Bill
S 1142
Repeals the Empowering Parents Grant Program; closes new awards after the effective date, and transfers unobligated funds to the General Fund by late June 2028.
Status
- Signed by the Governor: April 14, 2025 (Session Law Chapter 328).
- Effective dates: Sections 6 and 7 effective April 14, 2025; Sections 1–5 and 8 effective July 1, 2028.
- Legislative action concluded in April 2025.
Purpose and intent
- The bill ends the state’s Empowering Parents Grant Program by repealing the statutory provisions that created and governed the program and its fund, and directs remaining unobligated program funds be transferred into the State General Fund. The stated fiscal effect is to increase available General Fund resources and reduce program administration.
Key provisions and changes
- Repeals statutory sections:
- Idaho Code §§ 33-1029, 33-1030, 33-1031, 33-1032, 33-1033, and (ultimately) § 33-1034 — removing the program’s definitions, grant rules, parent advisory panel, reporting/evaluation requirements, and program authority.
- Amends § 33-1031 (Empowering Parents Grant Program) to:
- Preserve existing program structure and rules (application platform, reimbursement rules, income-based award order, $3,000 per-family cap, three-year spend period, misuse penalties), but add an express termination clause: “No grant awards shall be made under the provisions of this section on or after the effective date of this act.” Grants awarded before the effective date may still be used under existing rules.
- Amends § 33-1034 (Empowering Parents Grant Program Fund) to:
- Require the State Controller to transfer the unobligated cash balance remaining in the program fund into the General Fund on or around June 20–30, 2028.
- Then repeals the fund statute (so the fund is eliminated).
- Repeals the Parent Advisory Panel and reporting/evaluation requirements related to the program.
Who is affected
- Program participants and potential recipients: parents and eligible students who would have received Empowering Parents grants; no new awards may be made after the effective date specified for Sections 6 & 7.
- Idaho State Board of Education: program administration responsibilities are removed; the fiscal note anticipates elimination of one full-time position.
- State finances: unobligated program balances are transferred to the General Fund; the fiscal note projects an increase to available General Fund resources of approximately $30 million annually from repeal.
Fiscal and administrative impacts
- Fiscal note (proponent-prepared): repeal increases General Fund availability by $30 million per year and reduces one full-time position within the State Board of Education.
- Unobligated funds in the Empowering Parents Grant Program Fund are to be transferred to the General Fund in late June 2028 (no later than June 30, 2028). Existing participant account balances and awarded grants prior to the effective cutoff remain subject to program spending rules (e.g., three-year expenditure window).
Timing / procedural highlights
- Sections 6 & 7 (which amend program rules and the fund transfer timing) took effect immediately on April 14, 2025. The full statutory repeals (Sections 1–5 & 8) are set to take effect July 1, 2028, with the actual state-controller transfer of unobligated balances specified for June 20–30, 2028.
- The bill repeals program law in stages: it stops further grant awards upon the early effective sections and later removes the statutory framework entirely and transfers remaining funds.
Notes
- The bill record includes sponsor names that appear inconsistent with Idaho state legislation (Adam B. Schiff and Alex Padilla) — that may be a clerical or metadata error in the document provided. Related bill listed: HR 2371 (companion).
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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