Legislation creating a $5 million startup funding account to be tapped if eastern Idaho voters agree to create a new community college in Idaho Falls has passed the House on a 62-6 vote. “There has been a feasibility study already which produced positive results,” Rep. Wendy Horman, R-Idaho Falls, told the House. She said Idaho State University, the University of Idaho and BYU-Idaho all are supporting the effort. “We need to let our community make this decision,” Horman said.

The bill, proposed by Gov. Butch Otter, would grant the startup funds if local voters agreed to form a community college district and pay property taxes to help support it, as do the patrons of Idaho’s three existing community colleges, North Idaho College in Coeur d’Alene, the College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls, and the College of Western Idaho in the Treasure Valley. Currently, Idaho Falls has Eastern Idaho Technical College, which is fully state-funded, and as a technical college, can’t grant the kind of transferable college credits a community college can, Horman said.

The six “no” votes came from Reps. Ken Andrus, R-Lava Hot Springs; Tom Loertscher, R-Iona; Jason Monks, R-Nampa; Shannon McMillan, R-Silverton; Elaine Smith, D-Pocatello; and John VanderWoude, R-Nampa. The bill now moves to the Senate side.