After three days of hearings and hours of testimony from county and city officials, an Idaho House panel has approved a bill that would temporarily freeze the portions of local government budgets funded by property taxes. The House Revenue and Taxation Committee approved the bill last week with a do pass recommendation on a 12-3 party line vote.

The bill prohibits local governments—except for school districts—from certifying a property tax budget or levy in 2020 that exceeds the amount budgeted in 2019.