House passes bill allowing teacher pay cuts on 47-21 vote, prepares to adjourn
The House has voted 47-21 in favor of SB 1040a, the bill to let school districts reduce teachers’ salaries from one year to the next and make other changes in teacher contract laws; all 12 House Democrats present joined nine House Republicans in opposing the bill. The Republicans voting no were Reps. Agidius, Anderson(01) Bolz, Eskridge, Hancey, Moyle, Perry, Stevenson and Wills. “Teachers have good jobs compared to those who have no jobs,” Rep. Judy Boyle, R-Midvale, the bill’s House sponsor, told the House. “And in many places in Idaho we have folks with no jobs who are still struggling to keep their homes and their businesses and pay their property tax to support their local schools.”
That was the last bill the House had before it; the final debate lasted nearly an hour. Now, the House is preparing to adjourn for the session.