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JFAC considers LSO staffing addition and requests language to speed and audit budget submissions
Summary
Committee voted on adding one bill‑drafting position at the Legislative Services Office and approved language asking the governor to submit the 2027 budget earlier and directing LSO to review interagency billing and a new statewide budget platform.
The Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee on March 24 considered and voted on a Legislative Services Office (LSO) request for one additional bill‑drafting attorney and approved draft language directing a series of administrative steps to improve budget timing and transparency.
Division manager Keith Bybee and other LSO staff presented a packet showing states’ relative staffing levels and argued Idaho’s legislative drafting staff is lean compared with peer states. Co‑chairs said the aim is to reduce overtime and to ensure JFAC’s own maintenance budgets and other work are not delayed by drafting demands for executive‑branch bills and other requests.
The motion before the committee added one full‑time position and $129,000 from the general fund for an additional bill‑drafting attorney. The Senate and House JFAC panels recorded differing results: the motion failed to receive a Senate majority and was therefore sent to the full Senate for consideration; the House panel recorded more support. Committee members additionally approved language asking the governor to transmit the 2027 budget recommendation earlier (by December) to give staff more time to draft, and directed LSO to: conduct a statewide review of interagency reimbursements (so agencies that receive reimbursed personnel or other costs from other agencies are examined) and explore development of a new statewide budget submission platform to replace the current system and increase transparency. The committee also discussed the possibility of billing executive branch agencies for drafting work performed by LSO.
Supporters of the LSO FTE cited high drafting volumes and staff working through holidays; opponents said agencies across state government have had to reduce FTEs and that legislative staff should meet the same restraints. The transcript records that the Senate failed to adopt the motion while the House panel favored it; the language items directing earlier budget delivery and a statewide review passed on committee voice/roll call and will carry a due‑pass recommendation.
