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JFAC debates $24.6 million federal home‑energy rebate proposal and a $481,000 Speed Council; neither secured full committee approval
Summary
Committee members debated OEMR’s request to administer a $24.58 million federal home energy rebates program and a governor‑backed $481,000 Speed Council but failed to secure the necessary majorities to adopt the larger federal package; the matter will be handled further by the originating chamber(s).
Lawmakers in the Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee on Thursday debated whether to authorize the Office of Energy and Mineral Resources (OEMR) to administer a federal Home Energy Rebates Program and whether to fund a governor‑backed “Speed Council” to streamline permitting for critical infrastructure.
OEMR analyst Kellen McGurkin told the committee the Home Energy Rebates Program originates from the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 and that the state’s allocation totals roughly $80.8 million through 2031. OEMR asked for approximately $24.58 million in FY2026 federal appropriations to administer the program: roughly $20 million in trustee/beneficiary funds for direct rebates to Idaho households, about $4.0 million for a third‑party implementer (software, eligibility verification), $502,000 for personnel (four limited‑term positions), and a small dedicated fund amount for indirect cost recovery.
McGurkin and other proponents said unused federal allocations are reallocated to participating states if an individual state declines to administer the program. He cited provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act and referred to related U.S. code sections.
Senator Woodward moved a narrower companion motion to fund the governor’s Speed Council with $481,000 from the general fund and one full‑time equivalent position to coordinate permitting and produce a project‑tracking dashboard; the senator said he did not include the rebate program in his motion because he did not have sufficient support for that funding in committee.
Several members pushed an amended substitute motion to include both the rebate program funding ($24,579,900 federal, 4 FTE) and the Speed Council personnel fund adjustments; that amended substitute failed to win the required majorities. Committee roll calls on substitute and original motions saw fluctuating tallies between the Senate and House delegations, and the committee chair ultimately ruled that motions had not achieved the required positive majorities in both chambers. The result: none of the attempted funding combinations for the home‑energy rebate program were adopted by the committee at this hearing.
Supporters urged the committee to accept federal rebates that would go directly to households — McGurkin noted seniors, veterans and disabled residents among likely beneficiaries — and said OEMR has an exit strategy so that state funds would not be spent if the federal program proved unworkable. Opponents and some members raised concerns about readiness, program administration, and whether the Speed Council should be funded from the governor’s one‑time resources rather than the general fund.
Because the committee did not adopt the rebate appropriation package, staff noted federal funds could be redistributed to other states if Idaho does not participate; committee members indicated the question may be revisited in the originating chamber or via subsequent motions.
