BOISE (Idaho Capital Sun) — An Idaho House of Representatives committee on Thursday narrowly rejected a proposal to eliminate the Idaho Commission for Hispanic Affairs.
Rep. Heather Scott, R-Blanchard, presented a draft bill that would have repealed any mention of the commission from state code, eliminating it completely by July 1.
Scott sat on the interim DOGE task force, named for the now defunct federal Department of Government Efficiency.
“Last year, through DOGE, we started to look at some of these commissions and some of the bloat in government, and this is one that really caught our attention,” Scott told the House State Affairs Committee on Thursday.
She said that Boise-area nonprofit groups, such as the Idaho Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Idaho Hispanic Foundation, could pick up the work of the commission.
The DOGE committee in December questioned the commission’s executive director Annette Tipton, likening the work it does to “DEI,” which stands for diversity, equity and inclusion, the Idaho Capital Sun previously reported.
Tipton said that the commission was formed in the 1980s, when “DEI wasn’t even a thing.” She said the programs, such as the student leadership program, is open to all students and has shown a positive correlation with graduation rates and higher education enrollment rates.
The DOGE members voted to explore removing the state funding for commission in a phased approach, the Sun reported, with the idea that it would make it up through private fundraising.
The governor’s proposed budget for the commission is $288,500 in state general funds, according to the state legislative budget book.
There was very little discussion at Thursday’s House State Affairs Committee meeting. Committee members tied in a vote to introduce the bill, which would have allowed it to come back for a public hearing. Having failed to garner a majority support, the motion to introduce it failed and the legislation didn’t advance.
Scott has the option to bring it back and try again later in the session.
The vote breakdown was:
Yes votes:
- Chairman Rep. Brent Crane, R-Nampa
- Scott
- Joe Palmer, R-Meridian
- James Holtzclaw, R-Meridian
- Joe Alfieri, R-Coeur d’Alene
- Jaron Crane, R-Nampa
- Judy Boyle, R-Midvale
No votes:
- Bruce Skaug, R-Nampa
- Stephanie Mickelsen, R-Idaho Falls
- Mike Pohanka, R-Jerome
- Shawn Dygert, R-Melba
- Erin Bingham, R-Idaho Falls
- Monica Church, D-Boise
- Anne Henderson Haws, D-Boise
Idaho Capital Sun is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Idaho Capital Sun maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Christina Lords for questions: info@idahocapitalsun.com.
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