Idaho Parents Unlimited

02/03/2026

Tell Idaho Lawmakers how Medicaid cuts impact your family and community!

Public Forum on Medicaid Cuts
Wednesday, February 4, 2026
4-7 pm MST
Idaho State Capitol
LINCOLN AUDITORIUM

This meeting will be live streamed
Spanish and ASL interpretation
This meeting will be live-streamed

01/30/2026

💚💙With Thanks and Every Good Wish 💚💙

After 14 years of service, creativity, and unwavering commitment, our Arts Coordinator, Heather Kirk, is closing this chapter of her work with Idaho Parents Unlimited.

Heather has been a steady force behind IPUL’s arts programming, using creativity as a vehicle for connection, self-expression, and empowerment for families and youth across Idaho. Her work has touched countless lives, often behind the scenes, and her dedication has helped shape programs that truly reflect IPUL’s values of inclusion, dignity, and family voice.

We are deeply grateful for the time, talent, and heart Heather has given to IPUL over the past 14 years. Her impact will continue to be felt for years to come.

Please join us in thanking Heather for her years of work at IPUL and wishing her continued success in her new adventure!

01/30/2026

https://saveidahoddservices.org/

Governor Brad Little has proposed cutting all home and community based services for children and adults with disabilities in Idaho. This move would have profound impact on Idaho families, sacrificing our most vulnerable populations to meet a budget deficit.

01/29/2026

Lots of highlights this week!

[Week 2] Legislative Update This Week’s Highlights:

Key Legislative Actions:
STATE - Education

Education Budget & JFAC Briefings: Lawmakers spent significant time this week reviewing Idaho’s education budget outlook during presentations to the Joint Finance–Appropriations Committee (JFAC).
Legislative Services Office (LSO) analysts walked through:
- The JFAC budgeting process
- FY26 and FY27 budget projections
- Detailed education spending scenarios, including options for potential budget reductions

Several legislators asked direct questions about how budget cuts could impact schools, particularly special education and support services. While no decisions have been made, education funding is clearly under close scrutiny as lawmakers weigh competing priorities.

State Board of Education – Rules Updates: The State Board of Education presented several pending and temporary rule changes, including:

1.) Rules Governing Pay for Success Contracting (Zero-Based Regulation chapter rewrite)
2.) Rules Governing Career Technical Centers
3.) Rules Governing Uniformity
4.) Rules Governing Thoroughness (temporary and pending rule action)

These rules relate to how Idaho defines and measures constitutional requirements for public education.

Artificial Intelligence in Education: Senate Bill 1227 was introduced to establish statewide guidance for the use of generative artificial intelligence in public schools. The bill directs the Idaho Department of Education to develop standards addressing:
- Student privacy and safety
- Responsible and ethical AI use
- Training and guidance for educators

This legislation reflects growing interest in how AI tools are used in classrooms and how students are prepared for an AI-influenced future.

Education & Disability Funding Proposal: A new routing slip, RS 33019, was introduced relating to education funding and disabilities. As with all RS proposals, this is an early step, and details may change. IPUL will provide a plain-language summary once draft bill language is published.

What This Means for You:
1.) Families may hear more discussion about budget cuts or reallocations in education
2.) Rule changes could impact how schools define and deliver required services
3.) AI policies may influence classroom tools, accommodations, and data privacy practices
4.) Disability-related funding proposals remain early but are worth watching closely
5.) IPUL will continue centering family voices as these conversations move forward.

Good News out of Education: The 2026 Idaho Teacher of the Year, Laron Johnson, was introduced and celebrated.

STATE - Healthcare

RS 32884 Children - Federal Benefits

A routing slip (RS) is the very first step of an idea becoming a law in Idaho, it aspires to be a bill one day, but right now it is only an idea. An RS is used to ask permission to formally introduce a bill so it can be printed, given a bill number, and sent to a committee for public discussion. At the RS stage, the idea is still taking shape, so you might see the language change, and nothing has been decided yet. Once an RS is approved, it becomes an official bill and moves forward in the legislative process, where families and community members can weigh in.

This particular RS was introduced by Rep. Tanner of district 14, IPUL will summarize RS 32884 in plain language once the Legislature has published its draft text of the proposed bill.

STATE - Healthcare

Update to Committee Membership

During the 2026 Idaho Legislative Session, Rep. Wendy Horman stepped down from JFAC and the Idaho House after being appointed to a role in the Trump administration, where she will lead the federal Office of Child Care. If you’ll remember from last year, Alex Adams, former Director of The Department of Health and Welfare, was also appointed by Trump to serve as the Assistant Secretary for Children and Families. Rep. Horman’s departure left an opening on JFAC, the Legislature’s budget committee that controls state spending and is responsible for helping pass a balanced budget before lawmakers can adjourn, as required by Idaho’s Constitution.

That vacancy was filled by Rep. Josh Tanner, who was appointed as the new House co-chair of JFAC. This is a big deal because JFAC shapes funding decisions for every state agency, and Idaho cannot end a legislative session without a balanced budget, many consider it one of the most powerful committees in the Legislature.

