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Legislature Recesses Suddenly
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The Idaho Legislature abruptly recessed until April 6th due to the increasing number of legislators contracting COVID-19.
The House leadership caucused early Friday and made the decision. To recess, both the House and Senate had to agree. The Senate confirmed, and the session was in recess.
The hope is that by April 6th, members will be well and able to return to finish businees including transportation funding.
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Transportation Supplemental Appropriation
Headed to the Governor
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Governor Little's Building Idaho's Future plan for transportation in the means of a one time supplemental has made it through the legislature with unanimous passage in the Senate. All it needs now is the Governor's signature... which is almost a given.
This bill provides cash transfers totaling $126,000,000 from the General Fund to dedicated funds and provides an appropriation of $2,000,000 to the Aeronautics Program, $15,000,000 to the Strategic Initiatives Program within ITD, and $2,000,000 to the Strategic Initiatives Local Program.
According to ITD, if the transfer of funds takes place in March, local highway jurisdictions will receive an additional $47 million, in addition to their quarterly highway distribution in April. Just in time for spring and summer road projects. This money will be divided according to the highway distribution allocation formula.
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More Transportation Funding Introduced
HB314
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Let me start out by saying that this bill is now dead. I am leaving it in the update because it has the meat of what is in the replacement bill.
On Monday, the House Ways and Means Committee introduced new legislation presented by Rep. Joe Palmer. It received a bill number (HB314), sped through the House reading calendar, and appeared back in committee on Wednesday where it passed committee with a do pass recommendation.
The legislation would shift $67 million from the state's general fund to transportation projects and allow for bonding against those funds for projects at both the state and local levels.
To do this, the Transportation Expansion and Congestion Mitigation (TECM) program which currently receives 1% or a minimum of $15 million of the state's sales tax revenue for state transportation projects would increase to 4.5% or a minimum of $67 million and be divide 70% for state transportation projects and 30% for local projects.
Local jurisdictions would receive funds via a grant process from the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) and only when ITD issued bonds for TECM projects.
State funds could be used for mitigating traffic times and flow, and easing of congestion. Local projects could be used for mitigating traffic times and flow, maintaining and improving highways and streets, or the construction of new highways and bridges needed to expand the local system, ease congestion, maintain, repair, or replace bridges and other infrastructure.
Senate Bill 1206, enacted during the 2017 Legislative session, established the Transportation Expansion and Congestion Mitigation (TECM) Program and fund.
The purpose of TECM is to fund projects that are chosen by the Idaho Transportation Board based on a project’s ability to mitigate traffic times, improve traffic flow, and mitigate traffic congestion. The TECM fund receives revenue from one percent of sales tax after local revenue sharing, and all remaining moneys following the distribution of the cigarette tax revenue.
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But Wait...HB314 is Being Replaced
A New Transportation Funding Bill is Introduced
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It seems that H314 was getting a little push back in the legislature this week, so on Wednesday, Rep. Joe Palmer introduced another version for transportation funding in a quickly convened House Ways and Means committee.
This bill H342 was rushed straight to the second reading calendar without a committee hearing and was debated and passed by the House on Wednesday afternoon. It now moves on tho the senate.
According to Speaker Bedke in an interview with the Idaho Press Tribune, the changes to the bill aren't that major; they switch from allowing local highway jurisdictions to access proceeds from bonds issued by ITD to just sending payments directly the local jurisdictions. "The transportation members are certainly OK with, I think, those changes," Bedke said. "I think the stakeholders around the state are. I know the governor's office is." Full Idaho Press story.
In the fiscal statement, this legislation increases the sales tax distribution to transportation from 1% to 4.5% with 3% going to the state and 1.5% to the locals. It would also allow locals to pool funds for longer projects.
These changes would allocate no less than 45 million dollars to the state TECM account and no less than 22.5 million dollars to the HDA. For 2022 the anticipated distribution to the state is 56 million dollars and distribution to locals is 28 million dollars.
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But Wait...HB314 is Being Replaced
A New Transportation Funding Bill is Introduced
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It seems that H314 was getting a little push back in the legislature this week, so on Wednesday, Rep. Joe Palmer introduced another version for transportation funding in a quickly convened House Ways and Means committee.
This bill H342 was rushed straight to the second reading calendar without a committee hearing and was debated and passed by the House on Wednesday afternoon. It now moves on tho the senate.
According to Speaker Bedke in an interview with the Idaho Press Tribune, the changes to the bill aren't that major; they switch from allowing local highway jurisdictions to access proceeds from bonds issued by ITD to just sending payments directly the local jurisdictions. "The transportation members are certainly OK with, I think, those changes," Bedke said. "I think the stakeholders around the state are. I know the governor's office is." Full Idaho Press story.
