School busing cut bill passes House

The House has voted 50-20 in favor of HB 256, the measure to cut state reimbursements to school districts for student busing costs. Rep. Bob Nonini, R-Coeur d’Alene, the bill’s sponsor, said in his closing debate, “We’ve heard that this whole piece of legislation is unnecessary - I couldn’t disagree more.” When JFAC sets the public school budget on Friday, it’ll “more than likely” cut the budget from this year’s level, a first, he said. Nonini said the bill will help spread the cuts so they don’t all come out of teachers’ pay. “We’re trying to avoid deep, deep cuts to teachers’ salaries,” he said.

Nonini told the House, “We don’t want to eliminate these field trips - this is tough stuff, people. … There are occasional times in financial times like this that we’re going to be forced to make tough votes. HB 256 is one of these times, but we have to do what’s right for the whole state.”