Representative Ted Hill introduced House Bill 10 to the House Education Committee as a measure to make the American flag and the Idaho state flag the primary flags displayed in public school classrooms. "The intent of this bill is to assure that the American flag and the state flag are the primary flags in the public school," Hill said, adding that "anything else we put in the classroom is a distraction." The committee heard roughly an hour of questions and public testimony before voting to advance the bill to the full House.

The bill’s sponsor and supporters framed the proposal as a way to promote unity and daily recognition of patriotism in schools. Hill said the bill is intended to ensure students "see that American flag and state flag" when they enter class and to "bring the patriotism back." Edward Clark of the Idaho Family Policy Center testified in support, arguing that the proposal would "encourage healthy patriotism in children across the state." Representative Harris and several other committee members said they would back the bill for similar reasons.

Opponents — including public-school teachers and students who testified — said the bill’s language is vague and risks restricting speech and expression by teachers and students. Cassie Horner, a Boise teacher, told the committee the bill would "significantly harm the values of representation, inclusion and free expression" and urged members to reconsider HB 10. Mary Tordella Ruck, testifying for herself, said the measure would prohibit teachers from displaying pride or Black Lives Matter flags that some students rely on as "safe harbor." Liliana Rauer, a high-school student, said last year’s similar bill failed because of vague wording and again asked the committee to vote no.

Committee members and witnesses pressed the sponsor on several technical points the bill does not specify. Members asked whether small displays such as lapel pins, online classroom backgrounds, or flags in school parking lots would be covered. Hill and others said the bill is narrowly written to address banners and flags displayed in classrooms and school buildings, not pins or personal items, but acknowledged the text leaves questions about online instruction and the boundaries of "school property." The committee heard repeated testimony that online classrooms create a practical ambiguity; Representative Church (a current public-school teacher) noted that she teaches in online settings and asked how the bill would apply to Google Classroom backgrounds or slide decks.

State Department of Education Chief of Staff Greg Wilson told the committee the department currently has no formal statewide recognition process for flags and banners: "flags and banners are currently a local decision, so we do not have a formal process of recognition." He described two examples the department recognizes in practice — Purple Star School designation for military-connected schools and the U.S. Department of Education’s National Blue Ribbon recognition — but emphasized most banners and displays are governed by local district policy. Wilson also said some districts, including West Ada, have created content-neutral display policies rooted in the 2021 Dignity and Nondiscrimination law (Title 33).

Committee members also asked about enforcement and penalties. Hill said the bill uses the term "shall" but contains no monetary penalties; enforcement, he said, would fall to parents raising concerns with principals or local administration rather than to fines or state sanctions. Several members described that lack of a statutory penalty as a reason the measure functions more like a policy statement than a criminal or civil enforcement mechanism.

Debate on the committee floor highlighted competing concerns: supporters said the measure would refocus classrooms on shared civic symbols; opponents warned it would chill teachers’ and students’ expression and create administrative confusion, particularly for online instruction and for what the bill calls "official" school flags, mascots or colors. Members suggested amendments or routing the bill to general orders to clean up ambiguous language; Representative Vazewski offered a substitute motion to send the bill to general orders, which the committee rejected 5–9. Representative Marmon moved to send the bill to the floor with a due pass recommendation; that motion passed 12–2.

The committee recorded two formal actions: the failed substitute motion to send HB 10 to general orders and the successful motion to send HB 10 to the House floor with a due-pass recommendation. The committee’s vote on the final motion was 12 in favor and 2 opposed. The bill will next be considered by the full House.

The record before the committee included references to the 2021 Dignity and Nondiscrimination Act (Title 33), West Ada School District display policy work, and examples of state-recognized school designations such as Purple Star and the National Blue Ribbon award. Committee members and witnesses repeatedly flagged open questions about online classrooms, the definition of "school property," and the practical enforcement of a prohibition that contains no specified penalties.

House Bill 10 will appear on the House calendar after its referral; committee members made clear during debate that any further changes would likely require amendments to clarify definitions of display, school property, and the list of allowable banners.