COEUR d'ALENE - Jon Chrysler, the 12-year-old boy fighting the proposed python-ban legislation, is making headway.

After hearing about the seventh-grader's mission, 1st District Congressman Walt Minnick vowed to vote no on the bill. Sen. Jim Risch, who's scheduled to meet with Jon on Friday afternoon, has indicated he would vote it down, too.

"I had big hopes, and I think it's going the way I want it to," Jon said. "As long as we do our part there's no way this bill will pass."

But Jon isn't done.

Jon is scheduled to make his presentation to the CDA4Kids after-school program at 3:45 this afternoon at Bryan Elementary School to educate more children on the taxonomy of snakes, while working in the dangers behind the proposed bill that would ban their travel across state lines.

At the end of the presentation he'll send a letter home with the kids with an option for folks to sign on to pledge to stop the bill.

The parents can forward that letter on to state representatives, said Jon's mother, Tif.

Jon's even trying to connect with a local python breeder to augment the presentation with live reptiles.

The after-school presentation will continue March 4 at Borah Elementary School and Atlas Elementary on March 9.

Jon called the proposed legislation, S-373, a federal solution to a local problem.

"If that bill comes up we'd mostly likely vote against it," said Sid Smith, regional director at Risch's North Idaho office, who met with Jon about the boy's fight to stop the bill. "Jonathan made good points. It seems to be a federal solution to a local problem."

Representatives from Minnick's office said the congressman was in Jon's corner too after learning of the quest.

"He's not going to support that bill," said Shelley Landry, Minnick's regional director of Minnick's vote. "We looked at it and said we wouldn't support that bill."

Sen. Mike Crapo's office also got word from Jon, and has spread word to the senator in Washington, D.C., but couldn't yet comment on which way he would vote.