The judges' retirement bill, HB 660, has passed the Senate on a unanimous, 34-0 vote and now heads to the governor's desk. Sen. Bart Davis, R-Idaho Falls, said he arrived at this year's legislative session ready to kill the judges' retirement bill, but today he's the Senate sponsor. The reason: "This is the solution that best works today to stabilize that fund," he said.

After the vote, Davis announced that while the new Senate ethics rules won't be voted on before the lunch break today, but will be moved to the 10th Order of business so they can be taken up this afternoon. He said it's still his plan that the Senate will adjourn sine die today, but "We'll see what the next several hours bring." The Senate Education Committee's meeting shortly after the lunch break will be the last committee meeting the Senate will have this year, he said.

Now, the Senate is taking up SB 1303a, the House-amended animal cruelty bill.