State Public Defender asks Legislature to authorize spending from new dedicated fund and approves startup enhancements

At a Joint Finance–Appropriations Committee hearing, the Idaho State Public Defender requested supplemental and ongoing appropriations to fully use a $39 million cash transfer to a newly created state public defense fund and to support startup operations as counties transition into the statewide system.

The agency, created in "title 19 chapter 60 section 3 of Idaho Code," requested a one‑time supplemental appropriation of $2,500,000 to make the transferred cash available for spending in the current fiscal year; additional one‑time and ongoing requests for transcripts and personnel; and authorization for new full‑time positions to onboard several counties into the statewide system. The governor recommended supplemental and ongoing amounts for some items and proposed a larger one‑time cash transfer from the general fund to the dedicated fund.

Christopher Lahoset, budget and policy analyst with the Legislative Services Office, told the committee the dedicated fund was established in statute and that the state controller was directed to transfer $39,000,000 from the tax relief fund into the state public defense fund. Lahoset said the agency requested the $2.5 million supplemental because "agencies need both cash and appropriation from the legislature to spend it" and that the appropriation to utilize the $39,000,000 had been omitted last year.

Eric Frederickson, the state public defender, told the committee the office is five months into operating as a…