Senate panel endorses requiring school board candidates to report campaign finances

The Senate Education Committee has endorsed SB 1072 , the bill from freshman Sen. Mary Souza, R-Coeur d’Alene, to require school board candidates to comply with the same campaign finance disclosure rules now in place for nonpartisan candidates for city council or community college trustee positions. It was the third time that the bill had appeared on the committee’s agenda, always at the end of a long agenda dominated by lengthy presentations and debates on other measures; both earlier times, the committee didn’t get to it.

Souza said she’s heard only support for her proposal. “The most common comment I’ve heard is, ‘It’s about time,’” she told the committee.

Karen Echeverria, executive director of the Idaho School Boards Association, told the panel, “We do have many small school districts in Idaho where we struggle to even get someone to run for office. We are concerned that adding one more requirement would discourage the few volunteers we have.” She said her group doesn’t oppose the concept, but wants an exemption for small rural school districts. Souza responded, “It’s not something that should be overwhelmingly difficult for anyone. … Transparency is good for all of us and I don’t think it’s a high price to pay.”

Sen. Bob Nonini, R-Coeur d’Alene, proposed to amend the bill and add an exemption for school districts with fewer than 250 students, but his motion failed. The committee then approved the bill, which now heads to the full Senate. If it passes there and in the House and receives the governor’s signature, it would take effect immediately, as it includes an emergency clause.