The Senate has voted 19-14 in favor of SB 1317a, which would permit remaining unused bonding authority in the GARVEE bonding program for certain major highway projects to also be used to address a huge statewide backlog of bridge work. Senate Assistant Majority Leader Chuck Winder, R-Meridian, a former Idaho Transportation board chairman, told the Senate, "This is one vehicle that the department has to deal with major projects. ... It would still be up to the board and it would still be up to the Legislature" to appropriate any funds in the future.

Sen. Steve Bair, R-Blackfoot, who was among the opponents of the bill, said, "We're not going to to be able to pay for the remaining projects, let alone the bridges." The bill now heads to a House committee.