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JFAC approves judicial compensation and new judgeships funding for several districts
Summary
The committee approved a FY2026 package that funds judicial salary increases and adds district and magistrate judges and court reporters, carrying a due-pass recommendation to the Legislature.
The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee voted March 12 to approve fiscal year 2026 enhancements for the Judicial Branch, including judicial compensation increases and funding for additional judges and court-reporting resources.
The motion included funding aligned with House Bill 322 for judicial compensation (10% for Supreme Court justices, 10.5% for Court of Appeals, 10.9% for district judges and 11.5% for magistrate judges) and added resources for judicial staffing: one new district judge in the First Judicial District (Coeur d'Alene), one new district judge in the Seventh Judicial District (Bonneville County), associated court reporters for each district judge, and two magistrate judges (one in the Fifth Judicial District in Twin Falls and one in the Seventh Judicial District in Idaho Falls). The package also added funding to fully staff IT positions that had been partially funded in FY2025.
The total appropriation increase read on the floor was $5,190,300 from the general fund and six additional full-time equivalent positions. The committee passed the motion on roll call with a combined vote of 17 ayes, 3 nays and 0 absent/excused, and the motion will carry a due-pass recommendation.
Committee staff clarified the specific districts and corrected a floor misstatement about which judicial district contained one of the requested judgeships; the budget book contains the corrected district allocations. Sponsors noted the package aligns resources with recommended statutory changes under separate bills creating judgeships and providing judicial compensation.
