Committee Chairman John Goedde said he was exercising the "chairman's prerogative" to invite a "visitor from out of state" to testify, though she's at the very end of the signup list; it's an executive from Intel Inc., Eileen Lento, who spoke in favor of the plan, saying technology is a must. "Information helps overcome any fears," she said. Lento, who is from California, said she's the chief strategist for Intel's education programs for North America. "There are things you can do with technology that just wouldn't be doable otherwise," she said.

Wendy Horman, a school board member from Idaho Falls who spoke in favor of the Luna school reform plan, said, "For me it's an equity issue. The students who can afford it already have that technology in their front pocket."

Connie Miller of Downey, testifying against the plan, told lawmakers, "I believe this legislation will keep new teachers from coming to Idaho, push the highly effective teachers to seek employment in other states." She noted that in addition to numerous other changes, the bill says school districts can wait until the end of July to offer teachers contracts; she said most teachers already are in their classrooms by then. "These changes would leave school personnel in a state of uncertainty," Miller said.