Sen. Harris – Week 8 Legislative Update

As I have mentioned before, one of the duties of the Senate is to confirm the Governor’s appointments to commissions and boards. I had the privilege of carrying the reappointment of Mr. Ray Hinchcliff of Driggs to the Idaho Oil and Gas Conservation Commission on the Senate floor. Ray is very qualified for this reappointment as he has spent over 40 years in the oil and gas industry. He has real life experience and has worked across the globe. We are glad Mr. Hinchcliff has agreed to continue to serve the State of Idaho on this commission. 

The Senate also passed Senate Joint Memorial 103 (SJM103) this week that opposes the removal of dams along the Snake River and emphasizes the importance of the Port of Lewiston and the Columbia-Snake River System to the benefit of our economy and the livelihoods of Idaho’s citizens. Nearly 4,500 Idaho farm families who grow wheat rely on the river and barge system to get their crops to foreign markets. The dams also produce over 1,000 average megawatts of power that serve over 137,000 Idahoans with clean, renewable, and affordable electricity. We recognize that salmon recovery efforts must not only be founded on sound science but also consider the multiple use benefits of the Columbia-Snake River System.

The School Facilities Bill, House Bill 521 (H521), passed the House and is now in the Senate Local Government and Taxation Committee awaiting a hearing. H521 is a very complex bill that  provides money for schools to  help pay off school bonds and levies and provides for an income tax cut. One issue that I have previously brought up about the bill is the five-day school week provision. This provision is problematic as the dollars going to schools is contingent on whether the school districts are on a five-day school week or not. Most of the school districts in our Legislative District (LD-35) are on four-day school weeks. The Idaho State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Debbie Critchfield, has assured me she will do everything she can to make sure these schools with four-day weeks qualify for facilities money if the bill becomes law. Some adjustments would have to be made in that students may be required to attend school for a certain number of additional hours each school year. Therefore, four-day schools would probably have to expand the number of days in their school year, some may have to add up to 10 extra days. If the bill passes and the Governor signs it, the State Board of Education would meet in April to set standards and perhaps grandfather in some school districts that are on four-day school weeks so they can meet the criteria for the total number of student-days and teacher-contract-days.

However, H521 is not yet law. It still must make its way through the Senate to be debated before it goes to the Governor for his signature. We will see in the next couple of weeks what will happen to it!

As always, I like to hear from you. Please feel free to contact me at:  [email protected]. I will do my best to get you answers!!