JFAC moves major school funding items: continuous facilities fund, $330 million cash transfer and related accounting fixes

The Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee approved multiple measures affecting public school funding, including changes to the School District Facilities Fund, clarification of earlier actions, and a one‑time $330 million cash transfer into the public school income fund.

Jared Tetrault and division staff briefed the committee on three related trailer items. One trailer to House Bill 304 would make the School District Facilities Fund (established in Idaho Code §33‑911) continuously appropriated so funds could be distributed to districts in August rather than through the annual appropriation process. Tetrault explained the fund distributes dollars based on ADA and can be spent on bond payments, supplemental levies, plant facilities levies, reserves, or maintenance.

Senators and staff discussed timing and accounting. Keith Bybee explained that the legislature had been treating the $330 million earmark (from a 2022 special session appropriation) as general fund for budgeting purposes and that moving the $330 million into the general fund and then transferring it to the public school income fund would keep published budgets and audited reports aligned. Senator Ward‑Engelking asked whether the change would make the earlier tax‑cut impacts less visible; staff said no and that the dollars are already treated as part of the general fund base.

Representative Price moved a reduction in the school district facility fund of $180,822,300 (committee motion language reflected an accounting reconciliation); the motion passed unanimously across both chambers and will carry a due‑pass recommendation. Separately, the committee approved a one‑time cash transfer of $330,000,000 from the General Fund to the Public School Income Fund; that motion carried on roll call with a combined vote of 17 ayes, 2 nays and 1 absent/excused and will carry a due‑pass recommendation. Committee members said these steps were intended to clean up accounting and align revenue and appropriation treatment for public schools going forward.

Staff noted that these are trailer/appropriations that follow enacted policy bills and that, if the policy bills do not advance, the trailer actions would not proceed.