The new state budget could bring back highway tolls.

Earlier in the year, lawmakers dropped a plan to study the idea of bringing back tolls, because voters didn’t support the idea.

Now, Gov. Dannel Malloy's new budget proposal includes a Transportation Finance Authority that includes "the authorization of electronic tolling."

"The governor sprung it on everyone,” says state Sen. Toni Boucher. “Going a backdoor around the legislature, which is not very well-appreciated, I might add, on an issue that's highly controversial."

Boucher went on to say that lawmakers should make that decision, not the governor's office.

Meanwhile, Meg Green, Gov. Malloy’s press secretary, says: “We are proposing the creation of a quasi-public [entity] that will be focused on analyzing the revenues dedicated to the Special Transportation Fund, projecting out-year revenues and expenditures, and ensuring the solvency and adequacy of the Special Transportation Fund.”

Gov. Malloy’s office did not say whether the proposed authority would have the power to reinstate tolls without legislative approval.

Lawmakers have the power to remove the plan from the state budget.