Here's a link to my full story at spokesman.com on the passage of SB 1184, the third school-reform bill, in the Senate today by a narrow margin, which virtually ensures the bill will become law. It now moves to the House, where there's more support…
Sen. Jim Hammond, R-Coeur d'Alene, said he decided to vote for SB 1184 after all for "the same reason as the other two bills - I really believe in some efforts to bring our education into the 21st Century." Besides, he said, "To me this…
The Idaho Senate has voted 20-15 in favor SB 1184, the third bill in state schools Supt. Tom Luna's "Students Come First" school reform package. The seven Senate Democrats were joined in opposing the bill by eight Republicans, Sens. Andreason, Broadsword, Cameron, Corder, Darrington, Davis,…
Sen. John Goedde, R-Coeur d'Alene, in his closing debate, said it's difficult to cut funding for schools, as Idaho is doing, without cutting into salaries and benefits, but local districts can make those decisions. "They can look at salaries, they can look at benefits, they…
Sen. John Goedde, R-Coeur d'Alene, is giving his closing debate now on SB 1184; the debate has stretched for nearly three hours.
Sen. Jim Hammond, R-Coeur d'Alene, said he is struggling with how to vote on SB 1184, and hasn't decided. He told senators that if they support this bill, he hopes they'll commit to not increasing class size as a way to fund improvements. During the…
Sen. John Tippets, R-Montpelier, said, "This isn't the bill that I would have drafted." He said the bill "gets a bad rap" because it has to fund the earlier bills lawmakers passed. But he said he likes the funding mechanism in this bill "better than…
Sen. Chuck Winder, R-Meridian, said the debate over school reform has been tough. "We've been belittled. We've received some of the most gross emails you can imagine," he said. "We have in town hall meetings been shouted down. ... I can tell you it's been…
Sen. Melinda Smyser, R-Parma, pointed to reporters, lawmakers and audience members who are using laptop computers and other high-tech devices to send tweets, emails and more, even as the debate proceeds. "Technology, whether we like it or not, it is the way of the world,"…
Sen. Nicole LeFavour, D-Boise, debating against SB 1184, said, "I don't think anyone is debating the value of technology today." She said in the bill, "The line items are subtracted from the support that we give to schools. ... Now we're talking about creating new…
Sen. Denton Darrington, R-Declo, a retired teacher, said there have been numerous and major reforms in education over the years. "Why aren't the reforms recognized?" he asked. He said the state needs to let school districts decide how to cope with cuts. "Send 'em the…
Here are Sen. Dean Cameron's sixth through ninth reasons he's opposing SB 1184: 6 - The multi-year reduction in salary-based apportionment, which he called the "most appalling" part of the bill. "It's not just a one-year reduction because we need the money this year, it'…
Sen. Dean Cameron's second through fifth reasons he's opposing SB 1184 (see item below for his No. 1): 2 - "Every single stakeholder is opposed to it." It's not a consensus approach, he said. 3 - "This bill lacks flexibility to school districts." He said,…
The first three people to debate all are speaking against SB 1184, the school reform bill. Sen. Michelle Stennett, D-Ketchum, told the Senate that her concerns about SB 1184 include that the bill gives too much power to the state superintendent of schools, who would…
Sen. Michelle Stennett, D-Ketchum, was the first to rise to debate, and she said she was disappointed the majority would ignore the constitutional requirement for full reading of the bill, despite Democrats' objections, and "keep running it and ramrodding it through - that disappoints me."…
"This is landmark legislation" Sen. John Goedde, R-Coeur d'Alene, told the Senate as he opened debate. "SB 1184 sets the new normal in public education funds. It is a policy bill." He said, "We wish we were working under different circumstances. ... We have to…
The Senate was only partway through reading the bill, when Majority Leader Bart Davis, R-Idaho Falls, stood and asked to waive further reading of the bill. Sen. Elliot Werk, D-Boise, rose to object, but before he could speak, Senate President Pro-Tem Brent Hill, R-Rexburg, declared…
Various senators are now reading the full text of the 24-page school-reform bill, SB 1184. Sen. John McGee, R-Caldwell, read from the bill in a conversational tone. Sen. John Tippets, R-Montpelier, read quickly but quietly. The full reading was forced by Senate Democrats in protest…
When Sen. John Goedde, R-Coeur d'Alene, moved to waive further reading of SB 1184, the third school-reform bill, Democrats in the Senate objected. Sen. Les Bock, D-Boise, said "I object," and began to say something about the public, when he was cut off by Senate…
The Senate has voted 27-7 to suspend its rules to take up SB 1184, the school reform bill, now; all Senate Democrats voted no, but that's still a two-thirds majority, enabling rules to be suspended. One senator, Sen. Monty Pearce, R-New Plymouth, is absent.
Senators are beginning to filter into the Senate chamber for the scheduled 3 p.m. (Boise time) debate on SB 1184, the school reform bill, and Senate Majority Leader Bart Davis, R-Idaho Falls, has been counting people and urging the gathering of a quorum so business…
Here's a link to my full story at spokesman.com on the Senate Transportation Committee's decision today to amend HB 193s, Rep. Dick Harwood's bill that requires a big cash bond before anyone can sue over a "megaload" or other transportation project on Idaho roads. Harwood…
Rep. Mack Shirley, R-Rexburg, told the Senate Education Committee this afternoon that he's reached agreement with the Idaho Library Association on amendments to HB 205, the bill to require Idaho libraries to filter Internet access for adults. The changes, Shirley said, "are actually huge, but…
The Senate Transportation Committee has voted to send HB 193a, Rep. Dick Harwood's bill seeking to block anti-megaloads lawsuits, to the Senate's 14th Order for amendment. "I've listened to the discussion today and I'm supportive of what Rep. Harwood is trying to do," said Sen.…
Darrell Manning, chairman of the Idaho Transportation Board, told the Sente Transportation Committee, "In the 37 years that I've been associated or watched the transportation department, this is the first time we've ever had a legal challenge on permits that I'm aware of, was on…
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