JFAC moves LUMA-related costs onto controller's budget; adds positions for transparency work

The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee approved FY2026 budget actions for the State Controller's Office that incorporate LUMA (statewide accounting/ERP) costs onto the office budget and add staff for shared services and transparency initiatives.

Ms. Lippitt explained the request: earlier LUMA implementation costs were paid from a continuously appropriated account that expires at the end of the fiscal year; the FY2026 request brings those costs on-budget for transparency and ongoing oversight. Enhancement items included LUMA personnel, computer service center operating costs, computer center charges billed to enterprise business operations, two financial specialist positions for shared services and one communications manager for public transparency platforms (Transparent Idaho, local government data registry). The package also reallocated leadership team fund allocations to reflect changes in effort.

Representative Petzke moved the enhancement package that netted an increase of approximately $15.24 million (general fund) and $5.19 million (dedicated funds) and 10 additional FTE, reflecting the transfer of LUMA-related personnel and operating expenditures onto the state controller's general-fund budget. Committee members noted the change is primarily a shift in fund source rather than an expansion of spending: one lawmaker summarized that the request increases transparency of existing costs and that the office's FY2024 actual outlays were higher than the proposed FY2026 budget figures.

The committee also approved language associated with the controller's budget addressing indirect cost recovery revenue transfers to the general fund and an accounting correction requested by the Division of Veteran Services arising from an erroneous billing in FY2024.