Rep. Maxine Bell, R-Jerome, the JFAC co-chair who ran today's unprecedented, four-hour public hearing on school funding, deemed it "extremely successful." She said, "When people will travel and sit quietly and wait a turn that may never come..." She said there were only roughly three people who exceeded the three-minute time limit. Her co-chair, Sen. Dean Cameron, R-Rupert, said, "It's a success any time you can get the public to participate in the process." Added Bell, "We oughta bottle this up and share it with some others."

Cameron said, "I don't think you can walk away from the testimony that was given and not feel an impact." But he added, "Whether it changes somebody's vote is another matter." Lawmakers still are sorting through the details of the superintendent's school reform plan, he said. "We're working really hard not to have an opinion until we've heard from the public, and all the details are unveiled."

Legislative services officials said as many people watched the school hearing live online as watched the governor's State of the State address this year.