New State Public Defender agency seeks millions for operations, transcript costs and county onboarding

Christopher Lahoset, budget analyst with the Legislative Services Office, presented the Office of the State Public Defender’s first agency budget to the Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee and outlined its funding sources, staffing and enhancement requests.

Lahoset said the new agency was established by statute in “title 19, chapter 60, section 3 of Idaho Code” and that a one‑time transfer directed by statute (cited in the presentation as section 57‑8207) required the state controller to move $39 million from the tax relief fund into the state public defense fund. Lahoset said roughly two‑thirds of the agency’s fiscal 2025 funding will sit in that dedicated state public defense fund and that, because cash transfers require both cash and legislative appropriation, the agency needs supplemental spending authority to use the transferred cash.

Lahoset summarized several supplemental and ongoing requests. For the current fiscal year the agency requests a one‑time supplemental appropriation of $2,500,000 to fully utilize the cash transfer into the state public defense fund; Lahoset said the money is earmarked “to provide representation for children and parents who qualify under the Child Protective Act.” The governor…