Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the County Inmate Reimbursement topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
House passes measure to raise state reimbursement for county-held inmates to $80 a day
Summary
The Idaho House on Feb. 23 approved HB 5-56 to raise the state reimbursement for inmates held in county jails to $80 per day, citing county cost burdens and a reported shortfall between county expenses and current state payments; members debated the bill’s fiscal timing and impact.
Representative (sponsor) presented House Bill 5-56, saying the bill would “replace the current level to $80 a day flat” for state-sentenced inmates held in county jails and arguing counties are shouldering the difference. The sponsor said there were 1,275 state inmates in county jails as of December 2025 and that average county daily cost had risen from about $81 to roughly $114, producing an estimated $49.5 million annual cost to counties and a state reimbursement shortfall of about $15.5 million per year.
Supporters pressed that the $80-per-day figure would still leave counties absorbing some cost but would appreciably reduce county burden. A backer who had polled county sheriffs said Blaine County faces a per-inmate daily cost of about $126.62 and Twin Falls reported $162 per day; he said counties “need this” relief and would support the bill.
Opponents focused on the bill’s fiscal note and timing. One member said the current budget outlook leaves little room for an ongoing $3.1 million increase and warned of a $15 million negative ongoing balance in current projections, urging caution about adding recurring obligations this year. Others noted related supplemental requests addressing jail capacity and replacement that affect budget choices.
Several members urged the sponsor to work with JFAC and other budget actors to mitigate the fiscal impact before further changes. The sponsor responded that a recent revenue update showed a $112.6 million surplus that could cover the fiscal impact and argued the change would also reduce litigation risk tied to overcrowded county jails.
The House dispensed with further reading, and the clerk recorded the vote; House Bill 5-56 passed the House (clerk announced “56”). The bill will now be transmitted to the Senate.
The measure addresses a recurring tension between statewide incarceration costs and county budgets; next steps include Senate consideration and any budget reconciliation work if the measure advances.
