JFAC approves multiple agency budget supplements, enhancements and transfers; one ombudsman request fails House

Boise — The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee on Valentine’s Day advanced a slate of supplemental appropriations, FY2026 enhancement requests and fund transfers affecting Idaho’s Military Division, veterans services, agriculture, insurance, higher-education special programs and several other agencies.

The committee approved multiple one-time and ongoing funding requests, many by unanimous or near-unanimous roll-call votes. A separate motion to add $50,000 for a new Office of Health and Social Services ombudsman failed to pass the House side and will be taken up later.

Why this matters: The motions moved and voted on Thursday adjust next year’s spending plan and authorize use or transfer of existing state funds for hazard response, public-safety communications, IT upgrades, veterans homes, invasive-species control, medical residencies and other programs. Several items also included language requiring follow-up reports to the committee.

Most significant actions - Military Division: The committee approved multiple items for the Military Division, including a $34,200 one-time transfer from the general fund to reimburse hazardous materials cleanup costs; a $540,001 one-time appropriation for public safety communications installation support; and $759,200 one-time for IT infrastructure and licensing to create an independent public-safety communications network. The committee also approved FY2026 adjustments including a new network-administrator position, IT allocations, replacement vehicles and equipment, and an $8,600,000 transfer from the continuously appropriated State Emergency Relief Fund into the division’s miscellaneous revenue fund to equip regional hazardous-materials response teams.

- Veterans services: JFAC approved FY2026 requests that include a personnel reallocation of $1.2 million to create a temporary nursing staffing pool for veterans homes, IT and capital requests, replacement items and reappropriation authority for federal construction grants related to Boise and Lewiston veterans homes.

- Department of Agriculture: The committee approved a $1,724,300 one-time transfer from the general fund to cover exotic species monitoring and control costs (Japanese beetles, Mormon crickets and similar pests). It also approved FY2026 compensation, replacement and IT requests for the department.

- Department of Finance and Department of Insurance: The committee approved multiple staffing enhancements for the Department of Finance (adding five full-time equivalent positions and related dedicated fund support) and two positions plus pay adjustments in the Department of Insurance.

- Higher education special programs and health education: JFAC approved several small enhancements in the State Board of Education special programs budget, including funding for rural educator incentives and other minor positions, and approved $954,500 in new ongoing support and two full-time equivalents for medical and dental residency programs across Idaho.

- Licensing and certification: The committee approved intent language exempting the Department of Health & Welfare’s Licensing & Certification program from a statutory restriction on transfers between personnel and operating categories for 2025–26; it also required a report and directed the department to work with the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses on a draft proposal and report to JFAC. That language drew objections during the unanimous-consent request and was the subject of a recorded vote (see “Votes at a glance”).

Votes at a glance (selected motions and outcomes) - Hazardous substance emergency response fund: one-time transfer of $34,200 from general fund — mover: Senator Ward Engelking; second: Representative Petzke; outcome: passed, 20 ayes, 0 nays (total).

- Public safety communications support (Military Division): one-time appropriation $540,001 from general fund — mover: Senator Ward Engelking; second: Representative Handy; outcome: passed, 20 ayes, 0 nays.

- IT infrastructure upgrade (Military Division): one-time $759,200 from general fund — mover: Representative Petzke; second: Senator Ward Engelking; outcome: passed, 19 ayes, 1 nay.

- FY2026 Military Division package (network admin, vehicle/equipment replacements, hazmat regional response): net increase including $8,600,000 transfer from state emergency relief fund — mover: Representative Petzke; second: Senator Ward Engelking; outcome: passed, 19 ayes, 1 nay.

- Veterans services FY2026 adjustments (staffing pool, capital, IT): mover: Senator Woodward; second: Representative Handy; outcome: passed, 19 ayes, 1 nay.

- Department of Agriculture deficiency (exotic species): one-time transfer $1,724,300 — mover: Representative Handy; second: Senator Hart; outcome: passed, 20 ayes, 0 nays.

- Department of Agriculture FY2026 package (pay structure, CEC, replacements): mover: Senator Cook; second: Representative Handy; outcome: passed, 18 ayes, 1 nay, 1 absent/excused.

- Department of Finance FY2026 enhancements (5 FTE recommended): mover: Senator Hart; second: Representative Galaviz; outcome: passed, 18 ayes, 1 nay, 1 absent/excused.

- Department of Insurance FY2026 enhancements (2 FTE and pay adjustments): mover: Representative Furness; second: Senator Cook; outcome: passed, 18 ayes, 1 nay, 1 absent/excused.

- State Board of Education, Division of Special Programs FY2026 (rural educator incentive, small positions): mover: Senator Carlson; second: Representative Price; outcome: passed, 18 ayes, 1 nay, 1 absent/excused.

- Health education programs (residency funding and 2 FTE): mover: Representative Petsky; second: Senator Galloway; outcome: passed, 18 ayes, 1 nay, 1 absent/excused.

- Licensing & Certification language (transfer exemption and report; direction to draft potential legislation): mover: Representative Tanner; second: Senator Cook; recorded vote after objection to unanimous consent — outcome: passed, 16 ayes, 2 nays, 2 absent/excused.

- Division of Indirect Support Services (Department of Health & Welfare) replacement items and IT hardware: mover: Representative Mitchell; second: Rep. Cyndi Bierke; outcome: passed, 17 ayes, 1 nay, 2 absent/excused.

- Office of Health & Social Services Ombudsman ($50,000): mover: Senator Wintrow; second: Representative Handy; outcome: motion failed in the House and did not pass (Senate: 8 ayes, 2 nays; House: 5 ayes, 2 nays, 3 abstentions; total 13 ayes, 4 nays, 3 abstentions). The committee indicated the item will be revisited.

What the committee asked for next: Several motions included reporting requirements or “intent” language directing departments to provide data back to JFAC by specified dates (for example, a vehicle-fleet utilization report for the Department of Health & Welfare due to JFAC through legislative services by Dec. 15). The committee also requested follow-up work to reassess budget structures for small special-program line items next year.

Procedural notes: Many motions were made by members of either the Senate or House delegation on JFAC and were seconded by members from the opposite chamber; Ms. Figueroa served as the roll-call clerk. A number of votes were unanimous on both chambers, while several FY2026 enhancement packages passed with a single recorded Senate “nay.”

Looking ahead: JFAC will continue budget work next week when the committee reconvenes. The failed ombudsman motion will be revisited at a later date.

Sources: Committee proceedings and roll-call votes captured on the Feb. 14 JFAC hearing transcript.