Funding for a justice reinvestment program to provide mental health treatment to newly released criminals was cut in half in the Idaho Legislature’s joint budget committee on Friday, and one North Idaho lawmaker tried unsuccessfully to eliminate it entirely.

“Given our dire need for road funding right now and the state of our highways and what we’re looking at going forward, I do not believe that there’s a pressing need for mental health care for felons right now,” said Rep. Sage Dixon, R-Ponderay, a second-term representative and new member of the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee. “So I would like to remove line item 10.”

There was a pause as Dixon’s motion awaited a second; Sen. Mary Souza, R-Coeur d’Alene, tried to second it, but couldn’t because she’d already seconded the first motion for the Mental Health Services Division of the state Department of Health and Welfare, which included $5.6 million for the program, half of Gov. Butch Otter’s recommended $11.2 million.

Dixon’s motion then died for lack of a second, and the original motion passed on an 18-1 vote, with just Dixon dissenting/Betsy Russell, Eye on Boise. More here.

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