[Nfb-idaho] Senate Education Committee hearing

[Ramona Walhof]

Dear Members:
Bill S.1074 came up for a hearing in the Senate Education Committee today. 
Six of us were able to attend:  Jan Gawith, Don Nepple, Gus Tropea, Mike 
Gibson, Susand Bradley and I.
The bill would provide that a Bureau would be created under the Board of 
Education, but with the Superintendant of the Department of Education as 
Chair.  This Board would include 8 people, not necessarily any of whom would 
be deaf or blind.  It would be appointed by the Governor but still be 
responsible to the Board of Education, and it did not divide education for 
the deaf from education for the blind.

Susan, Gus, Mike, and I made statements to the committee expressing some 
concerns.  After some discussion, Senator Gary Schroeder made a motion that 
Dr. Mike Rush, Executive Director for the Board of Education work with 
consumers and see if we couldn't come up with some agreements.  They took 
our input very seriously.

We have some more work to do, but we need to let members of the Committee 
know we appreciate their attention to our input.  I am sure that some of 
them will be at the Legislative dinner Monday.  If Senator Fulcher, Senator 
Andreason, Senator Schroeder, Senator Winder  or Senator Kate Kelly is from 
your district, they participated in the discussion.  However none of the 
Senators  disagreed audibly with the decision.

We will keep working on this matter.  Anyone who has input should let Elsie 
know.
Ramona