Appropriations bills keeping Legislature in session

BOISE — Appropriation bills struggling to pass through the House and Senate chambers are keeping legislators from packing up and heading home. 

One of those appropriations bills, House Bill 734, which provides appropriations for Idaho’s colleges and universities for fiscal year 2025, was one of the most contentious votes of the session.

“House Bill 734 is the secondary appropriation bill for our universities,” bill sponsor Rep. James Petzke, R-Meridian, said in opening the debate for the proposed legislation Wednesday. “I’d also like to point out that we once again included language around DEI spending, very similar language to what we used last year that says that they may not use state-appropriated funds to support diversity, equity, and inclusion or social justice ideology as part of any student activities, clubs, etc., and they have to turn in a report to the Legislature to verify that.”