Idaho House Approves School Broadband Funding Bill

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Lawmakers have approved a $3.6 million emergency funding bill to sustain Idaho's troubled broadband program for handful of months.

House members voted 68-1 Thursday on a stopgap measure to sustain broadband access in nearly 200 public high schools after a district judge deemed the state's $60 million broadband contract illegal earlier this year.Idaho law forbids using taxpayer money on illegal contracts, so lawmakers had to approve a new funding bill in order to maintain Internet access and video conferencing.

However, unlike relying on a statewide program, this bill would require school districts to negotiate their own broadband contracts and seek reimbursement later.Democratic Rep. John Gannon cast the only nay vote, saying it was made out of protest.The bill is now headed to the Senate for approval.