BOISE, ID – For the second week in a row, the Idaho Legislature’s powerful budget committee rejected a proposal to restore funding for tuition assistance benefits for members of the Idaho National Guard.

The issue applies to a fiscal year 2027 budget enhancement request for $190,8000 in funding for the Idaho Military Division to restore funding for the Idaho State Education Assistance Fund.

The program provides up to $8,000 per fiscal year for Idaho National Guard members to use on tuition and fees at an Idaho-based institution of higher education.

The Idaho Legislature’s Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee, or JFAC, originally cut funding for the Idaho Military Division and most other state agencies and departments on Feb. 13.

JFAC had an opportunity to restore the funding Feb. 20, but 11 JFAC Republicans voted against restoring the funding for tuition and benefits for Idaho National Guard members. 

JFAC members had a second opportunity to restore the funding for tuition assistance on Friday, but once again rejected the proposal. This time the funding restoration motion failed on a 8-10 vote.

The main change compared to last week’s vote is that Sen. Scott Grow, R-Eagle, changed from voting no to voting yes, but the outcome of the vote was still the same.

Sen. Codi Galloway, R-Meridian said she voted against adding back in the tuition assistance funds because she was assured that no National Guard members who currently receive a scholarship would have that scholarship taken away.

Galloway said not restoring the tuition benefits could create a funding gap of about $500 for less than 200 National Guard members.

“I had to make hard decisions, which we will be doing often in this committee, and I recognize that there are many other places that this gap can be made up through (outside) scholarships or private industry,” Galloway said. “These (National Guard members) are working professionals and, yes, it will be maybe $500 per person and they may have to go to a less expensive school or they may have to find a scholarship in the private sector. But when I weigh that against some of the needs that we also have to cover this year for vulnerable populations that have no option to go elsewhere – there are several things that we do in this committee that we have to fund. Things like data systems for our education system so that we can track what is happening in K-12 (schools), items that we heard from the attorney general when he spoke to us just the other day.”

The $190,800 for tuition assistance for National Guard members represents a tiny sliver of the nearly $6 billion general fund portion of the state budget

“When I look at this small amount of money, while it would be nice to pass this on to the service members that have done so much for our country, it’s not necessary when I have to weigh it against some of the other priorities we have to make,” Galloway said.

Maj. Gen. Timothy J. Donnellan, adjutant general and commander of the Idaho National Guard, wrote an email  to Galloway on Feb. 23 attempting to provide her with additional information that could help her support restoring funding for the tuition benefits.

Donnellan said the tuition assistance program has a “life-changing” effect on Idaho soldiers and airmen.

Donnellan told Galloway that all of Idaho’s surrounding states offer 100% free tuition at public higher education institutions and that Idaho ranks 49th compared to other states when it comes to tuition assistance.

“It’s a sobering fact, but less than 1% of Americans have served in the US Military, and that number is getting even lower,” Donnellan wrote to Galloway. “If we don’t get in front of recruiting incentives we are going to be in dire straits.”

Last week, Sen. Glenneda Zuiderveld, R-Twin Falls, criticized Donnellan for “choosing” to cut tuition benefits, rather than cutting funding for something else, like a new vehicle. Zuiderveld said she felt “gaslit” by some state agencies that are angry about the cuts. 

However, Donnellan said he didn’t have a choice.

In his Feb. 23 email, Donnellan told Galloway the Idaho Military Division did not have any other places to turn for budget cuts when JFAC approved 5% permanent, across-the-board cuts for most state agencies and departments beginning in fiscal year 2027.

Donnellan said 90% of his funding comes from federal funds and any other general fund cuts would reduce the amount of federal funding he receives, which would have a multiplicative effect on the budget cuts.

“I can assure you my division takes pride in our stewardship and execution of appropriated General Funds, and I am confident our proven track record demonstrates this,” Donnellan wrote. “I do not have any other options to offer as reductions and surely would have if I had a choice.”

JFAC is scheduled to reconvene at 8 a.m. Monday at the Idaho State Capitol in Boise to continue debating and setting aspects of the state budget.

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.