BOISE — The financially troubled Idaho Education Network broadband program got a $6.6 million bailout Monday from state budget writers.

That stopgap funding, if it ultimately becomes law, would make up for the lack of federal money that was supposed to be received last year to pay for it.

Budget items approved by the Legislature’s powerful Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee usually become law.

Under intent language approved by the JFAC on Monday, the program vendor — Education Networks of America — will be required to eventually reimburse the state when the federal dollars arrive.

Even so, Sen. Dan Schmidt, D-Moscow, issued a word of caution to colleagues about future oversight of the K-12 technology program.

Saying, “I’ll support the request,” Schmidt noted that currently there are three state budgeters on a committee overseeing the IEN, when there should be four, from Schmidt’s perspective.

“We’re gonna need to maintain that participation and active involvement,” Schmidt said. “And, I think that would be very helpful.”

“Good comment,” said Sen. Dean Cameron, R-Rupert, a JFAC co-chair.

Action Monday by the JFAC shores up financing for a program where lawmakers recently were told that ENA hasn’t been paid for its services through E-rate funds from federal channels.

“We’re almost a year into when this issue happened,” said Rep. Maxine Bell, R-Jerome, the JFAC House co-chair. “But we’re two months into when we knew about it. And, at this point it’s of the essence that we continue with the (state budget) year that we’re in. This is a vital service; it’s a valuable service to the schools.”

Sen. Shawn Keough, R-Sandpoint — vice-chair of the Senate Finance Committee — seconded Bell’s motion for the extra money to rescue the IEN program from discontinuation.

“This supplemental request, as I just said, is necessary to continue this service that our schools have been enjoying and using, utilizing this past year,” Bell said.  “We don’t want to interrupt that service to the students.”

Rep. Shirley Ringo, D-Moscow, had a question about how the new arrangement approved unanimously by the 20-member JFAC would work.

 “Is there any chance that ENA would not be eager to amend the contract as we’ve indicated here?” Ringo asked.

“I would think, Rep. Ringo, that there’d be every chance that they would not want to amend the contract,” Cameron said. “But, if they’re wanting the funds, that’s what’s required of the language.”

 The approved $6.6 million supplemental appropriation covers IEN financial obligations to be paid to ENA for the budget year ending June 30, but the joint budget committee left on the table another $7.8 million in requests by the Department of Administration that included IEN funding for the 2015 budget year — starting July 1.

“Now, stay tuned for how we handle fiscal year 2015,” Cameron said. “Another battle, another discussion.”