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JFAC approves program maintenance budgets across branches and agencies; votes at a glance
Summary
The Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee on Jan. 17 approved program maintenance budgets and associated statutory and carryover language for FY2026 across state branches and agencies, with most motions passing unanimously; Health and Human Services realignment and the final HHS package recorded a small number of dissenting votes.
The Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee on Jan. 17 approved a series of program maintenance appropriations and related language for fiscal year 2026 covering the legislative and judicial branches, statewide elected officials, public safety, general government, economic development, natural resources, the State Board of Education, public schools and Health and Human Services.
Committee staff and analysts presented each functional-area packet, explained changes included in the FY2026 base and any statewide adjustments (contract inflation, statewide cost allocation) and then the committee voted. Most motions were procedural and were treated as "do pass" recommendations. Where staff noted special conditions or carryover language, those provisions were included in the appropriation language approved by the committee.
Votes at a glance (motions, movers, outcomes):
- Legislative Branch (program maintenance; includes Legislative Services and Office of Performance Evaluations). Motion by Representative Miller; second by Senator Ward Engelking. Motion passed unanimously (20 ayes, 0 nays).
- Judicial Branch (court operations, Guardian ad Litem, Judicial Council). Motion by Senator Carlson; second by Representative Mitchell. Motion passed unanimously (20 ayes, 0 nays).
- Constitutional Officers (six statewide elected officials excluding Superintendent; includes governor's office, lieutenant governor, attorney general, state controller, secretary of state, state treasurer). Motion by Representative Tanner; second by Senator Bierke. Motion passed unanimously (20 ayes, 0 nays).
- Public Safety (Department of Correction, Juvenile Corrections, State Police, brand inspection, racing commission). Motion by Senator Wintrow; second by Representative Handy. Motion passed unanimously (20 ayes, 0 nays).
- General Government (Administration, governor's office programs, state tax commission). Motion by Representative Miller; second by Senator Galloway. Motion passed unanimously (20 ayes, 0 nays).
- Economic Development functional area (broad group of agencies including Department of Commerce, agriculture, labor, industry commissions, library and historical commissions, and others). Motion by Senator Woodward; second by Representative Furness. Motion passed unanimously (20 ayes, 0 nays).
- Natural Resources (DEQ, Fish and Game, Lands, Endowment Fund Investment Board, Parks & Rec, Water Resources). Motion by Representative Manwaring; second by Senator Ziderfeld. Motion passed unanimously (20 ayes, 0 nays).
- State Board of Education (colleges/universities, community colleges, special programs, education support functions). Motion by Representative Ward Engelking; second by Representative Petzke. Motion passed unanimously (20 ayes, 0 nays).
- Public School Support (program maintenance; funding distributed via statutory formulas and support units). Motion by Representative Miller; second by Senator Woodward. Motion passed unanimously (20 ayes, 0 nays).
- Health and Human Services realignment (department requested realignment of base appropriation units and addition of new Idaho Child Care program appropriation unit). Motion moved by Senator Cook (on behalf of the motion recorded as the sponsor sequence) and second by Representative Tanner; committee approved the realignment with a roll-call vote that recorded 18 ayes, 1 nay, 1 absent excused (Representative Petzke recorded his intent to vote no in remarks prior to the roll call; the transcript shows one House nay). The committee's action realigns base appropriations and adds a new appropriation unit as requested by the Department of Health and Welfare.
- Health and Human Services program maintenance (final budget totals and language for DHW and State Independent Living Council). Motion by Representative Tanner; the roll call for the larger HHS numbers recorded some division: the final recorded vote was 17 ayes, 2 nays, 1 absent excused (two no votes noted in the Senate and House combined). The committee adopted multiple sections of standard language and reporting requirements tied to the HHS budget, and approved a do-pass recommendation.
What the approvals do and next steps
Most actions were program maintenance: they set the FY2026 base budgets (the ongoing budgets) by carrying forward base appropriations and adding limited statewide adjustments (contract inflation and cost allocation). Several appropriation packages also included reappropriation authority, continuous appropriation language for specific funds, reappropriation of ARPA or other capital funds where projects are multiyear, and reporting requirements back to the legislature (accountability reports). Where the committee approved language exempting expense-class or program transfer limitations, staff said the exemptions were historically provided to allow agencies operational flexibility (examples: Legislative Services, Judicial Branch, colleges, wildfire/fire protection in Department of Lands, community hospitalization in HHS).
Committee members directed staff to carry the adopted motions into bill drafts; the committee will have a review hearing on the drafted appropriation bills next Friday to correct any technical drafting issues before introduction.
