Four sets of possible amendments to HB 312, the transportation funding bill, have now been distributed to senators, as they prepare for their amending order; some are lengthy. “This is going to be one of the more interesting committee of the wholes that I‘ve ever chaired, as we go through this process,” said Senate Assistant Majority Leader Chuck Winder, R-Boise, who is presiding. “We have four sets of amendments. Most of them in some way or another conflict with each other.”

The first, A3, is from Sen. Cherie Buckner-Webb, D-Boise; it would shift $10 million that now goes to GARVEE bond debt service to public transportation, through a shift between state and federal funds and tapping a portion of new, increased vehicle registration fees. The second, A5, from Sen. Lori DenHartog, is a “radiator cap,” replacing the entire text of HB 312. A6 is from Sen. Grant Burgoyne, and is the shortest one. A4, from Senate Transportation Chairman Bert Brackett, is a multi-year proposal.

The "radiator cap" nomenclature refers to the idea of a bill as a vehicle that's pulled in, the radiator cap removed, then an entirely new vehicle driven in in its place, and the radiator cap replaced. The cap is the bill number.