HB 65, the “fix-it” bill to restore $30 million to the current year’s public school budget that otherwise would shift to a reserve fund due to the passage of Propositions 1, 2 and 3, has passed the Senate on a unanimous, 34-0 vote. Senate Education Chairman John Goedde, R-Coeur d’Alene, said, “School districts based their budget on this money, and it’s my belief that we owe it to them to have it reinstated.” He added, “This is an important bill to our local school districts.” The bill earlier passed the House unanimously, and now heads to the governor’s desk.

The bill doesn’t reinstate the controversial reform programs; it just keeps the funds for public schools this year at their current level.