LAST WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTS

- Luna’s budget: Lawmakers listened to Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna seek a 3 percent increase in funding. His request equates to an additional $37.9 million in state funding for schools in Idaho for fiscal year 2014. He made the request during a public hearing before the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee on Thursday. That’s more than the 2 percent increase already recommended by Gov. Butch Otter.

- Cursive requirement: Idaho Falls Republican Rep. Linden Bateman introduced a measure Tuesday to the House Education Committee requesting the State Board of Education include cursive handwriting in its statewide Common Core State Standards. Bateman’s proposal received unanimous approval from committee members, enabling the legislator to bring the measure back to committee for a full public hearing.

- Citizen initiatives: Officials discussed a proposal before the Senate State Affairs Committee that may make it harder for citizen initiatives to reach the ballot on Election Day. Idaho Farm Bureau lobbyist Russ Hendricks requested the legislation from the committee following last year’s repeal of the Students Come First legislation.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR THIS WEEK

- Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee: Members will continue the process of setting the 2014 budget by holding a series of hearings surrounding the state’s environment and wildlife. The panel will hear from the Departments of Parks and Recreation, Fish and Game and Water Resources, among others.

- Senate State Affairs Committee: On Monday, it will vote on the governor’s appointment of Mack Redford to the Idaho Public Utilities Commission and the appointment of Craig Corbett to the Idaho Lottery Commission.

- Senate Education Committee: On Monday, it will consider legislation that provides college scholarships for those in the armed forces and public safety sectors.

- House Health and Welfare Committee: On Monday, it will consider legislation that amends existing law to clarify that pharmacists and medical practitioners may share controlled-substance database information with one another.

Christina Lords, Post Register