This could be the year that the Idaho Legislature finally moves toward long-sought goals, from restoring school funding back to 2009 levels to holding a hearing on whether to ban discrimination against gays. Boosting funding for maintaining the state’s deterioriating road system is high on the Legislature’s agenda – something Gov. Butch Otter has sought unsuccessfully since his first term in office; he’s now starting his third. There’s another push for tax cuts for businesses; reforms are in the works for oversight of state contracts; and Idaho could be poised to finally end its distinction as one of just three states with no personal financial disclosure requirements for lawmakers or any other state officials.

But some of those aims may run into each other – specifically restoring education funding and granting tax breaks to businesses. You can read my full Sunday story here at spokesman.com on Idaho’s upcoming legislative session, which kicks off Monday with Otter’s State of the State and budget message to a joint session of the Legislature.