Rep. Trail Legislative Update - Feb 24-28th

[Tom Trail <RepTrail@infotrail.com>]

Visionaries:


We finished the 7th week of the legislative session.  A number of
educational bills and issues predominated the session this week

1.  HB 110  --  Victim Identity Theft -- this bill will give law
enforcement officers and prosecutors added tools to prosecute identity
thieves who steal credit cards, social security numbers, and bank account
numbers.  The bill passed 56-0 and I will be introducing it to the Senate
Judiciary Committee on March 3rd.  This bill received 100% endorsement from
the Idaho Law Enforcement Council.

2.  HB 77 on term limits.  This focuses on local option term limits and
would allow county, city and school board officials to have an election on
removing term limits from those offices.  I would prefer to do away with
terms limits but since this may be the only piece of legislation to get out
on the floor for vote, I will support it.

3.  HB 154  --  Hospital Association.  This bill passed the House and
clarifies that non-profit hospitals are exempt from property taxes.  The
hospitals need to demonstrate a concerted effort of community service to
maintain their exemption.  This bill, if passed, will assist Gritman
Memorial Hospital. 

4.  HB 153 -- This bill requires that circulators of initiative and
referendum petitions shall be Idaho residents.  This bill passed the House
today.

5.  The Phase Out the Marriage Penalty Bill passed the House by a 69-0
vote.  The first installment of a six year phase out plan, applicable to 99
taxes, would be worth about 24 cents a week in savings for about 150,000
married couples.

6.  HB139 -- This bill proposed by Rep. Jeff Alltus would have banned
spending student fees for political activities.  Opponents countered with
the argument that student organizations and universities already had built
in checks and balances in place to take care of any problems.  The bill was
defeated 35-34.

7.  Education Highlights

a.  Reading Initiatives  --  The House Education Committee passed three
reading initiative bills on to the House floor.  These included bills on
statewide assessment, summer school intervention for those students who are
in the bottom 25% of their class in terms of reading scores, and
pre-service and in-service training for teachers.  JFAC has appropriated
about $4,000,000 for the initiatives.

b.  PERSI  --  The House Commerce and Human Resources Committee approved a
joint resolution calling for the establishment of an Interim Committee to
review and study the PERSI bills over the summer.  This process will
involve holding public hearing and developing legislation for the next session.

c.  Gifted and Talented Program  --  JFAC approved $500,000 for gifted and
talented programs in the public schools.

d.  Gifted and Talented Resolution  --  Reps. Sellman, Boe, and I
introduced a resolution to the House Education Committee today.  The
resolution calls for the establishment of an interim legislative committee
to study the gifted and talented programs mandated by the state and to
recommend alternative means of funding the program.  To date this is
largely an unfunded mandate from the state to the school districts.  The
bill was approved to be printed.

e.  Mentoring Programs --  JFAC approved $417,000 to support teacher
mentoring programs.

f.   Teacher Salaries  --  JFAC approved a 3% increase in teachers salaries
in the budget.  The monies flow to the public school districts.

g.  Drug Free Schools/Substance Abuse Education Programs  --  A total of
$5,175,000 was approved by JFAC.  Evidence indicates these are effective
programs.  The State Tax Commission has held back $500,000 from the lottery
that was suppose to go into the fund;  Rep. Ken Robison is looking into
changing the statute so the money will go to support the program instead of
into the general fund.

h..  Master Teachers  --  JFAC approved $51,000 for Master Teachers who
have completed their National Board Examinations.

8.  HB 278 School facilities  --  A bill coming from the House  proposes
give school boards the authority without voter participation the right to
increase levies to fix "safety" problems in the schools.  In order to fix
safety problems, the board will have to tax the maximum on M & O, use all
of their lottery money to fix the problem, and then levy .00025.   If that
doesn't fix the immediate safety problem then they can go to a judge for
further monies.  This is a Band-Aid approach to fixing school facility
problems and I doubt if the Idaho Supreme Court will be convinced of this
good faith effort.  The Idaho Constitution states, "that the Legislature
will ensure that students will learn in a safe environment."  The
Legislature simply has not taken the steps needed to address the overall
school building problems in the state.   I'm backing Rep. Roger Chase's
School Bond Assistance Bill as a step forward to help correct the overall
problem.  I will be voting against HB 278.

9.  SJR 102 introduced by Sen. Schroeder and Rep. Trail proposes an
amendment to Section 3, Article VIII, of the state constitution to allow
school bonds to be approved by 60% of the qualified electors voting at the
election held for that purpose and held on a date specified by law in May
or November.



Rep. Trail, district 5

 I would like constituents to e-mail, phone, fax, or write me with their
ideas, comments and recommendations.  

by phone: (at the House Communications Center)

208-332-1201 or 1000  (phone)
208-334-5397  (fax)

by email:

Boise daytime:           ttrail@house.state.id.us
Boise evening:            mjmaxwell@juno.com
Moscow (weekends):   ttrail@moscow.com

if uncertain, you can send email to RepTrail@infotrail.com and your message
will be forwarded to me at the proper location.

or by normal mail

Idaho State Legislature,
State Capitol Bldg
P.O. Box 83720
Boise, ID 83720-0038

Legislative newsletters and additional materials and information can be
located on my web
and home page http://www.infotrail.com/idaho/idaho.html