NorthwestMarch 20, 2013

Associated Press

Senate panel approves insurance exchange

BOISE - A Senate committee approved the House-passed state-based insurance exchange, setting the stage for a final Senate vote before the measure goes to Gov. C.L. (Butch) Otter.

The Senate Commerce and Human Resources Committee voted 8-1 Tuesday for the measure, which Otter favors.

The bill differs from a previous, Senate-passed version.

House additions include competitive-bidding requirements, gun-rights protections and the naming of three lawmakers to the exchange's now 19-member board, two from the majority party, one from the minority.

Adopting an exchange has been among the 2013 Legislature's most-disputed issues.

The House debated seven hours on the bill last week.

At Tuesday's hearing, insurers and the Catholic church urged passage.

Meanwhile, Tea Party-leaning foes urged panelists to "stand in the gap" between Idaho and an ever-more-tyrannical federal government by rejecting the bill.

Plan to hire new teachers

dies in committee

BOISE - Legislation pushed by the chairman of the Idaho House Education Committee to divert more than $12 million in education funding to hire new teachers has died in committee.

The bill sponsored by Eagle Republican Rep. Reed DeMordaunt would have allowed school districts to use money previously directed toward teacher salaries to add back furlough days or increase the number of educators on staff.

Five Republican members joined Democrats to kill the bill on an 8-8 vote.

DeMordaunt said the measure would bolster salary funding by restoring contract days teachers lost in recent years.

But the bill failed to win over teachers who argued it fails to address bigger problems such as declines in base salaries.

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Girl Scouts' tax break

passes Idaho House

BOISE - Legislation giving Girl Scouts a tax exemption on their annual cookie sales has cleared an initial hurdle in the Idaho House.

The bill passed on a 59-11 vote Tuesday, but it faces uncertainty in the Senate where that chamber's Republican leader said the bill may not even get a hearing.

Senate President Pro Tempore Brent Hill predicted last week that tax committee members would stiffen their backbones when it comes to enacting more tax exemptions - even for causes like the Girl Scouts.

Priest Lake Republican Eric Anderson said Tuesday that ending the tax - which generates $140,000 annually - would help the organization put more money back into scholarships to help low-income or at-risk girls join.

Bill to change school

layoff criteria advances

BOISE - Seniority would no longer be used as the sole criteria when Idaho school districts determine teacher layoffs under a bill advanced by a Senate committee.

The legislation represents a rare moment of agreement between school boards and the state teachers' union, which spoke in support of the measure during the Senate Education Committee meeting Tuesday.

The panel voted unanimously to send the proposal to the Senate floor.

The bill has already passed in the House.

Under the measure, school boards could consider factors like teacher performance evaluations when trimming teacher staff to meet budget needs.

Idaho School Board Association Executive Director Karen Echeverria said the bill comes with a one-year sunset clause to give stakeholders a window to study its merit and plan for future policy changes.

Associated Press

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