Pushing through – Session deadline approaching, Idaho legislature passes bills quickly

BOISE — As the legislative session draws near to its March 21 goal, bills are being pushed through the House and Senate in multiples. Here’s a breakdown on which bills are moving to the desk of Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter.

Senate Bill 1254 

Following an hour and a half of debate in the full House Thursday, the bill allowing concealed firearms on campus passed with a 50-19 vote. Otter has said in the past he supports the bill, but made no comment on whether or not he plants to sign it into law this week. Associated Students of Boise State University President Bryan Vlok along with other student leaders from Idaho colleges and universities delivered a stack of papers to Otter — some letters from students and faculty in opposition of the bill, others part of a petition with more than 2,900 signatures from students.

S.B. 1257 

By changing the language in Idaho’s quality program standards incentive grants, Idaho could soon establish the Agricultural and Nature Resource Education Program Start-Up Grant Fund to increase natural resource education throughout the state.

S.B. 1374 

This bill would allow Idaho’s orchards and farms to hire inmates to fill vacant jobs. Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Patti Lodge, R-Huston, sponsored the bill and said the bill demands inmates’ earned wages go to the prison to offset cost of jailing, commissary items and to adjust back into society, but the inmates wouldn’t displace any other local workers. Backed by the Idaho Farm Bureau and Idaho orchards, the bill was amended in the Senate yesterday and is moving toward the full Senate for discussion.

House Bill 504

Passing the Senate unanimously, this bill would give $15.8 million in teacher leadership bonuses next year. The bill passed through the House on a 62-6 vote and now sits on Otter’s desk for consideration. The bill is a part of bringing Idaho’s education system in line with task force recommendations of increasing teacher pay to enable Idaho to hire and retain quality teachers.

H.B. 556 

In efforts to bring Idaho’s public education in line with the recommendations made by the Governor’s Task Force to Improve Education, bill sponsor Rep. Steven Harris, R-Boise, created this bill to require input from students and parents in teacher evaluations. School administrators have raised concerns that evaluations from young students — especially students younger than 5 years old — will not be valid. The bill passed through the full House by a 35-31 vote and will now move to the Senate Education Committee.

H.B. 589 

Sponsored by Rep. Patrick McDonald, R-Boise, this bill would amend existing law to give schools provisions to create school safety plans, as well as change required provisions regarding the Public School Income Fund. The bill is on the second reading calendar of the House and could come up for debate as soon as this week.

Chloe Rambo can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @CRchloerambo

 

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