40-719. STRATEGIC INITIATIVES PROGRAM. (1) The Idaho transportation department shall establish and maintain a strategic initiatives program. The purpose of the program is to fund transportation projects that are proposed by the department’s six (6) districts and local units of government. Proposed projects shall compete for strategic initiative program selection and funding on a statewide basis based on an analysis of their return on investment in the following categories:

(a) Safety, including the projected reduction of crashes, injuries and fatalities;

(b) Mobility, including projected traffic-flow improvements for freight and passenger cars;

(c) Economic opportunity, including the projected cost-benefit ratio for users and businesses;

(d) The repair and maintenance of bridges;

(e) The purchase of public rights-of-way; and

(f) Children pedestrian safety on the state and local system.

(2) There is hereby established in the state treasury the strategic initiatives program fund to which shall be deposited:

(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 57-814, Idaho Code, the provisions of this paragraph shall only be in effect from the effective date of this act through May 31, 2019. After the close of the fiscal year, the state controller shall determine any excess cash balance in the general fund. When calculating any excess cash balance the state controller shall first provide for the ending balance as determined by the legislative record to be carried over into the next fiscal year, plus an amount sufficient to cover encumbrances as approved by the division of financial management, and an amount sufficient to cover any reappropriation as authorized by the legislature. On July 1, or as soon thereafter as is practicable, the state controller shall transfer fifty percent (50%) of any general fund excess to the strategic initiatives fund.

(b) Any other appropriated moneys for funding of the strategic initiatives program.

(c) Unless otherwise specified, moneys transferred into the strategic initiatives program fund after May 30, 2017, shall be apportioned as follows:

(i) Sixty percent (60%) to projects proposed by the Idaho transportation department’s six (6) districts; and

(ii) Forty percent (40%) to local units of government for the purpose of operating a strategic initiatives program administered by the local highway technical assistance council established in section 40-2401, Idaho Code.

(d) The strategic initiatives program for local units of government shall be exempt from the requirements contained in subsection (1)(c) of this section.

(3) Interest earned on the investment of idle moneys in the fund shall be paid to the fund. All moneys in the fund shall be used for funding the strategic initiatives program.

History:

[40-719, added 2015, ch. 341, sec. 6, p. 1285; am. 2017, ch. 322, sec. 8, p. 844; am. 2017, ch. 337, sec. 1, p. 871.]