BOISE, Idaho — This article originally appeared in the Idaho Press.
Just hours before the expected adjournment of the 2024 legislative session, the Idaho House nearly killed its last remaining budget.
The House on Wednesday voted 33-32, with five members absent, to approve SB 1460, the Division of Welfare “enhancement” budget. The new budget took out a summer food program for students, which had been the reason cited for the Senate voting down the division’s original budget.
The Senate voted 22-12 with one member absent on April 3 to approve the new budget without the program, which would have cost $595,300 in state general funds. The House had gone to recess before taking action on the updated budget.
Rep. Britt Raybould, R-Rexburg, presented SB 1460 on Wednesday, noting that it included $11.5 million in federal funds for child care subsidies and $1.4 million in total funds for access to the federal data services hub interface. She did not mention that summer food program.
Rep. Brooke Green, D-Boise, who also sits on the budget-writing Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee, said she would oppose the bill because of the removal of the program.
She said that 137,000 Idaho children “may find themselves hungry” over the summer because of its removal.
There was no further debate.
If the budget had not passed, it would have likely delayed adjournment of the session.
This article originally appeared in the Idaho Press, read more on IdahoPress.com.
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