STATE - Healthcare

Rule Consolidations

Part of what happened this week in the Health and Welfare committees was a repeal and consolidation of rules. In simple terms, some rules were moved and combined to reduce duplication. For example, the Residential Habilitation (Res Hab) rule was moved into a broader set of developmental disability agency rules. This was not about cutting or changing Res Hab services, but about reorganizing where the rule lives. Legislators specifically raised concerns and confirmed on the record that this was not doing away with Res Hab. The Department of Health and Welfare also clarified that they are not recommending eliminating Res Hab services, but only considering the removal of one portion of a past rate increase as part of broader budget discussions.These budget conversations will continue through the rest of the legislative session as business can be seen as over as soon as the budget is set.

FEDERAL -

At the federal level, Congress is facing a looming partial government shutdown as lawmakers work up against a funding deadline. If an agreement isn’t reached in time, roughly half of the federal government could shut down. Senate Democrats are pushing to separate Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding from the rest of the budget so other agencies can remain open while concerns about oversight and accountability are addressed, while Republicans have so far resisted that approach. Negotiations are ongoing between congressional leaders and the White House, including discussion of a short-term funding extension, but as of now no final deal has been reached and a shutdown remains a real possibility.
For historical context, there have been a few notable shutdowns: the 16-day shutdown in 2013 over healthcare funding, the 35-day shutdown in 2018-2019 tied to a dispute over border wall funding, and the 43-day shutdown from October 1 to November 12, 2025, which became the longest in U.S. history. While many funding gaps only last a day or two, these longer shutdowns have caused significant disruptions for federal workers and services.

Get Involved!
You can use IPUL’s “Power of a Personal Story” template to craft testimony to share with legislators. Other testimony tips can be found in the padlet as well. You will find all our tips at this link https://shorturl.at/kSLOf

Looking Ahead:
1.) Fred Riggers Disability Awareness Dinner - In conjunction with the Fred Riggers Disability Advocacy Day, LINC and the Idaho SILC invite you to join us for the FRDAD Dinner taking place on Tuesday, February 3, 2026 at 5:30-7:30pm at LINC, 1878 W. Overland Road, Boise. You can meet advocates from around Idaho, network, and enjoy time together kicking off CID’s Fred Riggers Disability Advocacy Day. Please RSVP to: https://forms.gle/SRQi2jBYDDdfkPvf6

2.) Fred Riggers’ Disability Awareness/Advocacy Day - Taking place on February 4, 2026 from 10:00AM - 1:00PM (MST), on the first floor of the Capitol rotunda. The award ceremony commences at noon. This year’s event will feature a disability history exhibit!

Stay Connected:
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates, and visit our website for more resources: ipulidaho.org


{Image includes a blue background with the IPUL logo that says "Legislative Highlights Week 2"}

01/28/2026

01/28/2026

Happening today!

Join IPUL for a Virtual meet up for youth with serious emotional disturbance (SED) on the last Wednesday of every month, starting January 28, 2026, 4–5 PM, MST

https://us02web.zoom.us/.../register/IOFpSomcyQ9GwyJ5qqBNspw
OR
https://ipulidaho.org/TheChillZone

Together we are stronger.’ Join the Chill Zone, a space for support, connection, creative activities, games, and talking (if you want to). We can’t wait to meet you!

With the tagline “Log in. Chill Out.” the image shows a diverse group of four smiling young people with their arms around each other outdoors, alongside the Idaho Parents Unlimited, Inc. logo with the words “Engage • Educate • Bridge • Lead.”

01/22/2026

We're BACK! Here are your updates for the first week of the legislative session.

[Week 1] Legislative Update This Week’s Highlights:

Key Legislative Actions:

STATE - Education
Lawmakers are taking a close look at Idaho’s K–12 education budget, and there is concern about how schools would manage if funding is reduced.Idaho spends about $2.7 billion on K–12 education each year. Some legislators asked what would happen if schools faced a 5% budget cut.The State Superintendent emphasized that schools are already stretched thin, especially when it comes to special education services.

Idaho schools face an estimated $100 million gap between what special education actually costs and what the state and federal government pay. Because of budget uncertainty, the state paused a larger special education funding proposal and instead is asking for smaller, targeted supports:
$5 million to help schools serve students with high support needs
$1 million to staff regional special education service offices that help districts coordinate services.

These requests would not fully fix the problem, but would help districts better support students with disabilities.

STATE - Education
A new bill, Senate Bill 1227, was introduced to help schools address the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI) in education. The bill would create a statewide framework for how schools teach students about AI. The Idaho Department of Education would develop guidelines and standards for safe, responsible AI use in classrooms.The focus includes: student privacy and safety, helping students understand how AI works, supporting teachers with training and guidance. The goal is to prepare students for a future where AI is part of everyday life while making sure it is used responsibly.

