Millennium Fund: JFAC approves $1.29M supplemental for youth assessment centers but larger FY2026 Millennium Fund package fails on House floor

The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee approved a $1,291,001 fiscal-year-2025 supplemental from Idaho’s Millennium Income Fund to support youth assessment centers linked with the Department of Juvenile Corrections. Committee materials and analysts said that the supplemental continues a multi-year effort begun in prior sessions to stand up youth assessment centers and move them toward local sustainability.

Senator Bierke, co-chair of the Millennium Fund Committee, summarized the group’s intent to return funding to prevention-oriented efforts tied to the original tobacco-settlement priorities, emphasizing surveys and school-focused campaigns to address youth vaping and opioid (fentanyl) risks. The supplemental motion to juvenile corrections passed on recorded roll calls and was accepted with unanimous consent for the related appropriation language.

Later in the meeting, JFAC considered the Millennium Fund FY2026 package recommended by the Millennium Fund Committee. The package included $350,000 for a youth assessment survey, $500,000 from the opioid settlement fund for a fentanyl campaign, personnel funding at Idaho Public Television, $2,000,000 for a second cohort of school resource officers, $1,500,000 for after-school programs, and $2,500,000 one-time for juvenile corrections youth assessment centers (the FY2026 request). That FY2026 package drew extended debate in the committee, produced a substitute motion reducing the package and removing the survey and after-school proposals, and ultimately failed to secure the House’s majority support. Committee members' remarks show the Millennium Fund group prioritized prevention and education programs; opponents raised concerns about survey scope, the evidence base for some interventions, and the policy fit for Millennium Fund dollars.

Votes: - FY2025 supplemental — Department of Juvenile Corrections (youth assessment centers): $1,291,001 one-time from the Millennium Income Fund — passed (Senate: 9 yes, 1 nay; House: 10 yes; Grand total announced: 19 yes, 1 nay). - FY2026 Millennium Fund package (total requested roughly $7,060,000 including youth assessment centers, prevention campaigns, after-school programs, resource officers and other items): committee vote ultimately failed when the House did not provide a majority; final announced committee totals were 12 yes, 8 no (motion did not pass both houses and will be considered at a later date).

Why it matters: the approved supplemental maintains state support for newly established youth assessment centers while the larger FY2026 proposal — aimed at prevention and school-based interventions — did not secure passage. Lawmakers emphasized limiting long-term commitments from Millennium funds and requested sustainability plans from centers that would receive one-time funding.

What’s next: juvenile corrections will receive the approved supplemental and must comply with language requiring sustainability plans and reporting. The larger FY2026 Millennium Fund package may be revisited in future sessions or after committee follow-up; committee members noted continued discussions about prioritization and fidelity to Millennium Fund purposes.

Notable quotes: Senator Bierke said the committee aimed to return to the fund’s original emphasis on cessation and prevention efforts and described the process as "a collaborative effort to make sure that we're doing the best we can with the monies afforded to the Millennium Fund." Representative Mitchell and others raised concerns about the youth survey’s scope and the evidence base for certain after-school proposals.