The House has voted 59-9 in favor of HB 698, the salary-based apportionment bill, which cancels future teacher-salary cuts required by the "Students Come First" reform law, while also declaring that the law's reforms, including laptop computers and performance-pay bonuses, are top funding priorities in the public school budget. It also requires that when base teacher salaries increase, the minimum teacher salary must rise by twice the percentage; current law says 1.5 times the percentage.

"I think this bill addresses things that we've had to cut in the past," House Education Chairman Bob Nonini, R-Coeur d'Alene, told the House. "Revenues are back up. It's a good piece of legislation and I encourage your yes vote." The bill now moves to the Senate, where the Senate Education Committee is planning a quick hearing.

Though the bill has been characterized as restoring $35 million in teacher pay over five years, it doesn't actually add any money to the school budget, instead addressing priorities within the budget.