This bill establishes limits on the number of non-U.S. resident student athletes who can receive scholarships at public colleges and universities in Idaho. It requires that no more than 10% of all sports roster positions and no more than 50% of any single athletic team be held by international student athletes receiving financial aid. The legislation also mandates that scholarships awarded to Idaho residents be prioritized for student athletes and requires the state board of education to create rules for monitoring compliance and reporting data to the legislature annually. Existing scholarship agreements made before July 1, 2026, are protected from these new restrictions for up to four academic years.
Idaho's S 1332 is a budget bill that transfers specific funds from specialized state accounts into the General Fund for fiscal years 2026 and 2027. It directs the transfer of $45 million from the Strategic Initiatives Program Fund, $3 million from the Opportunity Scholarship Program Account, $33.7 million from the Permanent Building Fund, $15 million from the Water Pollution Control Fund, and $10 million from the In-Demand Careers Fund (for 2026) and another $10 million (for 2027) to the General Fund. These transfers are intended to provide immediate funding flexibility for state operations during the 2025-2026 budget period. The bill declares an emergency to allow most provisions to take effect immediately upon passage, with one transfer scheduled for late 2026. This is a procedural budget adjustment, not a new policy.
This Idaho bill (S 1289) sets limits on scholarships for non-U.S. citizen student athletes at public colleges. It requires public institutions to prioritize Idaho residents for scholarships and restricts non-citizen athletes to: no more than 10% of scholarships (excluding football), 5% for football, and no team exceeding 50% non-citizen scholarship recipients. Existing non-citizen athletes enrolled before the law's effective date (July 1, 2026) are exempt from these caps for up to four years. The law directly affects student athletes and public universities' financial aid policies, with implementation overseen by the Idaho State Board of Education.
Idaho's H 731 allows the state to join the federal tax credit scholarship program, enabling Idaho families to use state tax credits for private school scholarships. The bill requires the Idaho Department of Education to annually publish a list of qualified scholarship groups, certify the state's authority to participate, and accept submissions from those groups year-round. It ensures Idaho meets federal requirements to participate starting in tax year 2027, with the law taking effect July 1, 2026. The bill directly affects Idaho's education department and scholarship organizations operating within the state.
