bill includes a $10,000,000 capacity-building appropriation for Idaho’s six technical colleges (split evenly), $2,000,000 in federal funds and other enhancements; the JFAC education work group removed some requested expansion items.

- House Bill 3-90 (Public Employee Retirement System enhancements): Passed the Senate. The bill funds the final year of a multiyear member-services portal project and related IT/hardware; floor sponsors described the request as about $3.5 million in total, largely from dedicated PERSI funds.

- House Bill 4-19 (Department of Parks and Recreation enhancements): Passed the Senate (22–11). Enhancement items included five FTEs for park personnel, a seasonal pay increase, operations increases, replacement items and other capital/maintenance requests; the enhancement total cited on the floor was approximately $8,135,700 (with a $49,127,000 maintenance baseline noted separately).

- House Bill 4-20 (STEM Action Center replacement items): Passed the Senate. The bill funds replacement IT hardware and computers at the STEM Action Center (about $9,900 requested on the floor).

- House Bill 4-25 (Permanent Building Fund original appropriation): Passed the Senate (25–10). The bill appropriates one-time capital and deferred-maintenance funding from the permanent building fund; the sponsor read the total as approximately $122,861,901 and described multiple line items and a near‑30% reduction from the prior year’s appropriation.

Other procedural items: Several bills were read for first reading and referred for second reading, and committee reports and registered enrollments were filed in the Senate Secretary’s office as recorded on the floor.

Why this roundup: The session included both policy votes (for example the Empowering Parents repeal) and a set of appropriations and replacement-item measures. Some appropriation measures were brief on the floor and handled as grouped “replacement items,” while other items generated extended debate and roll-call scrutiny.

Provenance (transcript spans for each final action)

Each listed item below is tied to on‑the‑record floor transcript segments; the first and last cited lines for each bill are included for audit and verification.

- SB 11-85 topicintro: excerpt beginning \"In the senate, senate bill 11 85 by finance committee…\" (start 873.45) — topfinish: \"The vote count shows 29 in favour… Senate Bill 11 85 has passed the Senate.\" (start 2129.40)

- SB 11-42 topicintro: excerpt beginning \"Senate Bill 11 42… which repeals the empowering parents grant program\" (start 2188.23) — topfinish: \"The vote count shows 32 in favor with 3 against… Senate bill 11 42 has passed the senate.\" (start 2971.44)

- SB 11-80 topicintro: excerpt beginning \"this is a bill directed at license plates… There are 2 parts\" (start 3016.48) — topfinish: \"The vote count shows 25 in favor with 10 against… Senate bill 11 80 is passed the senate.\" (start 4081.47)

- HB 3-91 topicintro: \"The senate will now have before for final consideration house bill number 3 91\" (start 8857.735) — topfinish: \"Roll call shows 22 I, 13 nay… House bill 3 91 has passed the senate.\" (start 12263.44)

- HB 4-17 topicintro: \"The senate will now have before for final consideration house bill number 4 17\" (start 12378.49) — topfinish: \"Vote count shows 30 in favor with 5 against. House bill number 4 17 has passed the Senate.\" (start 12926.715)

- HB 4-18 topicintro: \"In the House of Representatives, house bill 4 18…\" (start 12947.63) — topfinish: \"Vote count shows 31 in favor with 2 against and 2 absent. House bill number 4 18 has passed the senate.\" (start 15649.676)

- HB 3-90 topicintro: \"In the House of Representatives, house bill 3 90… into the appropriation to the public employee retirement system\" (start 14465.41) — topfinish: \"The vote count shows 22 in favour with 11 against and 2 absent. House Bill number 3 90 has passed the Senate.\" (start 14955.936)

- HB 4-19 topicintro: \"In the house of representatives, house bill 4 19… Department of Parks and Recreation\" (start 14978.87) — topfinish: \"The vote count shows 22 in favor with 11 against and 2 absent. House bill number 4 19 has passed the senate.\" (start 15374.135)

- HB 4-20 topicintro: \"In the house of representatives, house bill 4 20… for replacement computers at the STEM Action Center\" (start 15431.885) — topfinish: \"The vote count shows 31 in favor with 2 against and 2 absent. House bill number 4 20 has passed the senate.\" (start 15649.676)

- HB 4-25 topicintro: \"house bill 4 25… appropriation to the Department of Administration for the division of public works\" (start 15724.3) — topfinish: \"Vote count shows 25 in favor with 10 against, majority having voted in the affirmative. House bill number 4 25 has passed the senate.\" (start 16343.885)

