Rep. Jason Monks, R-Meridian, asked state Admin Director Teresa Luna if Idaho might have to pay back the millions in e-rate funds it received over four years before the feds cut them off in November of 2013. Luna said it’s possible. “We have heard of USAC requiring e-rate to be paid back,” she said. But she said that has been in cases of fraud, for example, “where e-rate money was used for summer homes.” She said all of Idaho’s money has gone to vendors to provide services. If the state were ordered by USAC to repay the e-rate money, she said. “We would appeal to the FCC.”

Monks said, “If the worst case happens and they do request that money back and we obviously want to appeal that, do we have a contingency plan as far as where we’re going to come up with money to cover that?” Luna responded, “I think you’re seeing a piece of that process today, which is the full funding of the IEN from the general fund.”