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Committee approves funding and transfer related to Idaho State Historical Society and America250 commemoration
Summary
The committee approved additions to the State Historical Society budget for staffing, archives moving and IT, and moved unspent America250 funds into a newly established America250 Commemoration Fund at the State Treasurer's Office.
The Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee on Monday approved a package of budget additions for the Idaho State Historical Society and moved remaining America250 appropriation dollars into a treasurer‑held fund for statewide commemoration oversight.
An analyst described the agency’s requests: two full‑time positions and $141,000 for staffing at the old Idaho Penitentiary (a store manager and an education specialist); $62,900 for a limited‑service archivist technician to index collections for a public online registry; $450,000 (one time) to move state collections into a centralized, climate‑controlled location; and $90,200 for information‑technology equipment. The motion added a total of $744,100 and three full‑time equivalent positions, with the committee noting the $450,000 move is a one‑time cost as part of a two‑year plan.
Representative Tanner asked whether previous funding for a new facility had included moving costs. Staff and the historical society director said funding for the building did not include moving costs, and the $450,000 represents the separate expense to relocate the collections.
The motion to add the Historical Society items passed with a combined vote of 14 ayes and 6 nays across the two committees (Senate: 7 aye, 3 nay; House: 7 aye, 3 nay). Committee staff later moved a supplemental transfer tied to House Bill 357, which established an America250 commemoration fund and council. Of the $1,650,000 appropriated for America250, $128,725 had been expended; the committee approved moving the remaining $821,200 out of the general fund into the America250 Commemoration Fund and appropriating that same amount to the State Treasurer for stewardship. Both the reduction of $821,200 from the general fund and the treasurer appropriation passed unanimously (20‑0).
Committee members said the America250 advisory group plans to emphasize celebratory events rather than monuments. Staff distributed an accounting of expenditures and said the advisory committee took a different approach to celebrations than some legislators initially expected.
The committee recorded the actions as due‑pass recommendations and moved on to other budget items.
