Legislative committee directs Millennium Fund dollars to after‑school programs, juvenile assessment centers and fentanyl campaign

The Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee voted to allocate Idaho Millennium Fund dollars to a fentanyl awareness campaign, after‑school programming, juvenile assessment centers and related items, and adopted language setting distribution rules and program requirements for the tobacco‑settlement income fund.

The committee voted to approve an approximately $6.71 million dedicated‑fund package that included $500,000 for Idaho State Police for a fentanyl campaign, $1.5 million for the State Department of Education for after‑school programs, and $2,500,000 one‑time to the Department of Juvenile Corrections for youth assessment centers, among other items. The committee adopted accompanying intent language on program use, reporting and the priority that Millennium Income Fund resources be used first for programs benefiting Idahoans under age 18.

Why it matters: The Idaho Millennium Fund receives recurring settlements from tobacco companies; the committee’s decisions…