JFAC approves multiple supplemental and FY2026 budget actions, including $8.6M for hazmat regional response

The Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee approved a slate of supplemental appropriations and fiscal year 2026 budget enhancements at its meeting, funding hazardous materials teams, public‑safety communications work and other agency needs while sending several measures on to the full legislature with due‑pass recommendations.

Committee members said the votes moved money to items the staff had identified as time‑sensitive, including vehicle and communications work that the Idaho State Police and National Guard need to deploy before year end. "This would allow public safety communications to contract for the installation of public safety communication systems and vehicles owned by the Idaho State Police," budget analyst Frances Lippitt told the committee when describing a $540,001 supplemental request for the military division.

Why it matters: The approved items provide one‑time and ongoing funding that agencies said is necessary to maintain or expand services, including hazardous‑materials response teams, veterans homes operations and agricultural pest control. The committee also approved personnel and IT additions for regulatory agencies and medical education funding intended to expand residency training in the state.

Key approvals and amounts - Hazardous substance emergency response — the committee approved a 1‑time appropriation and transfer of $34,200 from the general fund to the hazardous substance emergency response fund to reimburse remaining FY2024 cleanup costs. Motion carried (due pass recommendation). - Public safety communications (military division) — approved $540,001 1‑time from the general fund to support installation work and build four installation bays so vehicles can be returned to service by calendar year end. - Military division IT upgrade — approved $759,200 1‑time to upgrade IT infrastructure and create an independent network for public safety communications. - Hazmat regional response equipment — the committee approved a transfer of $8,600,000 from the state emergency relief fund to the miscellaneous revenue fund to purchase new equipment for hazmat regional response teams housed at local fire departments. - Division of Veterans Services (FY2026) — approved enhancement and replacement requests, including funds to create a temporary nursing staffing pool and to reappropriate federal construction grant funding for veterans homes projects. - Department of Agriculture — approved a $1,724,300 reimbursement to cover FY2024 exotic species monitoring and control (Japanese beetles, Mormon crickets and others) and approved a FY2026 package that included investigator pay structure changes, compensation items for inspectors and vehicle/equipment replacement funding. - Department of Finance and Department of Insurance — approved multiple FTEs and dedicated‑fund staffing requests, including positions focused on IT examination, cybersecurity, forensic accounting and an in‑house actuary. - Higher education / health education programs — approved funding to expand medical residency positions in multiple regions and related fellowships.

Votes at a glance (selected motions) - Hazardous substance emergency response: 1‑time $34,200 transfer — outcome: passed; tally reported as 20 ayes, 0 nays (committee roll call recorded unanimous support). - Public safety communications supplemental (military division): $540,001 1‑time — outcome: passed; unanimous. - Military division IT upgrade: $759,200 1‑time — outcome: passed; reported 19 ayes, 1 nay (Senate 9–1; House unanimous). - Hazmat regional response transfer: $8,600,000 1‑time transfer — outcome: passed; reported 19 ayes, 1 nay (Senate 9–1; House unanimous). - Division of Veterans Services FY2026 package — outcome: passed; reported 19 ayes, 1 nay. - Department of Agriculture FY2025 deficiency (pest control): $1,724,300 — outcome: passed; unanimous. - Department of Agriculture FY2026 package — outcome: passed; reported 18 ayes, 1 nay, 1 absent/excused. - Department of Finance FY2026 staffing (5 FTE added, $765,800 dedicated) — outcome: passed; reported 18 ayes, 1 nay, 1 absent/excused. - Department of Insurance FY2026 staffing and State Fire Marshal compensation — outcome: passed; reported 18 ayes, 1 nay, 1 absent/excused. - State Board of Education, Special Programs (rural educator incentive and related items): $1,414,100 GF, 0.27 FTE — outcome: passed; reported 18 ayes, 1 nay, 1 absent/excused. - Health education programs (residency expansions): $954,500 GF, 2 FTE — outcome: passed; reported 18 ayes, 1 nay, 1 absent/excused. - State Independent Living Council fund shift (move $11,600 from dedicated to general fund for benefits/CEC adjustments; net 0): outcome: passed; reported 18 ayes, 1 nay, 1 absent/excused. - Office of Health & Human Services ombudsman salary increase: $50,000 GF — outcome: failed in the House (motion did not carry in the House; to be revisited later).

What committee members noted - Transparency on totals: Representative Tanner asked staff to add a single line showing the total fiscal exposure from bills and appropriations; analyst Keith Bybee agreed to include totals for revenue bills and appropriations going forward. - Conflict of interest disclosure: Representative Petzke declared a potential rule‑of‑80 conflict and noted he serves on the board of a company that supplies equipment used by public safety communications; he asked that the record show his declaration.

Discussion and next steps Most items carried without extended debate; where staff described operational urgency (for example the communications installations and hazmat equipment), members emphasized getting vehicles and equipment back into service. The one item that failed was the new ombudsman salary increase; the motion passed in the Senate but did not secure the required support in the House and will be taken up at a later date.

The committee scheduled continued budget work at a later meeting. Committee staff closed the session by thanking analysts and noting the panel would reconvene Monday morning at 8 a.m.