JFAC corrects FY2025 accounting errors for broadband, DEQ and Health & Welfare

The Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee on Jan. 17 approved technical corrections that moved reappropriated broadband money into the state broadband office, corrected a $2 million appropriation error for the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), and reclassified two small Health and Welfare line items from trustee and benefit payments into operating expenditures.

Janet Jessup, a budget and policy analyst with Legislative Services, told the committee the broadband correction was needed because last year’s reappropriation went to the Department of Commerce’s commerce program rather than the broadband office the Legislature later added to Commerce. Committee members approved two offsetting motions to remove $291,737,000 from the Commerce commerce program and re-add the same $291,737,000 to the broadband program so the amounts can be tracked separately; both motions carried on roll call votes of 20 ayes, 0 nays.

The committee also approved a one-time transfer of $2,000,000 from the general fund to the DEQ general fund to reverse an earlier accounting treatment that had left the agency short in its appropriation. Senator Woodward moved that measure; Representative Manwaring seconded it. The motion passed 20-0 on a roll call.

Finally, the committee approved two technical adjustments inside the Department of Health and Welfare to move contracted payments into the correct expenditure category. Representative Price moved a $160,000 reclassification within the substance-abuse treatment and prevention program, moving $160,000 from trustee and benefit payments into operating expenditures (fund source: Idaho Millennium Income Fund); Sen. Bierke seconded. Representative Price later moved a separate $240,000 adjustment in the physical health services program to move $240,000 from the central tumor registry fund into operating expenditures; Sen. Bierke seconded that motion as well. Both measures passed unanimously, 20-0.

Why it matters: those corrections do not change the total dollars available to state government but reassign money to the legally correct appropriation units and expenditure categories so tracking and administration align with the programs’ actual operations and the Legislature’s intent. The broadband reappropriation in particular moves a large multi‑year amount into a new program unit so grants and spending tied to broadband can be reported separately.

What happened next: the committee recorded each motion on the public roll calls and directed staff to reflect the corrected appropriation and reappropriation language in the bills drafted from today’s actions. No additional policy changes were made with these technical corrections.