BOISE — The Idaho Senate approved the budget for Idaho Public Television for next year in a 28-6 vote Tuesday. The favorable Senate debate provided a sharp contrast to the one held in the House last week. The House passed the budget bill by just two votes after representatives expressed indignation over IPTV programming.

HB 283 would approve $2.7 million in state funds to be put toward IPTV’s $9.6 million 2021 budget. As the Idaho Press reported in December, about a quarter of the station’s annual budget comes from the state, and that money is used for infrastructure and operational costs. The remaining budget, used for programming, is funded by private donors and grants. The channel is funded and operated by the Idaho State Board of Education.

All senators who spoke during debate were in favor of approving the channel’s budget. They noted IPTV runs the state’s emergency broadcast system and live streams the Legislative session to allow the public to watch elected officials in action. Others praised its programs such as Outdoor Idaho, Resilient Idaho and children’s educational learning programs.

”Idaho Public Television connects this state like nothing else we fund here,” Sen. Janie Ward-Engelking, D-Boise said.

On March 8, several representatives urged the House to reject it. Rep. Priscilla Giddings, R-White Bird, said she won’t let her two young children watch Idaho Public TV “because it is so partisan,” pointing to such programs as “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood” and “Arthur,” reported Betsy Russel of the Idaho Press. Rep. Ron Nate, R-Rexburg, said he didn’t like “Clifford the Big Red Dog” because it showed a lesbian couple.

”I just pulled up last week and all of the programming,” Giddings said. “They talk about white privilege. We talk about, in ‘Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood,’ about race and racism. Then you have Arthur’s report on global warming. So I think we have a problem.”

Other House members were upset over what they saw as negative depictions of Republican politicians in some of IPTV’s programs.

In the end, the channel’s budget passed the House by just two votes: 36-34.

”Over 500,000 people a week watch Idaho Public Television, in a state that has 1.8 million people,” said Rep. Caroline Nilsson Troy, R-Genesse, vice-chairwoman of the Legislature’s joint budget committee and House sponsor of the bill. “That’s astonishing to me. That programming is meaningful. That programming includes news services, it’s children’s programs, it includes local programming that Idaho Public Television develops itself. Our Idahoans are voting by turning on their TV and turning on Idaho Public Television.”