The Senate has voted 26-9 in favor of SB 1419, the budget bill for state colleges and universities for next year - which reflects a 14.1 percent cut in state general funds and a 7.8 percent overall cut. Sen. Dean Mortimer, R-Idaho Falls, said if you subtract $10 million for a livestock center that was put on hold and reductions in funding for health benefits because reserves are being drawn down, it's effectively an 8.1 percent general fund decrease. "This is a tough one," Mortimer said. "Our universities and colleges are being asked to make a sacrifice and are being asked to do with less. That is not an easy situation." Sens. Diane Bilyeu and Edgar Malepeai, both Pocatello Democrats, spoke out against the budget bill, but there was no other debate. "We have cut the universities a tremendous amount over the past two years," Bilyeu said, adding that she's concerned about tuition hikes and rising debt loads for students. Idaho, she said, is "mortgaging the future of our kids." The budget bill now moves to the House.