The House Education Committee today passed and sent straight to the House HCR048, a resolution recognizing the Idaho Education Association on its120th anniversary.
Rep. Shirley Ringo (D-Moscow), an IEA member and retired educator, told the panel that on March 3, 1892, the then-State Superintendent of Public Instruction Judge J.E. Harroun and four other men passed a motion “that a call be issued by the State Supt. to the teachers of the State to convene and organize a permanent association.”
Just a few weeks later, from March 23-25, 1892, the first assembly of the State Teachers’ Association of Idaho met at the State Capitol and adopted a constitution to form a legislative committee to “use their influence securing needed legislation such as they or this association may deem necessary for the best interests of the state.”
The committee bypassed the usual process of holding a committee hearing for the resolution and sent it straight to the House second reading calendar. The IEA thanks Rep. Ringo and Sen. Edgar Malepeai (D-Pocatello), who will carry the resolution in the Senate. Read the resolution.
Also today:
The House approved H564, the bill from Rep. JoAn Wood (R-Rigby) that makes changes to a law regarding employee records and Professional Standards Commission investigations. The bill was amended last week to delete a small section of proposed language to assure that employees accused of verbal, physical, or sexual misconduct will not be responsible for proving the allegations are false or untruthful. The IEA had attempted to introduce several other amendments, but they were not considered. The bill now moves to the Senate side.
The Senate Local Government & Taxation Committee passed H517, which will make Idaho tax code conform with a federal tax deduction of $250 for classroom supplies for teachers. IEA Director of Public Policy Bert Marley told his former committee that the federal deduction expired at the end of 2011, but the IEA is working with the National Education Association to be sure it is renewed. H517 now goes to the full Senate for final consideration.
