Bill Analyses and Ratings
Bill Information: S1290 – Social Access Pass for Homeschool Students
Bill Summary
This bill creates the “Participation in Recreation Outside of Matriculation Act” (PROM Act), establishing a voluntary Social Access Pass program for homeschool students in grades 8-12. The program allows these students to participate in school-sponsored social activities—including dances, arts and cultural events, and college and career fairs—at one public school within their residential attendance boundaries.
Public schools may charge up to $25 for the annual pass to cover administrative costs, but cannot impose additional fees beyond those charged to regularly enrolled students for the same activities. Homeschool students using the pass must follow the same behavioral standards as enrolled students and receive the same privileges. The bill explicitly protects homeschool autonomy by stating that participation does not constitute enrollment, does not trigger state funding or average daily attendance credits, and does not grant schools authority to regulate the student’s home-based education.
Student data collected for the program must be used solely for program purposes and cannot be shared with third parties except as required by law. The legislation takes effect July 1, 2026, with an emergency clause.
Overall Assessment
This bill expands educational options for homeschool families by granting their high school and middle school students voluntary access to public school social events like dances and college fairs. The legislation protects parental authority by explicitly preventing schools from using participation to regulate homeschool education or trigger enrollment-based funding. The program creates minimal financial impact, capping administrative fees at $25 and prohibiting schools from generating state funding through participant attendance.
Rating Breakdown
ARTICLE I. RESPONSIBILITY IN GOVERNMENT (0)
The bill creates a voluntary program with minimal fiscal impact. Subsection (7) explicitly states that participation "shall not generate or trigger any state funding, pupil funding, or average daily attendance credit," preventing new government expenditures. The optional $25 fee in subsection (4) is designed to cover administrative costs rather than create revenue.
ARTICLE II. CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT IN GOVERNMENT (0)
This bill addresses educational access for homeschool students but contains no provisions related to civic engagement, election processes, voter participation, or citizen involvement in governmental decision-making.
ARTICLE III. EDUCATION (1)
The bill directly supports parental rights in education by creating voluntary access to social activities while explicitly protecting homeschool autonomy. Subsection (7) states that participation "shall not infringe on the right of parents or legal guardians to educate their child outside of the public school system" and "shall not grant a public school any authority to regulate or interfere with a student's home-based, nonpublic education." This expands educational options for families choosing homeschooling while maintaining parental control over their children's education.
ARTICLE IV. AGRICULTURE (0)
The bill concerns public school social activities for homeschool students and contains no provisions related to agriculture, farming, ranching, water rights for agricultural use, or family farms.
ARTICLE V. WATER (0)
This legislation addresses educational access and has no connection to water rights, inter-basin transfers, prior appropriation doctrine, reservoir storage, or water management.
ARTICLE VI. NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT (0)
The bill does not address natural resource management, environmental stewardship, federal environmental policy, wilderness areas, forests, or land conservation.
ARTICLE VII. ENERGY (0)
This legislation has no provisions related to energy independence, natural gas, hydroelectric power, petroleum resources, nuclear energy, or electrical rates.
ARTICLE VIII. IDAHO NATIONAL LABORATORIES (0)
The bill does not address the Idaho National Laboratory, nuclear power research, technology transfer, or alternative energy development.
ARTICLE IX. PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS (0)
This legislation concerns access to public school activities and does not address private property rights, regulatory takings, development rights, or just compensation requirements.
ARTICLE X. STATE AND FEDERAL LANDS (0)
The bill has no connection to federal land management, state administration of lands, or reducing federal land ownership in Idaho.
ARTICLE XI. WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT (0)
This legislation does not address fish and game management, hunting, fishing, recreational access, predator control, or wildlife conservation.
ARTICLE XII. ECONOMY (0)
While the bill permits a voluntary $25 fee, it does not address broader economic issues such as commerce, industry development, small business regulation, labor policy, taxation, or transportation infrastructure.
ARTICLE XIII. HEALTH AND WELFARE (0)
The bill does not address healthcare delivery, health insurance, the Affordable Care Act, welfare programs, child support enforcement, or public health policy.
ARTICLE XIV. AMERICAN FAMILY (0)
While the bill protects parental educational rights in subsection (7), its narrow focus on school social activities does not substantively engage with broader family policy issues such as marriage, sanctity of life, or parental authority in child-rearing beyond the educational context already covered under education metrics.
ARTICLE XV. OLDER AMERICANS (0)
This bill targets students in grades 8-12 and has no provisions related to older Americans, retirement opportunities, senior services, or policies affecting elderly populations.
ARTICLE XVI. LAW AND ORDER WITH JUSTICE (0)
The bill does not address gun rights, death penalty, drug policy, incarceration, juvenile justice, or state sovereignty regarding law enforcement.
ARTICLE XVII. NATIONAL DEFENSE – SECURING THE BORDER (0)
This legislation has no connection to military strength, veterans' affairs, missile defense, National Guard operations, border security, or immigration enforcement.
ARTICLE XVIII. ELECTION OF JUDGES AND IDAHO SUPREME COURT JUSTICES (0)
The bill does not address judicial elections, partisan election processes, textualism, originalism, or constitutional interpretation principles.
ARTICLE XIX. RELIGIOUS LIBERTY (0)
While some families homeschool for religious reasons, this bill does not address religious freedom, free exercise of religion, prayer in public settings, or conscience protections.