School busing bill amended

Out of all the amendments proposed, just one set, sponsored by Sen. Russ Fulcher, R-Meridian, and John Goedde, R-Coeur d’Alene and developed by Jason Hancock of the state Department of Education, has passed the Senate to amend HB 256, the bill to cut state reimbursements to school districts for their student busing costs. The amendments change the permanent cut-off of funding for busing for school field trips to a two-year moratorium, ending July 1, 2010; and temporarily remove a $1.4 million hit to the Boise School District, but impose a requirement for a special transportation audit by the state Department of Education, and if any of the audit’s money-saving recommendations aren’t followed, the district would see its funding cut by that amount next year, up to the full $1.4 million it would’ve lost under the original bill. The Lewiston school district faces a similar requirement, though its potential loss is less, around $30,000. All the other amendments failed.

The Senate debated right through the lunch hour, with strong and heated debate on many of the amendments. At one point, when they’d gone at ease, senators began milling about. Senate Assistant Majority Leader Joe Stegner, R-Lewiston, who presides over the 14th Order, the Senate’s amending order, waving a gavel, asked, “Is anyone else hungry? Let’s go!” It was well after 1 p.m. Boise time by the time the Senate recessed for lunch; it’ll come back into session at 3:30.