House Appropriations Committee inserts federal‑funds trigger language into budget draft, raises rainy‑day unreserve to 10%

BOISE, Idaho — At a March 24, 2025 meeting of the House Appropriations Committee, Legislative Counsel staff presented statutory draft language the committee placed into its budget draft to clarify how state officials must respond if federal funding falls short and to increase the amount of rainy‑day funds that may be unreserved.

Brynn Haire, director and chief counsel for Legislative Counsel, told the committee the draft edits amend the statute that governs interim budget adjustments to add language reflecting current practice: if anticipated funding sources drop, the Secretary of Administration must prepare an expenditure‑reduction and transfer plan for the Joint Fiscal Committee to consider. The draft makes explicit a 1% trigger — now defined as a 1% or greater reduction in total…