Kevin Richert and Clark Corbin

But time is working against any new bill, since legislative leaders hope to wrap up the 2020 session within three weeks. For example, the House Education Committee will soon turn its focus away from introducing bills.

It was a long Friday of policymaking and protest at the Statehouse. Lawmakers passed a teacher salary bill and a bill to limit school elections. Meanwhile, more than 100 people — largely students — protested a series of bills limiting transgender rights.

In other Statehouse news, lawmakers took nearly $265,000 from Idaho’s career-technical education program Tuesday — after learning the money wasn’t going where they expected it to go.

In other news, lawmakers reject bills to repeal the sales tax on groceries.

The House Education Committee was concerned about how the new pending rules intersect with the existing rules it repealed.

Rep. Wendy Horman, R-Idaho Falls, said she discussed her idea with constituents who are frustrated by obscure school election dates. But she said she hasn’t discussed the bill with education groups.

Meanwhile, a school scheduling bill has been derailed — for now — in the Senate.

Meanwhile, it took 22 legislative days, but the House Education Committee took up its first bill Monday.

In other news, the head of Idaho’s STEM Action Center says Idaho can’t afford to wait on investing in programs that can grow the state’s high-tech workforce.