Senate Transportation meets, revives SB 1188, sends to 14th order for amendments
In a brief and hastily convened meeting this afternoon, the Senate Transportation Committee revived the big transportation funding bill it had killed by one vote last week, SB 1188, and sent it to the Senate’s 14th Order for amendments. Chairman Bert Brackett, R-Rogerson, said he plans to propose amendments to the bill to remove the $200 million in general-fund bonding; the exemption of road materials from the sales tax; and the water GARVEE transfers; those items had generated opposition from many who said such revenue proposals, by constitutional requirement, should start in the House.
Others reportedly also plan to offer amendments to the transportation funding bill, either to add or subtract items; in the Senate's 14th Order, any senator may offer amendments. Last week, committee members nicknamed SB 1188 the “kitchen sink” bill because it had so many different items in it.
The Senate is expected to go into its amending order tomorrow.
Today's vote on SB 1188 was 6-3, with the three "no" votes coming from Sens. Nonini, Harris, and Bucker-Webb; and the six "yes" votes from Sens. Brackett, Keough, Winder, Hagedorn, DenHartog and Lodge.
