Committee approves proposal to increase per-mission search-and-rescue reimbursement to $8,000

House Bill 185, which would increase the per-mission reimbursement cap for county search-and-rescue missions from $4,000 to $8,000, passed the committee and was sent to the floor with a due-pass recommendation.

Representative Mike Pohanka, sponsor, said the $4,000 cap has not been changed since 1985 and does not reflect modern costs, particularly when helicopter lifts or multi-day operations are required. Sheriff Chris Getz, speaking for the Idaho Sheriffs' Association, and Darren Brown, lieutenant in Twin Falls County who oversees search-and-rescue, told the committee that some missions now commonly exceed the $4,000 reimbursement threshold and that raising the per-mission automatic reimbursement to $8,000 would reduce county cash-flow strain while limiting how often the catastrophic fund must be tapped.

Getz told the committee the statewide search-and-rescue fund has roughly $700,000 and that the number of missions costing between $4,000 and $8,000 averages about five per year, implying a modest annual impact if the cap were raised. The committee voted to send House Bill 185 to the floor with a due-pass recommendation; the motion was recorded as unanimous.

Votes at a glance: Committee approved sending House Bill 185 to the floor with a due-pass recommendation; committee recorded the motion as unanimous.

Background and next steps: If enacted, counties would receive a higher immediate reimbursement per mission up to $8,000; amounts above $8,000 would continue to be handled by the catastrophic fund.