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Millennium Fund committee seeks one‑time money to keep youth assessment centers open, recommends prevention programming
Summary
Joint Millennium Fund Committee reported priorities including one‑time funding for 12 youth assessment centers, a $2 million recommendation for school vaping detection and youth prevention programs, and support for Idaho Public Television staffing; JFAC accepted the committee report by unanimous consent.
The Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee on Feb. 28 received the Millennium Fund Committee’s recommendations and accepted the committee’s report by unanimous consent after members discussed one‑time funding needs for youth assessment centers.
Senator Van Burtonshaw, co‑chair of the joint Millennium Fund Committee, told members that Millennium Fund receipts originate from the tobacco settlement and that the committee prioritized programs focused on prevention, cessation and treatment for tobacco, vape and other substance misuse, with an emphasis on programs that benefit Idahoans under 18.
Representative Jordan Redmond, who said he is newly appointed to the Millennium Fund Committee, outlined the committee’s budget recommendations. They included a $2,000,000 recommendation to support Department of Education programs that form a second cohort for vape detectors and school resource officers, after‑school programs and the youth assessment survey. The committee also recommended personnel funding for Idaho Public Television tied to committee priorities, and one‑time funds for youth assessment centers operated through the Department of Juvenile Corrections.
Redmond told members that assessment centers had fallen behind after starting operations and that several centers reported they would face closure without emergency funds; the committee recommended a one‑time supplemental to sustain 12 assessment centers across the state through fiscal 2026. Committee members emphasized the appropriation was intended as time‑limited support, and Redmond said centers were told they should pursue sustainable local funding and community partnerships.
Other recommended uses included opioid‑settlement funded educational programming to continue Idaho State Police efforts. The committee also recommended leaving remaining Millennium Fund balances to roll forward so the Legislature could study longer‑term options for 2027 funding priorities.
The committee’s acceptance of the Millennium Fund report was taken by unanimous consent and will be incorporated into JFAC’s work group materials and subsequent budget deliberations.
Ending: JFAC’s acceptance of the Millennium Fund report does not itself appropriate ongoing money; the committee’s one‑time supplemental recommendation for youth assessment centers and the programmatic recommendations will be considered in subsequent appropriation actions and work group deliberations.
