The bill amends Section 33-507 of the Idaho Code to clarify the limitations on the authority of school district trustees regarding conflicts of interest and employment of relatives. It establishes that trustees cannot have a financial interest in contracts related to the school district and outlines specific conditions under which a trustee's spouse may be employed by the district. For districts with a fall student enrollment of 1,200 or less, a spouse can be hired in a non-administrative role if the position is publicly advertised, no other qualified applicants are available, and the trustee abstains from the hiring process. Additionally, for districts with 400 or fewer students, spouses can be employed through an approved hiring process, provided the trustee does not participate in any related decisions.

The bill also introduces new provisions that allow for the employment of a trustee's spouse under certain conditions until June 30, 2030, and specifies that any spouse employed as a certificated employee must be under a category 1 contract, while non-certificated employees will be at-will with no contract status. Furthermore, it mandates that trustees must abstain from voting on matters affecting their spouse's employment and compensation. The bill declares an emergency, making it effective from July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 33-507