Rep. Luke Malek, R-Coeur d’Alene, has moved to approve the $3.45 million supplemental appropriation for school broadband. “This is just for the remainder of this year, ‘til June 30,” Malek said. “There are costs that will be incurred in that last month, so we have it through July. This is not for long-term contracts.” Senate Education Chairman Dean Mortimer, R-Idaho Falls, seconded the motion.

Rep. John Gannon, D-Boise, said, “Before I vote to spend another $3 million, I would like to know where we are going as far as getting our money back from this contract, so we don’t have to spend more taxpayer money.” JFAC Co-Chair Maxine Bell, R-Jerome, responded, “I really appreciate your concern, but I think it’s above our pay grade at this point. … Probably those same taxpayers want those children to continue with this activity, and this service is so vital for the education. So we’ll keep that in the backs of our minds.”

The motion then passed 17-1, with just Gannon dissenting. Now, the committee has moved on to the “legislative intent” language tying strings to the funding.