STATE - Healthcare
JFAC, the Joint Finance-Appropriation Committee, has been meeting all week to discuss budgets from healthcare to education. State leaders were asked what will happen now that Idaho has cut or eliminated certain mental health services, especially services for people with serious mental illness. The honest answer from the Department was: they don’t really know yet.

When asked, "Why did the state cut these services?" the Department explained that they were required to meet budget holdbacks ordered by the Governor. Federal and state law require some services to be covered, but Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) and peer support are not legally mandatory. There was active acknowledgement that there were very few options, but another option would have included cutting: youth and adult crisis centers, or Mobile crisis response teams. So the difficult choice was made to cut ACT and peer support instead even though leaders acknowledged this could cause problems later. The savings numbers being shared only show what the state pays today, not what the long-term impact will be.

Lawmakers also raised concerns about House Bill 345, which ended the “Healthy Connections” program. There were concerns regarding whether or not doctors may stop taking Medicaid patients because reimbursement is now too low. The Department says they are “monitoring” the situation and will help families find new providers if they reach out to the Department of Health and Welfare. One lawmaker summed it up by saying they fear the state has not fully considered the long-term consequences of these decisions.

Several legislators expressed concern that:
1.) Cutting preventive services may increase costs later
2.) People will fall through the cracks
3.) Emergency rooms, jails, hospitals, and crisis systems may end up paying the price
4.) Idaho may save money now but spend more later

FEDERAL - Discussion of moving IDEA from the Department of Education to Health and Human Services (HHS)

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is the law that guarantees children with disabilities the right to special education services and protections in school. Some people believe moving IDEA to HHS could improve coordination with health and behavioral health services, especially for children with complex needs. Others are concerned that this shift could weaken education-based protections, change how schools are held accountable, or blur the line between education rights and medical services. At this time, IDEA remains under the Department of Education, and no changes have been made. Families should know that any move like this would be a major change and would require action by Congress.

Get Involved!
You can use IPUL’s “Power of a Personal Story” template to craft testimony to share with legislators. Other testimony tips can be found in the padlet as well. You will find all our tips at this link https://shorturl.at/kSLOf

Looking Ahead:

1.) Fred Riggers Disability Awareness Dinner - In conjunction with the Fred Riggers Disability Advocacy Day, LINC and the Idaho SILC invite you to join us for the FRDAD Dinner taking place on Tuesday, February 3, 2026 at 5:30-7:30pm at LINC, 1878 W. Overland Road, Boise. You can meet advocates from around Idaho, network, and enjoy time together kicking off CID’s Fred Riggers Disability Advocacy Day. Please RSVP to: https://forms.gle/SRQi2jBYDDdfkPvf6

2.) Fred Riggers’ Disability Awareness/Advocacy Day - Taking place on February 4, 2026 from 10:00AM - 1:00PM (MST), on the first floor of the Capitol rotunda. The award ceremony commences at noon. This year’s event will feature a disability history exhibit!

Stay Connected:
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates, and visit our website for more resources: ipulidaho.org



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01/20/2026

New Episode out today!

In this episode, Allison shares what’s ahead for IPUL in the New Year. From expanding trainings and resources to growing one-on-one support for families, she talks about how IPUL continues to show up for Idaho parents and caregivers navigating disability, education, and health systems. As 2026 begins, she highlights where we’re headed, how our support is growing, and the many ways IPUL remains a trusted partner for Idaho families!

01/20/2026

Join your region's Children's Mental Health Subcommittee!

Most subcommittee's meet for one hour a month and they are requesting more parents in all seven of Idaho's regions!

To learn more about joining email parents@ipulidaho.org with the subject line "Children's Mental Health Subcommittee" and we will get you connected to your region!

01/20/2026

The Idaho House Health and Welfare Committee is meeting Tuesday morning at 9:00 am and will hear a presentation on the Department of Health and Welfare budget. You can join in person at the Capitol or online. Right now, their message states there won't be testimony but that may change.

The House Health and Welfare committee will receive a budget review from Representative Josh Tanner, Co-Chair of the Joint Finance and Appropriation Committee tomorrow morning (Tuesday, January 20th) at 9:00 am. There is a Zoom link right below the date of the meeting for members of the public to observe this presentation. It is not clear if they will be taking public testimony.

01/19/2026

If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis reach out to Su***de & Crisis Lifeline 988. Or Magellan member care line 1-855-202-0973 (TTY 711) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

A blue patriotic graphic with red, white, and blue accents features the Idaho Parents Unlimited, Inc. logo and American flag elements at the top. The image states that IPUL will be closed on 1/19/2026 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Idaho Human Rights Day, with a subtle silhouette of Martin Luther King Jr. speaking to a crowd at the bottom.

01/19/2026

HCBS are Medicaid services that help people with disabilities live at home and in their communities—not in institutions. These services are at risk. You can contact your legislators and Governor Little and tell them to protect HCBS.

Call the Governor’s Office: (208) 334-2100 to express your concerns directly.

Find your state legislators: “Who’s My Legislator?” tool at https://legislature.idaho.gov/legislators/whosmylegislator/ to look up your representatives’ emails and phone numbers.