After much debate, the House has voted 43-26 in favor of HB 95, the bill from Sen. Jim Rice, R-Caldwell, to exempt materials used in public roads from the sales tax. There was bipartisan opposition to the move; the bill now moves to the Senate side.

Rep. Greg Chaney, R-Caldwell, the House sponsor of the bill, said, “We have a growing revenue stream.” He said he was “concerned that we are more concerned with making any agency head uncomfortable” than providing for roads. “This is not a cut in spending. This is an opportunity to decline growth a little bit, because we all know the difficult position we’re in in finding $200 million for the roads.”