In the fiscal statement, this legislation increases the sales tax distribution to transportation from 1% to 4.5% with 3% going to the state and 1.5% to the locals. It would also allow locals to pool funds for longer projects.
These changes would allocate no less than 45 million dollars to the state TECM account and no less than 22.5 million dollars to the HDA. For 2022 the anticipated distribution to the state is 56 million dollars and distribution to locals is 28 million dollars.
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LHTAC Administrator to Retire
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Jeff Miles PE, long time administrator of the Local Highway Technical Assistance Center (LHTAC) is set to retire on May 1st.
"Members of the Local Highway Community:
Since I have been with LHTAC and in my role as the Administrator, I have strived to innovate and improve every day. We have developed a positive and beneficial relationship with the Idaho Transportation Department and the Federal Highway Administration. Our relationship with the legislature has improved. In partnership with the consultant community, hard work has allowed us to more than double the amount of Federal-aid we manage for the local highway jurisdictions without significant increases in staff. Our stewardship agreement with ITD allows us to operate with the least necessary oversight because we have put in place policies and procedures that allow us to perform at our best every day.
During this time, we have successfully added a Safety Program, Emergency Relief projects, Freight projects, Infrastructure Grant projects, Transportation Alternatives projects as well as moving several Federal Lands Access Projects to our program at the request of the Idaho local agencies. We have increased T2 courses, gained grants for updated equipment, completed innovation projects and innovation training classes.
I have enjoyed my transportation career including my time with the Idaho Transportation Department, however working with the local highway jurisdictions and consulting firms of Idaho has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.
It has been a hard decision, but I plan to retire in May of this year.
I wish there were more that I could say, but I give my greatest thanks to the Council, our fantastic staff at LHTAC, the Local Highway Jurisdictions, the Consultant Community, the Idaho Transportation Department and our many partners and friends over the years.
The Council has met and appointed Laila Kral to be the new LHTAC Administrator upon my departure. I have the greatest confidence in her and her abilities to guide LHTAC in the future. Please give her all the support she needs as she leads LHTAC forward."
Thank you,
Jeff R. Miles, PE
LHTAC Administrator
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AASHTO Report Highlights The Benefits Of Transportation Investment
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Bill Tracker
Where are we Now?
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Maintaining Idaho Roads and Bridges
Track Bills That Make a Difference
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Still in Local Gov't and Tax
Probably Dead
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Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding limitations on taxing district budgets
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3rd Reading Calendar House
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Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding professional service contracts.
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Amends existing law to revise the definition of highways to include certain public transportation and pedestrian infrastructure.
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Amends existing law to provide that local ordinances shall not apply to state and local transportation systems and essential facilities.
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Amends existing law to provide that a highway district shall not be financially responsible for certain urban renewal projects unless agreed upon.
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Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding a taxing district’s budget limitations.
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Adds to existing law to provide for the protection of certain monuments and memorials.
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Adds to existing law to provide a sales tax rebate on certain road construction materials.
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Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding construction and maintenance of railroad grade crossings.
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Amends existing law regarding sidewalks to allow for wider sidewalks or side paths if necessary.
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House Transportation. Probably Dead
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Amends existing law to provide for new state and local transportation funding sources through a sales tax adjustment, a certificate of title fee adjustment, and through certain local funding opportunities through a revised Transportation Expansion and Congestion Mitigation Fund Program to be administered by the Idaho Transportation Department.
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Amends existing law to require that certain vehicle loads be covered and to remove exceptions.
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Amends existing law to remove a provision regarding certain optional charges related to technical review and to remove certain sunset provisions from session laws
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Amends existing law to provide that local jurisdictions shall not have authority to regulate off-highway vehicle traffic on sections of highway under their jurisdiction.
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Relates to the appropriation to the Idaho Transportation Department for fiscal year 2021.
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Amends existing law to increase funding for state and local transportation through sales tax and adjustments to the transportation expansion and congestion mitigation program.
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Amends existing law to increase funding for state and local transportation through sales tax.
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- November 9-11, 2021 Idaho's Local Transportation Conference-Coeur d'Alene
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House Transportation Committee
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Senate Transportation Committee
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How to Contact Your Legislator
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There are several ways to contact your legislator.
Click the button to find out who your representative is. It's easy, just put in your address.
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Send them an email directly, or contact the Legislative Information Center. They will take a message to your legislator.
E-mail must contain the sender’s name and address. To help us forward your message appropriately, please include your legislator’s name and/or legislative district.
Phone Numbers: (session only)
Hearing Impaired: 800-626-0471
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