2017 Idaho Legislature
Statehouse roundup, 3.14.17: House passes anti-electioneering bill
A bill to move school board elections to the November ballot hit a significant roadblock on the Senate floor, while a Senate committee decides to keep Idaho’s civics test intact.
Statehouse roundup, 3.13.17: House adds pupil services staffers to bonus program
Catch up on all the day’s headlines from the Statehouse.
JFAC puts $1 million into teacher evaluations training
Gov. Butch Otter requested $2.5 million. But legislative budget-writers sided with Otter on a jurisdictional battle, parking the $1 million in the State Board of Education’s budget.
House panel holds Nate’s bill encouraging gun safety courses in schools
Six Republicans joined the House Education Committee’s three Democrats in holding the bill in committee, which effectively kills the bill for the year.
Statehouse roundup, 3.7.17: Rural pilot program passes House, barely
In other news Tuesday, budget-writers approve $100,000 to replace Idaho’s reading test for kindergartners through third-graders.
Statehouse roundup: 3.6.17: Committee holds bill to keep students home on Election Day
In other legislative news, a bill to move school board elections to November clears a Senate committee.
Analysis: The Legislature’s wait-and-see session
It’s been an unusual year around the Statehouse. And this session could leave some key K-12 issues in limbo.
Statehouse roundup, 3.3.17: Education groups say they were cut out of charter school negotiations
In other news, the House Ways and Means Committee introduces several other K-12 bills — two pertaining to charter schools.
The bond issue ‘supermajority:’ a debate as old as Idaho
Financing the Future continued: Supporters say the two-thirds threshold protects property taxpayers. Opponents say a 60 percent barrier would create a more reasonable balance.
Ybarra rural schools bill sails through committee
State superintendent Sherri Ybarra says the $300,000 pilot could stretch local education dollars. “Do we really want to send our rural districts back to the ballot box for more property taxes?”