Disaster Aid Funded

Legislative budget writers have restored funding to the state Bureau of Disaster Services to continue a $407,000 aid package for counties.

Gov. Dirk Kempthorne had proposed ending the local aid in anticipation of reduced federal support for state disaster services. That prompted protests from counties that they were being stuck with an unfunded mandate to plan for disasters.

The Legislature’s budget committee restored the funding on Monday. Although the budget the committee set still needs approval from both houses of the Legislature and the governor’s signature to become law, it is rare that a budget is changed after it is set by the committee.