Idaho State Liquor Division outlines spending requests as FY2024 distributions top $118M

Kellen McGurkin, a budget and policy analyst with the Legislative Services Office, presented the Idaho State Liquor Division budget to the Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee, saying the agency’s FY2024 distributions totaled about $118,300,000. McGurkin told the committee these distributions are governed by Idaho Code and the division’s statutory charter to control importation and distribution of beverage alcohol and to “responsibly optimize the net revenues to the citizens of Idaho.”

The presentation and subsequent questioning focused on how those distributions are calculated, the agency’s staffing model, and several FY2026 requests. McGurkin explained that a 2% surcharge on liquor sales goes to the court services fund (about $6.7 million in FY2024); after operating costs and fund‑balance requirements the remaining revenues are split, with roughly $56.3 million of FY2024 going to cities, counties and magistrate courts. He also described fixed and statutory sub‑distributions (including a portion to the Peace Officer Standards and Training Fund) before any remainder transfers to the…