Legislation to beef up Idaho’s laws on violent threats against schools cleared the Senate today on a 32-1 vote after much debate. “We must do something,” said Sen. Abby Lee, R-Fruitland. “There is more we could do and likely should do to protect our schools, but this is a good start.” You can read my full story here at spokesman.com.

The bill, HB 665, which has an emergency clause that would put it into effect as soon as it’s signed into law, earlier passed the House; it now goes to Gov. Butch Otter.

It would expand Idaho’s current school-threats law, which dates back to 2006, to include threats of violence at schools or school activities made from off-site, including by phone or social media. Threats would be misdemeanors; possessing a deadly weapon in furtherance of the threat would be a felony.

Sen. Dan Foreman, R-Moscow, debated twice against the bill, saying he thought the felony charge went too far. He questioned whether it would apply to a young person sitting at a computer at home making a threat, with a pocketknife in their pocket. “Is that possession of a deadly weapon?” asked Foreman, a former police officer. “Law enforcement has plenty of tools to intervene, and indeed they do.”

Senators who are lawyers responded to Foreman’s question in their debate, and answered no. “Possession of the deadly weapon or firearms is not sufficient,” said Sen. Jim Rice, R-Caldwell. “You have to have it for the purpose of carrying out the threat. … You’d have to show that there was actual intent to carry it out.”

Sen. Grant Burgoyne, D-Boise, also a lawyer, said, “This is one of the best-crafted pieces of legislation that I have seen in a difficult area. I have no qualms about supporting the legislation.”

Several senators noted this week’s student march on the Capitol, in which nearly 2,000 high school and junior high students left class to rally against gun violence and called for action.

“We have an opportunity here to send a message to our youth that we are concerned and we are listening, and that we will do what we have within our power to protect them,” said Sen. Tony Potts, R-Idaho Falls.

Sen. Lori DenHartog, R-Meridian, said, “I think this is one of the most important pieces of legislation that we can consider this year. When I think of the spectrum of options of things that have been talked about to protect our kids while they’re in school, this is one that I believe can have an effect. It’s preventative in nature. … If we really are serious about protecting kids in our schools, this is the piece of legislation that we need.”

Lee said, “Senators, laws do not prevent crimes, we know that. But when crimes happen, when threats happen, when violence and tragedy happens, we ask what could we have done – what should we have done? What can we do? I hope this starts a conversation. I hope this shares some knowledge with our kids about how important this is to us and for them, and how we will not stand for threats or acts of violence on our children at our schools.”

Several senators said they had had concerns about the bill, but after hearing from the lawyer-senators, those concerns were allayed. They also jokingly expressed gratitude that the legal advice came for free.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Winder, R-Boise, said there actually was a cost for all that legal counsel – he had planned for the Senate to adjourn by 11:30 today, but instead the lengthy debate pushed the session into the noon hour.

After the vote, the Senate adjourned until Monday.