State
Senator Nuxoll's weekly legislative report
 Teacher Career Ladder—H296 would allow groups of teachers, rather than individual teachers to apply for the $4000 per person bonus, conditional upon meeting performance benchmarks. Allowing groups of teachers, as opposed to individual teachers, to apply for the bonus addressed concern with the second version of the bill. Those concerns were that teachers who receive bonuses while peers working with them do not would create division and competition as opposed to encouraging collaboration among teachers and increasing the overall quality of education. Let’s see if the House passes it. Transportation Funding, H 260 is a compromise among those who had disagreements on the best way to proceed with funding for transportation. The bill would increase funding for roads and bridges by using $70 to $100 million from the General Fund during years when the General Funds grows four percent or more. The bill would also include a temporary five cent fuel tax increase as well as a two cent increase to the transfer fee. For anyone who may not be aware, the transfer fee is the fee paid per-gallon of fuel when the fuel is transferred from the distribution point to the transport truck. That fee is paid by the person who receives the fuel, be it the owner of a gas station or the owner of a jet receiving jet fuel. This bill has not made it to the Senate yet. Physician Physical Presence Bill, H 154a, requires a physician to conduct an in-person examination and counseling of a pregnant woman prior to prescribing abortion-inducing drugs (RU 486) because they can cause death, infection, hemorrhaging, and other complications. Studies have shown that chemical abortions, with highly toxic chemicals that kill babies, can have a greater risk of complications than surgical abortions. This bill would end web-cam (video-conferencing) abortions by a doctor who is at another location and administers pills via web-cam over the internet. I am the sponsor of this bill. The Senate will vote on this this week. Naturopath Licensing, HB 181a, requires naturopath physicians who practice in Idaho to be licensed. For a number of years, the Idaho Chapter of the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (IAANP) and the Idaho Association of Naturopathic Physicians (IANP) have failed to come to an agreement on licensure criteria. The governor has refused to appoint a board. The basic disagreement was over what type of education is required for licensure versus an experience based practice with no formal education. Creating licensure requirements for education could effectively terminate the legal practice of naturopath medicine by those without a formal education, which would affect many naturopath physicians in the State of Idaho. The amendments to the bill are dubious as to whether this will create an agreed path forward. One problem is having a MD on the Board. I was hoping for a three tiered licensure with one board having only naturopaths for members. Parental Rights HB 113 Parents who have legal custody of minor children have a fundamental right to make decisions concerning the care, custody, education and control of their children. This bill is to make sure that courts recognize that the upbringing and education are inalienable fundamental rights of parents. I am sponsoring this bill in the Senate. Parental rights in education, SB 1096a - affirms parental rights in education, affirming that a student's parent or guardian is the primary person responsible for the education of the student. This legislation places the state in a secondary and supportive role to the parent or guardian. The chapter outlines how school districts and public charter schools encourage and facilitate parental involvement in the education of their children. For instance, school districts and public charter schools are to inform parents about the materials being used in the education of their children. Parents, who object to materials being used, have the option to withdraw their children from an activity or class. The act requires an annual notice of parental rights be distributed to parents and guardians. I voted for this bill. KNIVES, SB 1092,- amends existing law to give the state primacy in knife legislation. This legislation states that no city, county or other political subdivision shall enact any ordinance, rule or tax relating to the transportation and possession of a knife or knife making components in this state. Under current law, it is illegal to carry folding buck knives in certain cities in Idaho. Opponents to this bill were concerned with current state laws permitting public schools to regulate knives on school grounds. However, all schools in the state can be regulated with a unified law regarding knives on school properties. I supported this bill. Direct Primary Care, 1062a, This bill creates a simple format for Direct Medical Care agreements as a method for providing cost effective and personalized routine health care services on a contract, non-insurance basis. The bill exempts such agreements from regulation by the Department of Insurance. Services provided under such agreements can be recognized as "Direct Primary Care" under section 1301(3) of the Affordable Care Act. I voted for this bill. Human Trafficking Bill, HB 183, amends Idaho Code to allow non-profit anti-human trafficking organizations to place signs and posters that contain the contact information for State and National human trafficking hotlines in and around rest areas alongside State and Interstate Highways. I am the sponsor for this bill in the Senate. The Marriage Resolution, HJM4, sponsored by Rep Paul Shepherd is to call upon our State Legislature and call upon our U.S. Congressmen to bring clarity to the U.S. Congress that the power of the United States Judiciary is to interpret as close to the original intent as possible and uphold the law, not to change the law, or face the possibility of impeachment proceedings. This is a much needed resolution. Small Dredge Mining, H 255, amends and adds to existing law to clarify statutory authority of the Department of Lands, the Department of Water Resources and the Water Resource Board over recreational and small-scale dredge mining. This bill recognizes the de minimus nature of suction dredge mining and tries to free this important small business vocation from unreasonable regulation. Our small dredge suction miners need to be freed of the EPA regulations and the NPDES permits. ~ Senator Nuxoll |
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