BOISE — State budget writers on Thursday approved North Idaho College's $302,300 budget request for expanding programs at its Sandpoint Outreach Center.

Idaho Gov. Butch Otter had requested $226,700 for that planned NIC expansion.The approved $302,300 for NIC's Sandpoint expansion was part of the $33 million in state general funding approved for Idaho's three community colleges, which in addition to NIC includes the College of Western Idaho in Nampa and the College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls.

Also Thursday, the Legislature's joint budget committee left out a $101,700 funding request to establish a veteran's center at NIC's Coeur d'Alene campus. Nothing was requested by the Otter administration for that line item.Sen. Shawn Keough, vice-chair of the joint Finance-Appropriations Committee, lauded the budget panel's decision to fund the enhancement request for the NIC's Sandpoint facility.

"This funding that the JFAC passed today will make it possible for the students in Bonner and Boundary county to get a bachelor's degree without having to drive as far as Coeur d'Alene," said Keough, R-Sandpoint, referring to course offerings at NIC through Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston and the University of Idaho. "So that's a tremendous boost and opportunity for our communities."