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JFAC approves judicial fund shifts, Guardian ad Litem restorations, Millennium Fund allocations and archive move
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Summary
The Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee approved several FY2027 funding adjustments: dedicated‑fund transfers for the judicial branch, a $165,300 Guardian ad Litem restoration, roughly $9.87 million from the Millennium Income Fund for recovery centers, youth services, an SRO training restoration and a drug awareness campaign, and $486,300 for archives moving costs.
The Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee on the floor approved a series of FY2027 budget adjustments and related appropriation language, voting to authorize dedicated‑fund transfers for the judicial branch, restore limited Guardian ad Litem funding, adopt Millennium Income Fund spending recommendations and permit the Idaho State Historical Society to use dedicated funds for a planned archives move.
Janica Bisharat, a budget and policy analyst with the Legislative Services Office, presented the judicial branch request, describing three divisions (Court Operations, Guardian ad Litem and the Judicial Council) and two enhancement requests. "The budget is before the committee," Bisharat said, outlining proposed shifts that would move some general fund costs to dedicated funds to support treatment courts, family court services and court technology systems.
Votes at a glance - Judicial branch dedicated‑fund authorization: approved. Senate vote: 8 ayes, 1 nay, 1 excused. House vote: 9 ayes, 0 nays, 1 excused. The motion authorized one‑time transfers ($800,700 senior magistrate fund; $700,000 Drug Court/Mental Health Court/Family Court Services Fund; $400,000 Substance Abuse Treatment Fund) and $2,000,000 ongoing from the Court Technology Fund to supplant general fund spending. - Guardian ad Litem restoration: approved. Senate vote: 7 ayes, 2 nays, 1 excused. House vote: 7 ayes, 2 nays, 1 excused. The committee added $77,900 ongoing and $87,400 one‑time (total $165,300) from the general fund for a second‑district trainer/recruiter and district operating support. - Millennium Income Fund allocations (substitute motion): approved. Senate vote: 6 ayes, 3 nays, 1 excused. House vote: 5 ayes, 4 nays, 1 excused. The committee approved roughly $9.872 million one‑time and ongoing (see detailed article) for recovery centers, the Idaho Children’s Trust Fund, juvenile assessment centers, children's advocacy centers, an Office of Drug Policy media campaign, and a $30,000 addition to restore school resource officer (SRO) training coordination. - Idaho State Historical Society archive move: approved. Senate vote: 8 ayes, 1 nay, 1 excused. House vote: 8 ayes, 1 nay, 1 excused. The committee authorized $450,000 one‑time for collections/archival moving and $36,300 for IT hardware from the agency's dedicated funds.
Committee action and language Committee members also granted unanimous consent to a set of maintenance and new appropriations language for Millennium Fund uses, including reporting requirements and procurement guidance for the drug awareness campaign. Staff described an additional section that would allow staff to attach conditions, limitations and restrictions to appropriation bills; the committee adopted that standard language by unanimous consent so it need not be reintroduced for each appropriation bill.
Why it matters The committee’s approvals shift some costs off the general fund and allocate one‑time and ongoing resources to treatment and child‑welfare supports, drug‑prevention efforts and archival preservation. The Millennium Income Fund decisions in particular direct a mix of one‑time and ongoing dollars to community programs and statewide campaigns identified by the Joint Millennium Fund Committee.
What’s next The committee recorded due‑pass recommendations for the approved items. The chair said the committee will continue hearings on Medicaid and several agency budgets at the next scheduled meeting.
