Bill Analyses and Ratings
Bill Information: H0761 – STEM Action Center Consolidation into Workforce Council
Bill Summary
This bill dissolves the Idaho STEM Action Center as a standalone government entity and transfers its functions, staff, and funding to the existing Workforce Development Council under the Governor’s office. The STEM Action Center is removed from all statutes where it previously held authority — including the computer science initiative for public schools, the income tax credit for charitable contributions, and the nonclassified employee list — with the Workforce Development Council assuming those responsibilities. The STEM Education Fund is closed, and its balance is transferred to the Workforce Development Training Fund by July 31, 2026.
The bill repeals Chapter 47, Title 33 (STEM School Designation), Section 67-823 (STEM policy coordination), Section 67-824 (STEM Education Fund), and Section 67-825 (STEM Action Center Advisory Board). In their place, the Workforce Development Council receives a new statutory mandate through June 30, 2036, to coordinate STEM education, skills training, and workforce alignment across education, industry, and government. Private entities contributing to STEM special projects must provide at least 50% of project funding, and the council must report annually to the governor and the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee on STEM commitments, expenditures, and performance metrics.
The computer science initiative statute is updated to replace references to the STEM Action Center with the Workforce Development Council throughout, and the language shifts from ‘adopting’ computer science standards to ‘maintaining’ them, removing the original 2016-2017 implementation timeline. The Workforce Development Training Fund is expanded to explicitly support STEM education and skills training, and the fund is opened to accept private contributions, public agency funds, and other outside sources for STEM and workforce purposes.
Overall Assessment
This bill is primarily an administrative consolidation measure that streamlines state government by eliminating a standalone agency and folding its functions into an existing council. Most of the evaluation metrics are unaffected because the bill does not substantively change policy outcomes in areas such as education access, natural resources, health, family, or law — it simply reorganizes which government body administers existing STEM programs. The repeal of the STEM School Designation program removes a specific recognition structure, but core STEM programming and computer science initiatives remain intact under the new administrative home.
The one area where the bill registers a meaningful impact is the economy. The new 50% private-match requirement for STEM special projects, the integration of STEM funding into the employer-tax-based Workforce Development Training Fund, and the explicit workforce-alignment mandate for the Workforce Development Council all represent a deliberate shift toward an industry-partnered, market-responsive model for STEM education financing. This approach encourages private sector investment in workforce development and better aligns STEM training with the needs of Idaho’s economy and employers.
All other metrics receive a score of zero because the bill’s changes are administrative in nature and do not advance or diminish the principles those articles address. The consolidation of government entities may modestly improve efficiency, but it does not rise to the level of a substantive policy change in areas such as citizen involvement, property rights, natural resources, or public health.
Rating Breakdown
ARTICLE I. RESPONSIBILITY IN GOVERNMENT (0)
This bill is an administrative reorganization that consolidates the STEM Action Center into the Workforce Development Council, which may modestly reduce bureaucratic redundancy. However, the change does not substantively advance principles of limited government, fiscal responsibility, or accountability in a way that distinguishes it from routine agency consolidation. No score is warranted under this metric.
ARTICLE II. CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT IN GOVERNMENT (0)
The bill repeals the STEM Action Center Advisory Board, which previously provided a formal structure for stakeholder input into STEM policy. While the Workforce Development Council assumes STEM responsibilities, the bill does not establish a comparable advisory mechanism for public or citizen engagement. This change is administrative in scope and does not meaningfully advance or diminish citizen involvement principles sufficient to warrant a score.
ARTICLE III. EDUCATION (0)
Although this bill directly affects STEM education programming and the computer science initiative for public schools, the changes are administrative rather than substantive — the same programs continue under a different administrative body. The repeal of the STEM School Designation program removes a specific recognition structure for STEM-focused schools, but does not eliminate student or educator access to STEM resources. The net educational policy impact is neutral, warranting no score under this metric.
ARTICLE IV. AGRICULTURE (0)
This bill has no provisions related to agriculture, farming, ranching, or rural economic development tied to agricultural industries. It is entirely focused on STEM education and workforce development administration and does not intersect with agricultural policy in any meaningful way.
ARTICLE V. WATER (0)
This bill contains no provisions related to water rights, water resource management, irrigation, or water policy. It is an administrative reorganization of STEM education functions and has no bearing on water-related issues.
ARTICLE VI. NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT (0)
This bill does not address natural resources, environmental regulation, public lands management, or conservation policy. Its scope is limited to the administrative consolidation of STEM education and workforce development functions within state government.
ARTICLE VII. ENERGY (0)
This bill has no provisions related to energy production, energy policy, or energy infrastructure. It is focused exclusively on reorganizing STEM education and workforce development administration and does not intersect with energy issues.
ARTICLE VIII. IDAHO NATIONAL LABORATORIES (0)
This bill makes no reference to the Idaho National Laboratories, nuclear energy research, or related federal partnerships. Its scope is confined to state-level administrative reorganization of STEM education functions.
ARTICLE IX. PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS (0)
This bill does not affect private property rights, land use regulations, or takings policy. It is an administrative measure reorganizing state STEM education functions and has no bearing on property rights principles.
ARTICLE X. STATE AND FEDERAL LANDS (0)
This bill contains no provisions related to state or federal land management, public land transfers, or land use policy. It is entirely focused on the administrative consolidation of STEM education and workforce development programs.
ARTICLE XI. WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT (0)
This bill has no provisions related to wildlife management, hunting, fishing, or wildlife conservation policy. Its scope is limited to the reorganization of STEM education and workforce development functions within state government.
ARTICLE XII. ECONOMY (1)
The bill's new 50% private-match requirement for STEM special projects, the integration of STEM funding into the employer-tax-based Workforce Development Training Fund, and the explicit workforce-alignment mandate for the Workforce Development Council represent a meaningful shift toward an industry-partnered, market-responsive model for STEM education financing. This approach encourages private sector investment in workforce development and better aligns STEM training with the needs of Idaho's economy and employers, supporting economic growth and competitiveness.
ARTICLE XIII. HEALTH AND WELFARE (0)
This bill does not address health care, public health programs, welfare services, or social safety net policy. It is an administrative reorganization of STEM education functions and has no direct bearing on health and welfare outcomes.
ARTICLE XIV. AMERICAN FAMILY (0)
This bill does not contain provisions related to family policy, parental rights, or family-centered education initiatives beyond the general continuation of STEM programming. The administrative consolidation it enacts does not substantively advance or diminish principles related to the American family.
ARTICLE XV. OLDER AMERICANS (0)
This bill has no provisions related to senior citizens, retirement security, elder care, or programs specifically serving older Idahoans. Its scope is confined to STEM education and workforce development administration.
ARTICLE XVI. LAW AND ORDER WITH JUSTICE (0)
This bill does not address criminal justice, law enforcement, judicial processes, or public safety policy. It is an administrative reorganization measure with no bearing on law and order principles.
ARTICLE XVII. NATIONAL DEFENSE – SECURING THE BORDER (0)
This bill contains no provisions related to national defense, military affairs, border security, or immigration policy. It is focused exclusively on state-level STEM education and workforce development administration.
ARTICLE XVIII. ELECTION OF JUDGES AND IDAHO SUPREME COURT JUSTICES (0)
This bill has no provisions related to judicial elections, the selection of judges, or the Idaho Supreme Court. It is an administrative reorganization of STEM education functions and does not intersect with judicial selection policy.
ARTICLE XIX. RELIGIOUS LIBERTY (0)
This bill does not address religious liberty, freedom of conscience, or related constitutional protections. Its scope is limited to the administrative consolidation of STEM education and workforce development functions within Idaho state government.