Joint Finance committee approves technical corrections and program-maintenance budgets; CEC and health-insurance decisions deferred

The Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee approved a series of technical corrections and program‑maintenance appropriations on Jan. 17, 2025, adopting adjustments to account structures and setting base budgets for multiple state agencies. Most motions passed unanimously; two Health and Human Services motions drew recorded dissent and one committee member expressed concern about a departmental realignment.

The committee opened by accepting corrections to prior appropriations. Janet Jessup, budget and policy analyst with Legislative Services, told members that reappropriated broadband monies had been placed in the Department of Commerce’s commerce program last year instead of the newly added Broadband Office and that the committee needed to move those dollars into the broadband program for transparency. “This action would remove the monies that were reappropriated to the commerce program, and then also add them back into the broadband office so they can be tracked for transparency moving forward,” Jessup said. The removals and additions were presented as two offsetting motions and passed on unanimous roll calls.

Committee members then approved a technical correction to the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) that replaces an incorrect reduction from the agency’s general‑fund appropriation with a proper general‑fund transfer, and a $2,000,000 transfer into the DEQ general fund for water‑quality work. Both passed on unanimous recorded votes.

The committee also approved two internal reclassifications for the Department of Health and Welfare that move amounts from trustee and benefit payment categories into operating expenditures for (1) the substance‑abuse treatment and prevention program ($160,000) and (2) the physical health services program ($240,000). Both motions passed unanimously.

After technical corrections, staff presented the program‑maintenance budgets — the “base” appropriations carried forward from prior legislatures with only statewide cost‑allocation and contract‑inflation adjustments added. Mr. Bybee, a legislative budget analyst, summarized the committee’s role in reviewing base budgets and the decision units that form the program‑maintenance packages. “A base budget is really your ongoing operations for the entire state government, as authorized by previous legislatures,” Bybee said.

The committee then set program‑maintenance appropriations for many functional areas and agencies, typically with a single roll call per agency package. Among the approvals were the Legislative Branch, Judicial Branch, constitutional officers (six statewide elected officials), public safety agencies (Idaho Department of Correction, Idaho State Police and related entities), general government, economic development functional agencies (including Commerce, Agriculture, IDLA and others), natural resources agencies, the State Board of Education and related higher‑education items, public school support, and Health and Human Services program maintenance. Most of those votes were unanimous recorded roll calls.

Health and Human Services drew additional scrutiny because the department requested reorganizations that realigned appropriation units and moved FTPs (full‑time positions). The committee approved a departmental realignment motion (authorizing unit name changes and a new appropriation unit for the Idaho Child Care Program) that passed with one House “no” vote and one House member absent (final: 18 ayes, 1 nay, 1 absent/excused). A subsequent large program‑level maintenance appropriation for Health and Human Services (the consolidated fiscal totals for general, dedicated and federal funds) passed on a later roll call with recorded changes that produced a final tally of 17 ayes, 2 nays, 1 absent/excused.

The committee repeatedly noted two unresolved statewide items: the committee has not reached agreement on the governor’s proposed employee compensation (CEC) adjustment and on state health‑insurance funding for employees. Chair Horman said those two topics will be taken up later and listed possible approaches (a multi‑agency trailer bill or separate agency actions) once the committee reaches consensus.

Votes at a glance

- Broadband reappropriation correction (Commerce → Broadband Office): two offsetting motions to remove and then add $291,737,000 in reappropriated funds to the broadband office; both motions passed (20 ayes, 0 nays). Motion movers: Rep. Handy (mover); Sen. Cook seconded one motion. - DEQ correction and transfer: $2,000,000 one‑time appropriation/transfer from the general fund to DEQ general fund (Water Quality Program); passed (20 ayes, 0 nays). Mover: Sen. Woodward; second: Rep. Manwaring. - Health & Welfare reclassification — Substance abuse treatment and prevention: move $160,000 from trustee & benefit payments to operating expenditures (Idaho Millennium Income Fund); passed (20 ayes, 0 nays). Mover: Rep. Price; second: Sen. Bierke. - Health & Welfare reclassification — Physical health services: move $240,000 from Central Tumor Registry fund for operating expenditures; passed (20 ayes, 0 nays). Mover: Rep. Price; second: Sen. Bierke. - Legislative Branch program maintenance and language (including reappropriation authority for ARPA funds): passed (20 ayes, 0 nays). Mover: Rep. Miller; second: Sen. Ward Engelking. - Judicial Branch program maintenance and language (includes reappropriation authority for court ARPA funds not to exceed $16,222,000): passed (20 ayes, 0 nays). Mover: Sen. Carlson; second: Rep. Mitchell. - Constitutional officers, Public Safety, General Government, Economic Development, Natural Resources, State Board of Education, and related language/reappropriation items: each package carried on recorded roll calls and passed (most 20 ayes, 0 nays); movers and seconds are recorded in the committee minutes for each package. - Public school support program maintenance (statutory allocations and maintenance items, including classroom technology and other statutorily required distributions): passed (20 ayes, 0 nays). Mover: Rep. Miller; second: Sen. Woodward. - Health & Human Services program maintenance (final consolidated totals): passed (final tally 17 ayes, 2 nays, 1 absent/excused). Mover: Rep. Tanner; second: Sen. Cook.

What the committee did not decide

The committee did not adopt any final statewide CEC (employee compensation) or health‑insurance allocations. Chair Horman said the committee will consider those items at a future meeting once staff and members have time to reach consensus and draft any necessary trailer language.

Why it matters

These votes set the baseline appropriations that agencies will use as the starting point for the 2026 budget cycle. Technical corrections clarified where reappropriated and one‑time federal/ARPA monies should be tracked. Deferring CEC and health‑insurance decisions leaves open the principal drivers of how much additional general fund will be available to cover wage and benefit changes for public employees.

Looking ahead

Staff told the committee they will post drafted bills and a crosswalk of section numbers for the public and members; the committee scheduled a review hearing once bills are drafted so members can confirm technical language before bills are introduced. Members also were urged to work with analysts and work groups between now and the next meeting to resolve outstanding CEC and health‑benefit questions.

Ending note

Committee staff said that finalized bill drafts will be available in the SharePoint folder for members; the JFAC chair and staff asked members to return for a scheduled review session once those drafts are posted so the committee can correct any remaining technical language before bills are filed.