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JFAC approves Idaho State Police requests including remote trooper housing and personnel shifts
Summary
The joint committee approved multiple Idaho State Police (ISP) supplemental and FY2026 requests including a one‑time remote housing unit in Fairfield, personnel transfers into forensics, a SORNA grant, replacement vehicles and a targeted 6% pay increase for commissioned and forensic staff.
BOISE — The Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee approved several Idaho State Police budget items and supplemental requests on motions that combined federal, dedicated and general fund adjustments.
The committee approved a $268,100 one‑time general‑fund supplemental to purchase a remote housing unit for state troopers to be placed in Fairfield. Senator Carlson moved the supplemental and the committee passed it after Senator Miller declared a potential conflict and was excused from voting on that item.
Analysts and committee members then considered a package of FY2026 enhancements and adjustments for ISP. Legislative analyst Noah Peterson outlined requests that included converting part‑time fleet‑service staff to full time, creating a special investigations unit to handle Idaho Department of Correction facility cases, adding a forensic deputy lab manager, shifting $5,205,800 from the Idaho Law Enforcement Fund to the general fund for agency‑wide funding mechanics, and funding an ILADS disaster‑recovery database.
The committee also approved transferring digital forensics personnel from Investigations into the Forensics program and accepted a $50,000 federal grant to support SORNA (sex offender registry) compliance work. ISP requested replacement items totaling $5,090,700 — primarily vehicles and body armor — and IT hardware at $942,800 recommended by the Office of Information Technology Services.
On compensation, the committee approved a targeted 6% salary increase for commissioned officers and forensic staff for FY2026 as part of the package. Senator Woodward, who introduced the motion combining the items, included the pay adjustment as an explicit line item: “Add $716,400 for a targeted 6% salary increase for commissioned officers and forensic staff.”
Why it matters: The approved shifts and personnel changes reshape ISP’s funding mix ahead of the next fiscal year, reallocate staff into forensic responsibilities, and add both operational equipment and a modest pay increase for front‑line commissioned personnel.
Committee members noted the fifth year of a highway distribution fund shift in the ISP budget and discussed agency workload and the need to align funding sources with personnel compensation adjustments. The combined ISP package passed by roll call and will carry a due‑pass recommendation to the legislature.
