Committee advances technical change to budgeting for educational services for the deaf and blind

Representative Steve Miller introduced House Bill 169, which changes how the educational services for the deaf and blind submit and receive appropriations.

Jared Tietro, deputy division manager with budget and policy, summarized the measure and said the bill amends Idaho Code to require that the entity submit the budget exactly as approved by its board of directors and clarifies that appropriations are provided on July 1 rather than split delivery. "House Bill 169 is a very simple bill. Basically what it says is, it amends Idaho code 30‑3‑3408 that says the educational services for the deaf and blind shall submit a budget exactly as it was approved by their board of directors," Tietro said.

Nut graf: The change aligns the deaf-and-blind entity’s budget submission process with other entities and aims to simplify timing of appropriations; the committee approved the bill to move to the House floor with a due-pass recommendation.

Tietro told the committee the bill removes the possibility of the state superintendent unilaterally overriding the board-approved submission—language the sponsor said was never used but that the bill would clarify. He also said the bill clarifies the timing of appropriations so funding is provided at the start of the fiscal year rather than split into an 80/20 payment schedule.

Representative Miller described the bill as "a simple change" to make the budget process consistent with other budgets that come through the committee. There was no public testimony. The committee approved the motion to send House Bill 169 to the floor with a due-pass recommendation; the motion carried on a voice vote.

Ending: Representative Miller will carry House Bill 169 on the House floor, and the committee recorded the bill as having a due-pass recommendation to the full House.