The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee is back in session this morning, and its first task was to set a new budget for the Idaho Commission on the Arts. The commission’s earlier budget, a maintenance budget with no new line items funded, passed the Senate but was defeated in the House.

“This was passed in the Senate and defeated in the House for reasons other than the merit of the budget itself,” said Rep. Wendy Horman, R-Idaho Falls, as she proposed a new budget motion just $100 higher than the original one, with the additional $100 coming from dedicated funds consisting of donations to the commission. “Which is why this motion is the same as the previous budget, with that $100 exception, which funds can be raised through private contributions made to the commission,” she said.

Sen. Dan Schmidt, D-Moscow, then offered a substitute motion – adding $200 instead of $100, also from the same dedicated funds. “We’re here because of a bipartisan effort and this motion is a reflection of what I believe should be a bipartisan effort to correct this,” Schmidt said. “I think that we can find the dedicated funds for that source in a bipartisan manner.”

Schmidt’s motion then passed on a divided, bipartisan 10-9 vote. The new Arts Commission budget now must pass both houses and receive the governor’s signature to become law.