Thank you for the opportunity to serve you in the legislature — it is a great honor!
The 61st session of the Idaho Legislature passed with unprecedented historic public involvement during a time of economic downturn and much controversy. Emails, letters, and testimonies, sharing your thoughts and opinions on issues important to all Idahoans, were truly appreciated, resulting in many improvements to legislation.
Despite this difficult session, with Idahoans hurting from the poor economy and a steep decline in state revenues, the session concluded with a balanced budget without increasing your taxes.
The Medicaid program ran short of $35 million in maintaining services, but services for children were preserved. Due to input from the public, no adult programs were eliminated, but just curtailed. Cuts focused on eliminating waste, fraud, abuse and inefficiencies.
Confusion emerged with the Education Reform package, which dominated the session. As an educator and parent, education has always been a top priority for me. The legislature tried to balance the concerns of thousands of passionate people on both sides of the issue. As educators, parents, and other concerned citizens provided valuable input, changes were made to the original legislation. Here’s what resulted:
- To reward excellence in the classroom, funds will be made available to compensate teachers for taking on leadership responsibilities or working in hard-to-fill positions, as determined at the local level. Bonuses will be awarded to the whole school for meeting student achievement targets, thereby fostering collaboration among teachers. The goal is not to force our current educators to work harder. Most of our teachers and administrators are working hard for students each and every day. The goal is to reward them for the work they already do.
- The teacher salary grid will be restored allowing base pay to increase with experience and education, and the minimum compensation for beginning teachers will be raised.
- Existing teachers will retain their continuing contract status (tenure). Teachers hired in the future will be offered two-year rolling contracts.
- High school teachers will be furnished laptop computers (or other devices) beginning with the 2012-13 school year and offered training to enhance the use of technology in the classroom.
- Online courses are no longer mandated. A task force made up of educators, administrators and other interested persons will be assembled to develop plans for implementation of technology advances.
- More flexibility is granted to the local school districts. From determining how students will utilize computers to how pay-for-performance will be administered, control has been delegated to the local level.
Additionally, the Education Tax Credit was increased to $1000 for married couples and $5000 for businesses.
Enthusiastically and passionately, I co-sponsored the fight to protect the unborn. The Pain-capable Unborn Child Protection Act banned abortions from the 20th week of pregnancy on. There is overwhelming scientific evidence that the unborn feel pain more acutely than adults at this stage of pregnancy. Also, I co-sponsored a ban on assisted suicide, a long-needed change to Idaho law.
Likewise, I co-sponsored efforts which successfully restricted implementation of the discretionary funding of the Patient and Affordable Care Act in our state. Ronald Reagan spoke against a national health care bill, warning us it would take away from individual rights and give socialism a “foot in the door”. Because Americans are reluctant to oppose medical care for people who cannot afford it, Reagan further said that people would want to adopt every fragment of the socialist program if medicine is disguised as an humanitarian effort.
An emergency was declared with the wolf situation in Idaho. As co-sponsor of the Wolf Bill, I joined my fellow Republicans, supporting our governor to defend our state in this dire need.
The Youth Challenge Program which educates and mentors dropouts from high school is moving forward. As a co-sponsor of the program in Pierce, I am excited to help the youth and the unemployment situation in our district.
Abraham Lincoln said “America will never be destroyed from outside.
If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed
ourselves.” I remain committed to individual rights and duties, conservative
principles, and the Constitution of our country. I will continue the
fight to protect them and our dignity as I represent you at the Capitol
with my motto of “less government, more opportunity”.
As always, please feel free to contact me if I can be of assistance.
Sincerely,
Senator
Sheryl Nuxoll
District 8