Merit Institute Merit

The Idaho Merit-Based Credentialing Act (ID-ACSA)

Idaho state companion to ACSA. Extends Idaho Code Title 67 Ch. 95 universal licensure recognition, Idaho Workforce Development Council, and Idaho Code Title 63 Ch. 30 income-tax credits.

THE IDAHO MERIT-BASED CREDENTIALING ACT (ID-ACSA)

Vehicle: State passage. Idaho Legislature, regular session. Primary referral to House / Senate Commerce and Human Resources / Revenue and Taxation.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE

This Act may be cited as the “Idaho Merit-Based Credentialing Act (ID-ACSA).”

SECTION 2. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT

The Legislature finds that Idaho enacted universal occupational-licensure recognition under Idaho Code Title 67 Ch. 95 (Sec. 67-9501 et seq.); that the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses operates under Idaho Code Title 67 Ch. 26; that the Idaho State Board of Education operates under Idaho Code Title 33; that the Idaho Workforce Development Council operates under Idaho Code Sec. 72-1701 et seq.; that the Idaho Department of Labor operates under Idaho Code Title 72; and that Idaho Code Title 63 Ch. 30 provides income-tax credits. This Act extends these frameworks.

TITLE I — DEFINITIONS & COORDINATION WITH IDAHO LAW

Sec. 101. Definitions

  1. (a) “Idaho Recognized Merit Credential” or “IDRMC” means a competency-based credential designated by the Administrator of the Division of Career Technical Education in coordination with the State Board of Education under Sec. 201.
  2. (b) “Federal FRAC” means a Federally Recognized Alternative Credential under Section 202 of the federal ACSA.
  3. (c) “Covered State licensing authority” means an agency issuing an occupational license under Idaho Code Title 54.

Sec. 102. Coordination with Existing Idaho Law

  1. (a) Consistent with:
  • Idaho Code Title 67 Ch. 95 (universal recognition).
  • Idaho Code Title 54 and Title 67 Ch. 26 (occupational licensing).
  • Idaho Code Title 33 (education).
  • Idaho Code Title 72 (labor); Sec. 72-1701 et seq. (Workforce Development Council).
  • Idaho Code Title 63 Ch. 30 (income tax).

TITLE II — IDAHO RECOGNIZED MERIT CREDENTIALS

Sec. 201. Designation Authority

  1. (a) The Administrator of the Division of Career Technical Education, in coordination with the State Board of Education, shall maintain an Idaho Recognized Merit Credentials registry (“IDRMC Registry”) in machine-readable form, updated at least annually, crosswalked to Federal FRAC.

Sec. 202. Degree-Optional State Employment

  1. (a) Idaho Code Title 67 Ch. 53 (Division of Human Resources) shall be applied so that an IDRMC-holder satisfies any position qualification stated in terms of a college degree, unless expressly required by Idaho statute.

TITLE III — TAX INCENTIVE FOR SKILLS-BASED HIRING

Sec. 301. Idaho Skills-Based Hiring Income-Tax Credit

  1. (a) A new credit is added to Idaho Code Title 63 Ch. 30 equal to a percentage of qualified first-year wages paid to an Idaho-resident employee whose qualifying pathway is an IDRMC or Federal FRAC.
  2. (b) Coordinated with federal IRC Sec. 45AA; aggregate cap.
  3. (c) Idaho State Tax Commission administers.

TITLE IV — OCCUPATIONAL LICENSURE PORTABILITY

Sec. 401. Licensure by Demonstrated Competency

  1. (a) Demonstrated-competency pathway accepting IDRMC, Federal FRAC, or examination-plus-supervised-experience.

Sec. 402. Interstate Recognition for Federal-Fund Recipients

  1. (a) Recognition by federally-funded authorities, consistent with Section 401 of the federal ACSA and Idaho Code Sec. 67-9501 et seq.

TITLE V — IMPLEMENTATION & GENERAL PROVISIONS

Sec. 501. Severability

If any provision is held invalid, the invalidity shall not affect the remainder.

Sec. 502. Effective Date

This Act shall take effect July 1 of the year following enactment, except that Sec. 301 shall apply to tax years beginning on or after January 1 of that year.

Canonical federal version: ACSA. Other Idaho bills: ID-MEWRA, ID-GT&P, ID-AI-Workforce.