Lawmakers May have to Fund Idaho Education Broadband Network

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Federal officials continue to withhold $14 million worth of payments for Idaho's education broadband program.

If the money isn't restored soon, state lawmakers will be asked to fork over another multimillion dollar bailout when they convene in January for the 2015 Legislature. The Idaho Statesman reports that the federal government had agreed to pay for three-fourths of the program's costs.

However, it cut off the payments after launching an investigation over a disputed contract with one of the Idaho high school broadband project's vendors. To keep the program afloat, Idaho lawmakers agreed to provide an $11.4 million bailout, which funds the program until February.

If federal payments don't return by then, state lawmakers will be asked for an additional $2.4 million to cover the program until June.