JFAC approves suite of supplemental and FY‑2026 budget actions, funds hazmat regional teams and public‑safety communications; licensing shift language advances

The Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee (JFAC) approved a series of supplemental and fiscal‑year 2026 budget actions on Feb. 14, including one‑time and ongoing appropriations for the Military Division, hazardous‑materials regional teams, public‑safety communications and upgrades, and several departmental enhancement requests. The committee also advanced language asking the Department of Health and Welfare to work with the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses on a draft plan that could include proposed legislation for transferring licensing and certification functions.

Why it matters: The committee’s actions authorize immediate spending on public‑safety and emergency response capacity and set FY‑2026 priorities across multiple state agencies. Several motions passed with bipartisan support; a proposed ongoing appropriation for the Office of the Health and Social Services ombudsman failed to secure enough votes in the House and will be revisited.

Key approvals and outcomes - Hazardous substance emergency response reimbursement (FY2025): JFAC approved a one‑time appropriation and transfer of $34,200 from the general fund to the Hazardous Substance Emergency Response Fund to reimburse remaining fiscal‑year 2024 cleanup costs. Motion by Senator Ward Engelking; second by Representative Petzke. Vote recorded as 20 ayes, 0 nays, 0 absent; motion passed and will carry a due‑pass recommendation.

- Public safety communications support (FY2025): A one‑time appropriation of $540,001 from the general fund to the Military Division for public‑safety communications installation support and four installation bays passed on a unanimous roll call. Motion by Senator Ward Engelking; second by Representative Handy. Vote recorded as 20 ayes, 0 nays, 0 absent; motion passed and will carry a due‑pass recommendation.

- Military Division IT upgrade (FY2025): JFAC approved a one‑time $759,200 appropriation from the general fund for IT infrastructure upgrades and an independent network for public‑safety communications. Motion by Representative Petzke; second by Senator Ward Engelking. Vote recorded as a combined total of 19 ayes, 1 nay; motion passed and will carry a due‑pass recommendation.

- Hazmat regional response equipment and transfer (FY2026): The committee approved adding $8.6 million to fund new hazardous‑materials equipment for regional response teams and a one‑time transfer of $8.6 million from the continuously appropriated State Emergency Relief Fund to the Military Division’s miscellaneous revenue fund. Motion by Representative Petzke; second by Senator Ward Engelking. Vote recorded as 19 ayes, 1 nay; motion passed and will carry a due‑pass recommendation.

- Veterans services FY2026 package: JFAC approved a set of enhancements and replacement items for the Division of Veterans Services, including funding to create a temporary nursing staffing pool and the reappropriation authority for federal construction grants for veterans homes. Motion by Senator Woodward; second by Representative Handy. Vote recorded as 19 ayes, 1 nay; motion passed and will carry a due‑pass recommendation.

- Department of Agriculture deficiency and FY2026 request: The committee approved a FY2025 one‑time appropriation and transfer of $1,724,300 from the general fund to cover a FY2024 deficit in exotic species monitoring and control (Japanese beetles, Mormon crickets and other pests). JFAC also approved the department’s FY2026 enhancements and replacement items (including vehicles and lab equipment). Motion for the deficiency moved by Representative Handy; motion for FY2026 moved by Senator Cook. Deficiency vote: 20 ayes, 0 nays; FY2026 enhancements vote: Senate 8 aye, 1 nay, 1 absent; House unanimous with 18 ayes, 1 nay, 1 absent; motion carried.

- Department of Finance staffing enhancements (FY2026): JFAC added five full‑time equivalent positions and $765,800 from dedicated funds to create financial‑examiner and specialist roles (including IT examiners, cybersecurity and a forensic accounting specialist). Motion by Senator Hart; second by Representative Galaviz. Vote recorded as Senate 8 aye, 1 nay, 1 absent; House unanimous; motion passed and will carry a due‑pass recommendation.

- Department of Insurance, State Fire Marshal and replacement items (FY2026): The committee approved two new FTEs and $533,400 from dedicated funds for a staff actuary and a regulatory compliance specialist, plus a compensation increase and replacement items for the State Fire Marshal program. Motion by Representative Furness; second by Senator Cook. Vote recorded as Senate 8 aye, 1 nay, 1 absent; House unanimous; motion passed.

- State Board of Education special programs (FY2026): JFAC approved multiple small enhancements for special programs administered by the Board of Education (forest utilization research, Idaho Geological Survey, Idaho Museum of Natural History, rural educator incentive funding, and related positions and equipment). Motion by Senator Carlson; second by Representative Price. Vote recorded as Senate 8 aye, 1 nay, 1 absent; House unanimous; motion passed.

- Health education programs and residency funding (FY2026): The committee approved additions for graduate medical education (internal medicine, family medicine, dental education and other residency slots) and added a provision asking the Idaho Graduate Medical Education Committee to report on increases in OB‑GYN fellowship opportunities and to provide written progress reports to JFAC. Motion by Representative Petsky; second by Senator Galloway. Vote recorded as Senate 8 aye, 1 nay, 1 absent; House 10 aye; motion passed. Committee accepted related language by unanimous consent.

- State Independent Living Council (fund‑shift FY2026): A motion to shift $11,600 of appropriation from dedicated funds to the general fund (to cover approved health‑benefit and CEC changes) passed. Motion by Representative Furness; second by Senator Wintrow. Vote recorded as Senate 9 aye, 1 nay; House 9 aye, 0 nay, 1 absent; motion passed.

