Votes at a glance: March 19 Idaho Senate — budget transfers, agency appropriations, confirmations and housekeeping bills

The Idaho Senate on March 19 took final action on multiple bills and confirmed several gubernatorial appointments. Debate ranged from multi‑page technical bills to short budget transfers; most measures passed on final reading.

Key votes and outcomes (Senate action on final reading unless noted):

- Senate Bill 11‑72 (Finance): Approved — transfers $140,900 within Department of Commerce programs for a net zero budget impact; passed on final consideration and will be transmitted to the House. (Sponsor: Senator Hart; roll call: title approved after pass.)

- Senate Bill 11‑73 (Finance; Department of Juvenile Corrections appropriation): Approved — authorizes modest enhancements (total $1,057,600, ongoing portion $1,057,600 one‑time referenced) for radio upgrades, residential substance abuse treatment and IT replacements; passed 33 ayes, 1 nay, 1 absent/excused and will be transmitted to the House. (Sponsor: Senator Wintrow.)

- Senate Bill 11‑74 (Finance; Industrial Commission appropriation): Approved — additional appropriation drawn from dedicated funds, described as a 3.3% increase over base but a 9.1% reduction versus an earlier year; passed the Senate (tally reported on floor: 27 ayes, 7 nays, 1 absent/excused). (Sponsor: Senator Cook.)

- Senate Bill 11‑67 (Judiciary and Rules; weather modification districts): Approved — repeals an obsolete taxing district for "weather modification" that had not been used in decades; passed unanimously (34‑0 with 1 absent and excused reported). (Sponsor: Senator Nichols.)

- Senate Bill 11‑70 (State Affairs; ore processing by cyanidation): Approved — detailed permitting code for cyanide leaching facilities; passed (vote tally recorded as 30 ayes, 4 nays, 1 absent excused). (Sponsor: Senator Hart.) See separate article for fuller coverage of debate.

- House Bill 3‑54 (Property taxes; market value and appeals): Approved — final passage reported 34 ayes, 0 nays, 1 absent/excused; returns to the House. (Sponsor: Senator Burnt.)

- House Bill 2‑86 (Board of Pharmacy composition; add certified pharmacy technician member): Approved — passed on final reading and returns to the House. (Sponsor: Senator Blaylock.)

- House Bill 2‑89 (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists scope): Approved — passed 33‑0 with 2 absent; clarifies CRNAs' scope and liability distinctions. (Sponsor: Senator Bierke.)

- House Bill 3‑12 (Daycare licensing rules moved to statute): Approved — passed; moves 19 sections from rule to statute, as framed by sponsor. (Sponsor: Senator Lenny.)

- House Bill 3‑36 (Child support rules moved to statute): Approved — completed earlier rule‑to‑statute movement; passed 29‑4 with 2 absent. (Sponsor: Senator Shippey.)

- House Bill 2‑15 (Report streamlining; LSO online repository): Approved — passed; moves many agency reports to online access. (Sponsor: Senator Lenny.)

- House Bill 2‑22 (State websites to post rules/policies): Approved — passed; requires agencies with an online presence to post administrative rules and policies. (Sponsor: Senator Lenny.)

- House Bill 1‑13 (Codifier and technical corrections): Approved — annual code cleanup passed. (Sponsor: Senator Lenny.)

- House Bill 3‑58 (Comptroller reporting of agreements): Approved — moved controller policy into statute for transparency. (Sponsor: Senator Lenny.)

- House Bill 3‑77 (Recall elections housekeeping): Approved — brought recall code into conformity with districting for city council elections. (Sponsor: Senator Shippey.)

- House Bill 3‑86 (County legal description corrections): Approved — cleanups of metes and bounds language; passed. (Sponsor: Senator O'Conowitz.)

- House Bill 2‑75 (School internet filtering consolidation): Approved — consolidates three code sections into one for local school filtering policies; passed 33‑1 with 1 absent. (Sponsor: Senator Lantz.)

Other actions:

- The Senate confirmed numerous gubernatorial appointments by committee report: Joshua Whitworth (Office of State Board of Education executive director); Matthew Thomas (offender management board); Karen Sharpenack (State Soil & Water Conservation Commission); John Ford Elassser (Lake Pend Oreille Basin Commission); Kevin Settles (Idaho Commission on Human Rights); Jim Woodward (Endowment Fund Investment Board); Courtney Liddiard (Parks & Recreation Board); Nancy Merrill (Idaho Personnel Commission); Paul Amador (Public Charter School Commission); Anna Janie Dressen (Commission of Pardons and Parole); William Craig Corbett (Idaho Lottery Commission). Committee reports were adopted on the floor and paperwork filed for gubernatorial notification.

Why it matters: The March 19 session processed a mix of budget transfers, agency appropriations, rule‑to‑statute housekeeping, and confirmations. Several items involve funding or program changes that will affect agencies and local governments; others are technical or administrative but change where policy resides (statute vs. rule).

Provenance: Floor readings, sponsor explanations and roll‑call results are recorded in the Senate journal for March 19, 2025 (transcript excerpts cited below).