Notes on reporting and next steps: This roundup lists the bills and final outcomes recorded in the March 27 Senate transcript. Several measures were described as \"replacement items\" or grouped appropriations; the Senate debated some of those items in more or less detail. Where the transcript included on‑the‑record vote counts and roll calls, those totals are recorded above; for full line‑by‑line roll-call records consult the official Senate roll-call sheets and fiscal notes available from the Legislature.","mediaType","Audio","parentTitle","Senate Legislative Session Day 81 March 27, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","A roundup of bills and final votes taken by the Idaho Senate on March 27, 2025, including major appropriations and policy measures that received final consideration or were transmitted to the House.","taxTitle","2025 Senate Legislative Sessions, 2025 Legislative Sessions, Idaho","taxId",77672,"location","Idaho","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":50,"_51":82,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":83,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":84,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6100857,"Senate approves limits on automated plate readers and eases front‑plate requirement for some vehicles",1065,3016000,4081000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2811835-be75bccce8337d0f1a0d05c408776bf3&start=3016&end=4081","/articles/6100857/Idaho/Senate-approves-limits-on-automated-plate-readers-and-eases-frontplate-requirement-for-some-vehicles","BOISE — The Idaho Senate on March 27 approved Senate Bill 11-80, a judiciary and rules committee bill that (1) establishes limits and auditing and access controls for automated license plate readers (ALPRs) and (2) removes the front‑license‑plate requirement for vehicles that are not equipped with a factory front-plate mounting bracket.

Sponsor Sen. O'Connorowitz said the bill has two distinct parts. The first sets privacy, auditing and access rules for passive, continuously operating plate‑reading cameras; she said law enforcement groups such as the sheriff’s association and the Fraternal Order of Police were not opposed to that portion while the city of Boise had expressed concerns. The second part removes the requirement to affix a front plate where a vehicle lacks a factory mounting bracket; the sponsor said this preserves collector and sports cars from drilling holes or otherwise altering the vehicle while leaving two‑plate issuance intact.

Opponents argued the front‑plate portion would hamper law enforcement; Sen. Foreman and others said an identifiable front plate is often critical when officers and witnesses pass at speed and need to confirm a vehicle. Supporters said many newer cars lack factory brackets, noted 20 states do not require front plates, and argued the change would avoid vehicle damage. Sen. Guthrie questioned whether motorists could simply remove brackets to evade the requirement; the sponsor said the language is aimed at factory-equipped brackets, not aftermarket removal, and said cleanup language could follow if needed.

Senators also emphasized privacy and governance for ALPR data. Supporters said the bill limits access, requires auditing and prevents unlimited retention or sharing of sensitive location data; sponsor testimony on the floor noted that several law‑enforcement groups supported the privacy controls but some municipalities expressed concerns about specific enforcement uses.

After debate the Senate voted 25–10 to pass the bill. The Senate approved the title and the bill will be transmitted to the House of Representatives.

Why it matters: The measure creates statewide rules for a rapidly spreading technology — automated license plate readers — that privacy advocates and civil‑liberties groups have criticized for potential overreach, and it changes enforcement of the front‑license‑plate requirement for an identifiable category of vehicles. Local law enforcement groups and municipalities offered mixed views during floor debate.

(This report summarizes floor debate and the roll call on March 27, 2025.)","Senate Bill 11-80 passed the Idaho Senate after debate over privacy protections for automated license plate readers and a separate provision that exempts vehicles without a factory front-plate mounting bracket from the front‑license-plate requirement.",{"_33":86,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":87,"_41":88,"_43":89,"_45":90,"_47":91,"_49":50,"_51":92,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":93,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":94,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6100860,"Senate votes to end Empowering Parents grant program after debate over use and scope",784,2188000,2972000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2811835-be75bccce8337d0f1a0d05c408776bf3&start=2188&end=2972","/articles/6100860/Idaho/Senate-votes-to-end-Empowering-Parents-grant-program-after-debate-over-use-and-scope","BOISE — The Idaho Senate voted 32–3 on March 27 to repeal the state’s Empowering Parents grant program with passage of Senate Bill 11-42, a measure sponsored by Sen. Sarah Blaylock.

Blaylock opened debate by tracing the program’s origins to pandemic-era federal relief (Strong Families Strong Students) and described its transition in 2022 to a state-funded program that provides up to $1,000 per student and a $3,000 household cap. She said the program was originally intended to help families during COVID-19 school closures but that, in recent years, it had become a permanent $30 million ongoing appropriation.

On the floor Blaylock and other supporters of repeal argued the program had drifted from its original purpose: she cited the program’s annual reports and fiscal data, saying more than 60% of grants in 2024 were spent on electronics (laptops, tablets) and that the share had risen to more than 80% the current year, while under 5% went toward tutoring or other direct academic supports.