- Licensing and certification transfer study language (FY2026 intent language): Committee members approved language exempting the Department of Health and Welfare’s Licensing and Certification program from personnel transfer restrictions (so contract nurses can be funded from operating) and added a requirement that Health and Welfare work with the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) to prepare a report and draft legislation for JFAC by January on logistics of transferring licensing and certification. Senator Wintrow objected to parts of the language, saying she was "a little concerned about the language of ‘shall draft legislation’" and ultimately voted against the motion. Final roll calls recorded a Senate vote of 8 ayes, 2 nays and a House vote of 8 ayes, 0 nays (2 absent); the motion carried overall (total 16 ayes, 2 nays, 2 absent).

- Department of Health and Welfare — Indirect Support Services (FY2026): JFAC approved replacement of SQL Server and other IT and replacement items and included language requiring a Department of Health and Welfare report on vehicle fleet utilization and counts due to JFAC by Dec. 15. Motion by Representative Mitchell; second by Cyndi Bierke. Vote recorded as Senate 9 aye, 1 nay; House 8 aye, 0 nay, 2 absent; motion passed.

- Office of the Health and Social Services Ombudsman (FY2026 pay request): A motion to add $50,000 from the general fund for the newly established ombudsman office failed to secure a House majority and will be taken up at a later date. Motion by Senator Wintrow; second by Representative Handy. Final tally: combined total 13 ayes, 4 nays, 3 absent; the House did not approve the item and the motion failed.

What was discussed (selected items) - General fund daily update: Keith Bybee, division manager of budget policy analysis for the Legislative Services Office, reviewed the committee’s general fund daily update and highlighted bills with fiscal notes that could affect appropriations, including multiple House and Senate bills with one‑time and ongoing fiscal impacts. Beeby noted these bills are "germane pieces of legislation that have a fiscal note from the general fund that would require an additional appropriation."

- Military Division and public safety communications: Frances Lippitt, a budget and policy analyst with Legislative Services, described multiple supplemental requests to contract for installation of public‑safety communications in vehicles owned by the Idaho State Police, build four installation bays and purchase equipment to increase installation throughput, and create an independent public‑safety communications network. Representative Petzke declared a conflict under the "rule of 80," saying, "I just need to declare a rule of 80 on this one as I serve on the board of directors of a company that supplies some of this equipment." The declaration was noted in the record.

- Licensing and certification language and transfer study: The committee debated language that would exempt Licensing and Certification from FY2025 personnel‑to‑operating transfer restrictions (to allow funding of contract nurses) and that would require Health and Welfare and DOPL to collaborate on a report and draft legislation for JFAC by next January. Several members expressed concern that the phrase "shall draft legislation" was stronger than intended; Senator Wintrow said she was "a little concerned" and objected to unanimous consent before ultimately voting against the motion. The committee nevertheless approved the package with recorded dissent.

Quotes - Keith Bybee, division manager of budget policy analysis: "These are, germane pieces of legislation that have a fiscal note from the general fund that would require an additional appropriation or, in some cases, a reduction of an appropriation." - Representative Petzke (conflict disclosure): "I just need to declare a rule of 80 on this one as I serve on the board of directors of a company that supplies some of this equipment." - Senator Wintrow (on licensing language): "I'm a little concerned about the language of 'shall draft legislation'... I don't feel like I can support that so I guess I'll have to object to the unanimous consent request."

Next steps and implementation notes - Several actions carry "due pass" recommendations and will proceed through legislative reporting channels. The licensing‑and‑certification language requires a written report and any draft legislation from Health and Welfare and DOPL to JFAC by January (calendar year specified in committee language). The Health and Welfare vehicle fleet review report is due to JFAC via the Legislative Services office by Dec. 15.

Votes at a glance (selected motions and final recorded totals) - Hazardous substance emergency response appropriation (FY25): 20 ayes, 0 nays — passed. - Public safety communications support (FY25): 20 ayes, 0 nays — passed. - Military Division IT upgrade (FY25): 19 ayes, 1 nay — passed. - Hazmat regional response transfer and appropriation (FY26): 19 ayes, 1 nay — passed. - Veterans services FY26 package: 19 ayes, 1 nay — passed. - Department of Agriculture deficiency (FY25): 20 ayes, 0 nays — passed. - Department of Agriculture FY26 enhancements: Senate 8 aye/1 nay/1 absent; House unanimous with 18 ayes, 1 nay, 1 absent — passed. - Department of Finance enhancements (FY26): Senate 8 aye/1 nay/1 absent; House unanimous — passed. - Department of Insurance enhancements (FY26): Senate 8 aye/1 nay/1 absent; House unanimous — passed. - State Board of Education special programs (FY26): Senate 8 aye/1 nay/1 absent; House unanimous — passed. - Health education programs and residency funding (FY26): Senate 8 aye/1 nay/1 absent; House 10 aye — passed. - State Independent Living Council fund shift (FY26): Senate 9 aye/1 nay; House 9 aye/0 nay/1 absent — passed. - Licensing & Certification transfer study language (FY26): Senate 8 aye/2 nay; House 8 aye/0 nay/2 absent — passed. - Department of Health and Welfare Indirect Support Services (vehicle/IT language, FY26): Senate 9 aye/1 nay; House 8 aye/0 nay/2 absent — passed. - Office of Health and Social Services Ombudsman pay request (FY26): Combined total 13 ayes, 4 nays, 3 absent — failed in the House and did not carry.

What to watch - The vehicle‑fleet report from the Department of Health and Welfare due to JFAC by Dec. 15; potential follow‑up constraints or recommendations for fleet reductions or policy changes. - The licensing and certification study/report from Health and Welfare and DOPL and any draft legislation that may emerge for the 2026 session.

Speakers quoted or cited in this report are those who spoke on the record during the Feb. 14 JFAC meeting; votes are presented as recorded in the committee roll calls.