A day after the House Transportation Committee eviscerated Rep. Ric Killian’s proposal requiring the N.C. Department of Transportation to get legislative approval before accepting large federal rail grants, a panel writing the House budget put the approval mandate back in.

Dome reports that the House Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee (which Killian co-chairs) wrote a provision in the budget forcing DOT to consult with the General Assembly for any federal rail funding worth more than $3 million and to get lawmakers’ OK for any project worth more than $5 million.

Killian promised yesterday to address a concern in his original proposal raised by Democrats, who said the mandate would force the General Assembly into special session any time Washington provided new rail funds. We’ll see if the language he comes up with assuages his critics — and if this measure survives budget negotiations.

Anthony Greco reported on the move against Killian’s oversight proposal in the video below.