JFAC approves program-maintenance budgets across state government; summary of motions and roll-call results

Boise — The Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee spent the Jan. 17 hearing advancing program-maintenance appropriations and standard budget language for a broad set of state agencies. Committee actions set FY2026 base budgets, added statewide cost-allocation and contract-inflation adjustments where requested, and approved follow-up language such as reappropriation authority and program transfer exemptions. Most measures passed on unanimous roll-call votes.

Votes at a glance (motions approved by JFAC on Jan. 17):

- Legislative Branch (Legislative Services Office and Office of Performance Evaluations): Program maintenance $12,546,100; no FTP cap; motion passed 20–0.

- Judicial Branch (Court Operations, Guardian ad Litem, Judicial Council): Program maintenance $96,696,300; no FTP cap; motion passed 20–0.

- Constitutional Officers (six statewide elected officials other than Superintendent of Public Instruction): Program maintenance $73,630,300; FTP cap 431.91; motion passed 20–0.

- Public Safety (Corrections, Juvenile Corrections, Idaho State Police, Brand Inspection, Racing Commission): Program maintenance $528,074,000; FTP cap 3,322.61; motion passed 20–0.

- General Government (Department of Administration and related agencies, Governor’s office, State Tax Commission): Program maintenance $479,688,000; motion passed 20–0 and FTP caps set as shown in the committee packet.

- Economic Development functional area (including Department of Commerce, Agriculture, Labor, Insurance, State Historical Society, veterans services and many others): Program maintenance $1,380,135,600; FTP cap 4,165.28; motion passed 20–0.

- Natural Resources (DEQ, Fish & Game, Lands, Endowment Fund Investment Board, Parks & Recreation, Water Resources): Program maintenance $513,855,000; FTP cap 1,632.4; motion passed 20–0.

- State Board of Education and related higher-education programs (including universities, community colleges, agricultural research & extension): Program maintenance $1,099,940,000; FTP cap 534.97 for certain programs, with other institutions exempt from FTP caps as noted in the packet; motion passed 20–0.

- Public School Support: Program maintenance totals set at $3,166,965,700 (general, dedicated and federal combined as recorded); no FTP caps (school personnel not state FTEs under this appropriation); motion passed 20–0.

- Health & Human Services (Department of Health and Welfare and State Independent Living Council): Program maintenance totals later approved at $5,263,083,200 combined (see separate article for reorganization dissent); motion passed with a recorded vote (final tally 17 ayes, 2 nays, 1 absent/excused for the main program-maintenance appropriation).

Committee staff also presented and the committee approved standard sections of budget language that commonly accompany maintenance bills: exemptions from expense-class or program transfer limitations (where historically allowed), reappropriation authority for ARPA and other one-time funds, continuous appropriation authority where applicable, reporting requirements and accountability provisions, and small, program-specific transfers (for example, capital project carryovers or fund transfers specified in the packet).

Most votes were unanimous; the committee used roll-call voting for each action and recorded outcomes in the hearing transcript. Committee staff said the bills adopted by motion will be drafted and returned to the committee for a review hearing once bill text is available, giving members one more opportunity to check technical drafting before bills proceed to the floor.