JFAC votes: community college EWA funding, juvenile corrections, corrections IT and library grant debate

The Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee took a series of budget actions and recorded roll‑call votes on March 7. Major outcomes included approval of enrollment workload adjustments for community colleges; approval of several Department of Juvenile Corrections and Department of Corrections enhancements; approval of a Commerce program transfer; and a failed vote on a $2.5 million digital-access grant for libraries after a tied House response.

Votes at a glance

- Community colleges: JFAC approved an FY2026 package adding $1,679,800 ongoing general fund to cover enrollment workload adjustments for the College of Eastern Idaho ($496,800), College of Southern Idaho ($690,000) and College of Western Idaho ($493,000). North Idaho College was held harmless even though it had a negative enrollment workload adjustment. The motion (mover: Representative Petske; second: Senator Ward Engelking) passed on a combined tally of 19 ayes, 1 nay and will be sent to the floor with a due‑pass recommendation. The committee also adopted language directing the State Board of Education to develop an outcome‑based funding model and return a proposal to JFAC by Dec. 31, 2025, with implementation targeted for FY2028.

- Idaho Commission for Libraries (Digital Access for All Idahoans grant): The committee debated a $2.5 million digital grant (described as the "Digital Access for All Idahoans" program) and an alternate motion to remove the $2.5 million. After roll calls the substitute and the original motion each failed because the House vote was split 5‑5, producing no House majority, despite totals that numerically favored passage when combining chambers. The transcript records extensive discussion about the grant's intended uses (digital training for seniors, large-print materials, devices, and cybersecurity assistance) and about the federal statutory source (the Digital Equity Act). Outcomes: both the substitute motion to reduce the package and the original motion to fund the full package were recorded as failed and will be taken up later.

- Department of Commerce: The committee approved a program transfer that moved 1 FTP and $140,900 from the Commerce program to the Broadband Office program with net‑zero fiscal impact. The motion (mover: Rep. Handy; second: Sen. Bjerke) passed unanimously on a combined 20‑0 vote and will carry a due‑pass recommendation.

- Department of Juvenile Corrections: JFAC approved a FY2026 package that added $300,000 ongoing general fund for substance use disorder (SUD) residential treatment and $380,000 one‑time (dedicated funds) for a radio system upgrade and replacement; it also enacted IT modernization steps including moving 7 FTP to the Office of Information Technology Services with a net‑zero budget impact for that reclassification. The motion (mover: Sen. Wintrow) passed on a combined tally of 15 ayes, 5 nays.

- Department of Corrections — Management Services: The committee approved enhancements including $1,000,000 ongoing for recidivism case management software; $668,100 for transparency software (split ongoing and one‑time in the analyst's language); IT and hardware replacement items totaling about $1,515,000 (one‑time) and $19,400 for replacements; $85,000 ongoing for a governor's initiative to fund a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney in northern Idaho; and modest inflation/replacement adjustments. The motion (mover: Sen. Galloway; second: Rep. Handy) passed on a combined tally of 15 ayes, 5 nays.

What passed vs. what failed

- Passed: community college enrollment workload adjustments and directive to develop outcome‑based funding language; Commerce program transfer; Juvenile Corrections enhancements and reclassifications; Department of Corrections management‑services enhancements.

- Failed (for now): Idaho Commission for Libraries motion to add $2,540,000 (including the $2.5M Digital Access grant) — vote failed because the House did not record a majority in the roll call; an alternate motion to reduce or remove the $2.5M also failed.

Procedural notes

The committee experienced a lengthy procedural exchange after the library votes about whether motions that receive a majority of combined votes but not a majority within a chamber should be treated as passed and sent to the respective chamber. Co‑chairs explained the committee will bring failed motions back to JFAC for reconsideration when legal advisers indicate there is not a bill to send to the chamber where it failed. The co‑chairs said leadership is working to resolve the internal process for handling split‑chamber outcomes.