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JFAC votes: reimbursements, Percy and tax‑commission packages, veterans and other enhancements
Summary
At its Feb. 20 meeting JFAC approved a set of agency appropriations and enhancements, including a $17,800 hazmat reimbursement, Percy enhancements totaling $2.6 million (dedicated funds), Division of Veterans Services and Commission for the Blind packages, vocational rehabilitation lease funding, and a $765,300 tax‑conformity supplemental; one veterans cemetery intent proposal failed.
The Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee approved several budget actions and enhancement packages during its Feb. 20 session.
Key votes and outcomes: - Hazardous‑materials reimbursement: The committee approved a one‑time transfer of $17,800 from the general fund to the Hazardous Substance Emergency Response Fund to reimburse the Military Division for FY2025 deficiency warrants the division could not recoup from incident originators.
- Military Division enhancements: After extended debate over restoring the State Guardsmen Education Assistance Program, the committee did not adopt the general‑fund restoration and instead approved an amended substitute motion to hold the item at the chair’s call for possible future reconsideration.
- Percy (pension software and related items): The committee approved an enhancement package adding $2,599,400 from dedicated funds to cover the final year of a pension software upgrade and other continuity and replacement items.
- Division of Veterans Services: The committee approved enhancements totaling $743,600 from dedicated funds and $169,000 from federal funds (total $912,600) and granted reappropriation authority for federal construction grant funding related to replacement/renovation of state veterans homes.
- Veterans cemetery language: A proposal to add ongoing FY2028 cemetery maintenance funding by intent language failed in both chambers (senate reported 4 ayes, 5 nays, 1 absent; house reported 3 ayes, 7 nays); the motion did not carry.
- Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired: Committee approved a $127,700 dedicated‑fund enhancement package for client services and vehicles.
- Division of Vocational Rehabilitation: The committee approved a lease increase of $22,100 (general fund) for the division and confirmed the motion did not include a program transfer or restore federal match funding.
- Idaho State Tax Commission: The committee approved a $765,300 FY2026 supplemental to implement federal tax conformity and a set of FY2027 enhancements totaling $2,554,300 (combination of general and dedicated funds) to automate systems, fund property tax education and other items; language was added to restrict $550,000 to fast‑tax vendor payments with reversion of unspent amounts.
- Maintenance bill technical corrections: The committee accepted technical corrections to maintenance bill language by unanimous consent, clarifying expense class and program transfer authority, correcting years, and fixing reappropriation targets.
Roll calls and recorded votes are on the public record for each motion; where counts were read into the record, they are reflected above as reported during the meeting.
