Among bills going through both houses today: HB 637, the higher ed budget. It passed the House 56-14, and just now passed the Senate 34-1, with just Sen. Sheryl Nuxoll. R-Cottonwood, dissenting. The budget reflects an 8 percent increase in state general funds for the state’s four-year colleges and universities, but the House sponsor, Rep. Wendy Horman, R-Idaho Falls, cautioned that much of the increase is for required items like personnel cost increases. Without those increases required to keep programs as-is, she said, it’s just a 3 percent increase. The budget bill now goes to Gov. Butch Otter.