Cameron: Senate to back House's teacher pay bill

BOISE (AP) — A Senate budget leader endorsed the House's new plan to end a session-long stalemate over restoring planned cuts to Idaho teachers' salaries.

Coeur d'Alene Rep. Bob Nonini introduced a bill Tuesday that's similar to a unanimously-passed Senate measure.

Nonini's bill reverses $35 million in teacher pay funding due to be slashed to help support last year's "Students Come First" education reforms.

Sen. Dean Cameron, the Senate budget committee chairman, believes his chamber will back Nonini's plan, saying none of the minor differences between the House and Senate measures appear to be a dealbreaker.

Among other things, Nonini's plan would also increase first-year teacher salaries at twice the rate of general teacher salary increases.

Nonini argues his bill keeps a promise to cancel teacher pay cuts — once Idaho's revenues improved.