Idaho Legislative Briefs January 17, 2012

Bill encourages Idaho schools to combat bullying

BOISE - A suicide-prevention group is hoping to raise awareness about school bullying with a measure that's now in front of the Idaho Legislature.

The Suicide Prevention Action Network of Idaho hopes to encourage teachers to intervene when they see kids being targeted by bullies.

According to their bill introduced Monday in the Senate Judiciary Committee, schools would be able to draft their own policies to handle students who harass, intimidate or bully their classmates.

They'd be required to undertake efforts to help educate students about the consequences of bullying, as well as develop graduated punishments for kids who are mistreating others.

Schools also would have to report incidents of bullying annually to the state.

The measure is now due a full hearing in front of the Senate panel in coming weeks.

Idaho's road-killed

wildlife may become fair game

BOISE - Idaho's road-killed wildlife could become fair game.

The Senate Resources Committee on Monday got a glimpse of a proposed rule allowing legal recovery of big-game species run over by cars.

Right now, animals that draw the short straw during vehicle-wildlife encounters belong to Idaho.

With proposed changes, drivers or anybody else who happens upon a clobbered critter could recover it, provided they report their serendipitous find to the Department of Fish and Game.

The changes are a response to North Idaho Republican Rep. Dick Harwood's efforts to legalize harvest of valuable fur-bearing animals like bobcats, foxes, bears and mountain lions run over by cars.

- Associated Press