No sooner had the new version of the career ladder bill – the teacher pay bill that’s seen as a centerpiece of this year’s legislative session, following up on recommendations from the governor's education improvement task force – been introduced today, than another version had…
Legislation to allow communities to set up “Community Health EMS” systems passed the Senate this evening on a unanimous, 35-0 vote, and now heads to Gov. Butch Otter. The bill, HB 153 from Rep. Luke Malek, R-Coeur d’Alene, wouldn’t cost the state anything. Instead, it…
Here’s a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A House panel is endorsing a bill to raise $70 million to $100 million for Idaho's roads. The House Transportation and Defense Committee's 12-4 vote on Wednesday marks the first major hurdle cleared…
Here’s a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A House panel has approved a proposal to let the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation receive money from corporate sponsors. The sponsorships would generate an estimated $20,000 in the first year and…
This week is “Sunshine Week,” which celebrates open government and citizens’ right to know. Here in Idaho, we celebrated today with birthday cake at the state Capitol to mark the 25th birthday of the Idaho Public Records Law, which was enacted in 1990; it was...
Legislation allowing parents to opt their kids out of taking the upcoming Common Core-aligned tests to graduate from high school died in a House committee yesterday, after earlier passing the Senate on a unanimous, 35-0 vote, Idaho Education News reports. SB 1070, sponsored by Rep.…
Gov. Butch Otter has appointed Cindy Wilson, a longtime high school government teacher from Meridian, to the state Board of Correction. Wilson, a Democrat, succeeds J.R. Van Tassel of Lewiston, whose term expired Jan. 1. “Cindy brings a great diversity of experience and perspective to…
The House State Affairs Committee today abruptly reversed itself and overwhelmingly passed HB 1, the bill proposed by an Idaho 8th grader to make the Idaho Giant Salamander the official state amphibian. There were just two “no” votes on the committee; HB 1 now moves...
Here’s a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Legislation outlining acceptable telemedicine practices in Idaho is on its way to the governor's desk. The Idaho Senate voted 31-3 to endorse the bill, HB 189, Tuesday evening. The proposal has already passed…
HB 246, the anti-bullying bill, is up for a hearing in the Lincoln Auditorium this morning. A bipartisan group of legislative co-sponsors – Reps. Patrick McDonald, R-Boise, and Ilana Rubel, D-Boise, and Sen. Janie Ward-Engelking, D-Boise - presented the bill to the committee. “It’s estimated...
The House Education Committee has voted this morning to introduce a new version of the teacher career ladder bill, clearing the way for a full hearing; the bill, following the lead of the governor’s education task force, is designed to raise teacher pay over five…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
