Boise, ID — The Idaho House of Representatives passed legislation backed by the Freedom Foundation that would end taxpayer support for teachers unions in that state.

Introduced by Rep. Judy Boyle (R-Midvale) and Sen. Ben Toews (R-Coeur d’Alene), House Bill 745 was approved by a vote of 45 to 23. 

The bill would prohibit public employers like school districts from: 

• using public payroll systems and personnel to deduct union dues from employees’ paychecks;
• contributing taxpayer funds to a teachers union; 
• providing teachers with paid leave to engage in union operations and activism, unless the union reimburses the district for the value of the teacher’s time out of the classroom;
• paying teachers union dues for them with taxpayer funds; 
• providing more of a teacher’s personal information to a union than is disclosable under the Public Records Act. unless the teacher authorizes the disclosure;
• requiring teachers to meet or interact with a teachers union if they do not wish to do so; and,
• distributing communications or membership solicitations on behalf of a teachers union. 

The Washington, D.C.-based National Education Association (NEA) advises its state and local affiliates to, wherever possible, secure a legal right to government support.  

As Freedom Foundation research has documented, the NEA’s Gem State affiliate — the Idaho Education Association (IEA) — has successfully bargained for special privileges and treatment in dozens of school districts around the state.  

For example, the Freedom Foundation estimates the value of paid union leave annually provided to the IEA to be around a half million dollars. Additionally, records obtained from the Boise and Twin Falls School Districts show the districts pay teachers $1.2 million in “stipends” each year to cover the cost of their union dues with taxpayer dollars.  

“Tax dollars meant for public education should go to educating students, not directly or indirectly subsidizing progressive political advocacy groups like the IEA,” said Maxford Nelsen, the Freedom Foundation’s director of research and government affairs. “Idaho voters expect their government to operate in the public’s interest, but too many school districts have agreed to support the teachers’ union’s private ideological and political activism at taxpayer expense.”  

A statewide poll of Idaho voters commissioned by the Freedom Foundation in 2023 found broad backing for ending government support for teachers’ unions as proposed by HB 745. 

HB 745 is also supported by: 

• Americans for Prosperity 
• Americans for Tax Reform
• Citizens Alliance of Idaho 
• Foundation for Government Accountability Action 
• Heritage Action for America 
• Idaho Family Policy Center 
• Idaho Republican Party
• Mountain States Policy Center
• Idaho Freedom Foundation
• National Right to Work Committee  

HB 745 now proceeds to the Idaho State Senate for further consideration.  

Founded in Olympia, Wash., as the Evergreen Freedom Foundation in 1991, the Freedom Foundation is today spearheading efforts around the country to make government unions more accountable to their members and taxpayers. It is not affiliated with the Idaho Freedom Foundation, established in 2009. 

Freedom Foundation testimony in support of HB 745 before the House Commerce and Human Resources Committee, 2/25/26: