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State Public Defender seeks millions in ongoing and one‑time funding after early transition and caseload surge
Summary
Agency created this year requests reappropriation, ongoing operating increases, personnel and onboarding funding after higher than expected caseloads and transition costs; lawmakers asked about scope, transcripts and county facility responsibilities.
Christopher Lahoset, a Legislative Services Office budget analyst, told the Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee the newly formed State Public Defender agency is seeking multiple supplemental and ongoing appropriations and additional positions to implement a statewide public defense system.
Lahoset said the State Public Defender was created in “title 19 chapter 60 section 3 of Idaho Code” and that the new agency’s budget relies heavily on a dedicated State Public Defense Fund. He said the Legislature directed the state controller to transfer $39 million from the tax relief fund into that dedicated fund (Lahoset cited the code reference as “section 57, 8 20 7 of Idaho code” in the presentation). The agency’s personnel budget was described as about $37.7 million, with a base appropriation just under $49 million and a current fiscal year appropriation of roughly $52,000,015.30.
Lahoset reviewed a series of supplemental and ongoing requests. For the current fiscal year, the…
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