About that emergency road money bill…

On Friday’s Idaho Reports, I had a moment of doubt, in which I said I wasn’t sure if the Senate has passed the JFAC-approved bill to allocate $52 million – virtually the entire state budget surplus built up so far this year – to emergency road repairs around the state. I’ve checked, and the bill, SB 1141 , passed the Senate on March 9. Since then, it’s hung in limbo on the House’s calendar. I’ve asked House leadership repeatedly why the bill, which includes an emergency clause making the funds available as soon as it’s signed into law – hasn’t yet been taken up. The answer: It’s part of the whole transportation deal.

Last week, seven more Idaho counties received disaster declarations due to weather-related road damage.