JFAC approves program-maintenance budgets for multiple agencies; CEC and health insurance deferred

The Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee approved a series of program-maintenance budgets and accompanying statutory language for dozens of state agencies during its Jan. 17 meeting, adopting spending and staffing baselines while leaving unresolved larger compensation and health benefit decisions.

Committee staff described the maintenance budgets as the baseline operations authorized by previous legislatures, with the committee adding only predetermined statewide adjustments such as cost-allocation changes and limited contract inflation where requested. Mr. Bybee, Legislative Services Office budget staff, presented the approach and noted that the legislative branch, judicial branch, constitutional officers, public safety agencies, and dozens of other departments were before the committee for program-maintenance votes.

Why it matters: Program-maintenance bills set the baseline funding agencies will work from during the next budget cycle. The committee carried due-pass recommendations on each item to move the appropriations forward in the legislative process; members deferred decisions on the compensation element (CEC) and on health-insurance adjustments for a later meeting.

Votes at a glance (selected agency program-maintenance motions, totals and final roll-call outcomes taken from committee record): - Legislative branch: $12,546,100 total (General Fund $10,003,100; Dedicated $2,543,000) — motion passed unanimously, 20-0. - Judicial branch: $96,696,300 total (General Fund $71,147,500; Dedicated $23,596,500; Federal $1,952,300) — motion passed unanimously, 20-0. - Constitutional officers (six statewide elected officers): $73,630,300 total (General Fund $54,865,900; Dedicated $15,562,400; Federal $3,202,000) — motion passed unanimously, 20-0. - Public safety (Corrections, Juvenile Corrections, State Police, etc.): $528,074,000 total (General Fund $434,644,300; Dedicated $74,476,800; Federal $18,952,900) — motion passed unanimously, 20-0. - General government agencies: $479,688,000 total (General Fund $75,093,100; Dedicated $224,567,500; Federal $180,027,400) — motion passed unanimously, 20-0. - Economic development functional area (DoA, Commerce, Labor, DEQ-related offices listed in packet): $1,380,135,600 total (General Fund $60,732,300; Dedicated $643,771,700; Federal $675,631,600) — motion passed unanimously, 20-0. - Natural resources: $513,855,000 total (General Fund $65,893,100; Dedicated $195,237,900; Federal $252,724,000) — motion passed unanimously, 20-0. - State Board of Education and affiliated programs (universities, community colleges, etc.): $1,099,940,000 total (General Fund $672,259,000; Dedicated $373,276,000; Federal $54,405,000) — motion passed unanimously, 20-0. - Public school support: $3,166,965,700 total (General Fund $2,651,787,500; Dedicated $264,030,400; Federal $251,147,800) — motion passed unanimously, 20-0.

A notable exception to the otherwise unanimous record was the committee’s action earlier in the meeting on structural changes inside the Department of Health and Welfare (realignment of appropriation units and addition of an Idaho Childcare Program unit). That motion passed but not unanimously: the final tally recorded in the minutes was 18 yeas, 1 nay and 1 absent excused (Representative Petzke announced he would vote no, citing the need for additional information before he could support significant reassignments of FTPs and dollars).

The committee repeatedly approved “clear language” sections that accompany appropriations: exemptions from expense-class transfer limits where historically applied, reappropriation authority for unspent ARPA/state fiscal recovery dollars, and reporting and accountability requirements for several funds. Mr. Bybee and agency analysts walked members through the language on specific items, for example reappropriation authority for judicial and legislative technology projects supported by ARPA funding, reappropriation of broadband funds, and continuous-appropriation provisions for boards with fee-funded activities.

CEC and health insurance: committee chairs said they did not reach consensus on compensation-related CEC numbers or on health-benefit insurance dollars and postponed those decisions to a future meeting; options include a multi-agency trailer bill or handling the items once staffers can reconcile recommended figures.

What’s next: staff will draft the bills reflecting the motions adopted and bring them back for a brief review; the committee planned a following review hearing once draft bills are available to check technical language before introduction.