Sen. Lenny and several other senators praised the repeal as fiscally responsible. Sen. Burtt said he had seen vendors and local activity — for example competitive-cheer organizations advertising that families could use Empowering Parents dollars for dues — which supporters used to argue the program had become an ongoing consumer subsidy rather than a temporary emergency aid program.

Opponents of repeal, including some senators who spoke in the debate, pointed to the program’s reach: Blaylock cited a December 2024 report from the State Board of Education showing tens of thousands of students had benefited and that about 69% of funding had gone to lower-income households (AGI under $60,000). Several senators urged caution and suggested program rules or “side rails” rather than an outright repeal.

After closing remarks from Blaylock, the Senate took a roll-call and the bill passed 32 in favor and 3 against. The title was approved and the bill will be transmitted to the House of Representatives.

Why it matters: The vote ends a $30 million ongoing appropriation and removes a program that legislators tied to pandemic-era emergency aid. Supporters argued the emergency has passed and that the state should not continue a program whose spending patterns have shifted toward durable electronics and other consumer uses. Opponents urged a more measured approach to preserve access for lower-income families.

(This account is drawn from the March 27 Senate transcript; program statistics and percentages were cited on the floor during debate.)","The Idaho Senate on March 27 passed Senate Bill 11-42 to repeal the Empowering Parents grant program, a state-funded program that provided grants up to $1,000 per student and was criticized on the floor for increasingly being spent on electronics rather than on direct academic services.",{"_33":96,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":97,"_41":98,"_43":99,"_45":100,"_47":101,"_49":50,"_51":102,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":103,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":104,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6100865,"Senate approves $ judicial branch supplement tied to recent judges and salary bills",1278,873000,2151000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2811835-be75bccce8337d0f1a0d05c408776bf3&start=873&end=2151","/articles/6100865/Idaho/Senate-approves-judicial-branch-supplement-tied-to-recent-judges-and-salary-bills","BOISE — The Idaho Senate on March 27 approved Senate Bill 11-85, a finance committee appropriation that increases funding for the judicial branch to pay for new judgeships, court reporters and a personnel market adjustment, and for IT and other operating costs tied to recent policy legislation.

Sponsor Sen. Sarah Cook described the bill as a set of “enhancements for court operations” that largely flow from three policy measures enacted earlier this session: House Bill 3-22 (judicial salary increases) and Senate Bills 10-28 and 10-29 (new district judges). Cook said the three policy bills caused roughly $4,691,400 of the budget increase and that the full package was 5.5% above the current-year judicial budget.

Cook told colleagues the $17,000 per-judge salary increase in House Bill 3-22 generated a fiscal note of about $3,870,000. She said the two district-judge bills each carried fiscal notes that included statutorily required court reporters and related operating costs; the bills’ combined fiscal note for district judges and reporters totaled about $816,200. The bill the Senate approved also funds two magistrate judges, IT staffing market adjustments and other court support, Cook said.

Sen. Nichols voiced concern about accountability and constituent complaints tied to the judicial system and announced she would vote against the bill until those concerns are addressed. Other senators praised JFAC’s work and urged support, saying the funding implements statutes already passed and signed into law.

Cook and other supporters repeatedly referenced Idaho statutory provisions on judge counts and court reporter requirements included in the transcript as cited by sponsors: \"section 59 dash 5 0 2 Idaho code,\" and the district-judge and court-reporter language noted in the record as \"Idaho code 1 dash 8 0 2\" and \"Idaho code 1 dash 11 o 1.\" The sponsor also described administrative placements for magistrate judges (no separate statute required) and said the positions were requested by the judicial branch and included in the governor’s budget.

After debate, the roll call showed 29 senators in favor and 6 opposed. The Senate approved the bill; the title was corrected and the bill was transmitted to the House of Representatives.

Why it matters: Sponsors said the increases implement statutory changes and address caseload and security concerns, including IT protections for court systems. Opponents said they were withholding support pending more assurances about accountability and constituent complaints. The outcome means the judicial branch will receive the requested resources tied to the recently enacted policy bills.

Votes and next steps: The Senate voted to pass SB 11-85; the bill will be sent to the House.

(Reporting for this item is based on the Senate floor debate and roll call shown in the March 27, 2025 Senate transcript. Quotations and statutory citations are drawn from the floor record.)","The Idaho Senate on March 27 passed Senate Bill 11-85, a finance committee bill that provides one-time and ongoing funding increases for the judicial branch tied largely to recently enacted policy bills that add judges and increase judicial salaries.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: major final‑action items from the March 27 Idaho Senate session

Senate approves limits on automated plate readers and eases front‑plate requirement for some vehicles

Senate votes to end Empowering Parents grant program after debate over use and scope

Senate approves $ judicial branch supplement tied to recent judges and salary bills