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Permanent Building Fund briefed on $1.9 billion in active projects, deferred maintenance priorities
Summary
The Permanent Building Fund and the Division of Public Works told the Joint Finance–Appropriations Committee the state has about $1.9 billion in active public works projects and presented FY2026 capital and maintenance requests, including a proposed ISU life sciences complex and Micron lab expansion.
The Permanent Building Fund and the Division of Public Works briefed the Joint Finance–Appropriations Committee on Monday about capital projects, deferred maintenance and FY2026 requests that the advisory council recommended.
Frances Lippitt, a Legislative Services analyst, told the committee the total value of active public works projects—including agency matching funds and other sources—was about $1.9 billion and that capital projects accounted for roughly $1.4 billion of that total. She described the fund’s multi-year structure and noted the fund is replenished from several statutory sources and from recent one-time transfers of general-fund surplus used for capital projects.
The division’s November capital budget report is available to committee members on SharePoint, Lippitt said, and the division typically expends 50 million to 70 million of an appropriation in its first fiscal year; most projects are multi-year and unexpended balances become continuously appropriated under statute.
Major FY2026 requests summarized to the committee included: - $14 million toward a life sciences complex at Idaho State University; the project’s total estimated cost is $127.77 million, funded with $35.77 million in agency funds, $78 million in bonding and $14 million from the permanent building fund. - $6.5 million to expand the Department of Lands’ Ponderosa office to add restrooms, showers and improved reception security. - $5.56 million for utilities to serve a future National Guard readiness center in Bonneville County (site utilities required prior to federal construction). - $5.525 million for Idaho State Police District 2 (Lewiston) after an earlier purchase attempt of an existing building proved infeasible; the new request would add land purchase and new construction costs. - $2.5 million to build additional labs in shelled space at Boise State’s Micron Center for Materials Research. - $8 million for a joint military science and veterans assistance center at the University of Idaho.
Dale Reynolds, administrator for the Division of Public Works, told the committee deferred maintenance and large capital projects have variable timelines and delivery methods. He said the Chinden Campus has seen roughly $70 million in completed upgrades, $30 million in projects in progress and an estimate of $145 million to $160 million in additional deferred maintenance and renovation needs, depending on scope and whether the remaining buildings are re-occupied. Reynolds said the division manages about 500 active projects and that average project timelines can range but “once it’s under construction, about 2 and a half year project[s],” citing the example of a women’s prison project slated for FY2025 design and an expected FY2027 completion.
Committee members pressed for better reporting on projects that had not advanced. Cochair Herrmann asked staff to provide a list showing which projects had not started construction within required timeframes so the committee could consider repurposing unspent appropriations. Lippitt said she would provide that list.
No formal decisions were taken during the presentation; the committee received the division’s summary and asked for follow-up materials to assess timelines and execution of appropriated projects.
