This bill allocates state funding for the fiscal year 2027 to various General Government departments and agencies, including the Department of Administration, Capitol Commission, and multiple commissions and offices. It establishes specific budget amounts for personnel, operating expenses, capital outlays, and benefit payments across these entities, while also setting limits on the number of authorized full-time equivalent positions. The legislation includes provisions to transfer money between specific state funds, such as moving funds from the Permanent Building Fund to the Administration and Accounting Services Fund, and grants reappropriation authority for several existing funds. Additionally, the bill provides continuous appropriation authority for certain expenditures by the Military Division and Public Employee Retirement System, and requires accountability reports for tax collections and distributions.
Idaho's H 645, the Portable Benefit Plan Act, creates a system for independent contractors to access portable benefits through accounts funded by hiring parties. It allows companies to contribute to these accounts (without reclassifying workers as employees) and specifies that contributions are fully deductible as a business expense for hiring parties and excluded from taxable income for contractors. The bill establishes clear definitions, administration rules for benefit accounts, and tax treatment, effective July 1, 2026. It directly affects independent contractors (who gain access to benefits like health, retirement, and disability insurance) and hiring parties (who can voluntarily fund these accounts). The law does not change worker classification status but provides tax advantages for both parties.
This bill appropriates state funds to Idaho's Public Safety agencies, including the Department of Correction, Department of Juvenile Corrections, and Idaho State Police, for fiscal year 2027. It allocates specific amounts for personnel costs, operating expenses, capital outlay, and benefit payments across various correctional facilities and programs. The legislation also limits the number of authorized full-time equivalent positions and exempts the appropriation from certain program transfer restrictions. Additionally, it requires accountability reports and establishes conditions, limitations, and restrictions on how the funds can be used.
This bill appropriates state funds to the Idaho Department of Agriculture and related agencies for fiscal year 2027, covering personnel costs, operating expenses, and capital projects. It allocates money from various sources including the General Fund, agricultural fees, and federal grants to support programs like livestock disease control, plant industries, agricultural inspections, and market development. The legislation also sets limits on full-time equivalent positions, directs how broadband grants must be used, and provides continuous appropriation authority for certain departmental expenditures.
This bill allocates state funding to Idaho's Natural Resources agencies for fiscal year 2027, covering operations, personnel, and capital projects across departments like Environmental Quality, Fish and Game, and Parks and Recreation. It establishes specific spending limits on certain positions, requires agencies to report on remediation projects, and directs money from the Water Pollution Control Fund to environmental remediation and agricultural best management practice funds. The legislation also provides flexibility to reappropriate certain recovery funds, exempts some appropriations from transfer restrictions, and sets up new funds for aquifer planning and flood management while requiring accountability reports on fund usage.
This bill directs the Legislative Services Office to calculate and provide a reduction to the Governor's budget document for certain state entities. The reduction applies to organizations with 50 or more full-time equivalent positions and covers employee benefits, health insurance, and compensation costs. The calculation uses a five-year average of actual personnel expenditures divided by originally appropriated personnel costs, or all available years if the entity is newer. The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee may include these calculated reductions in appropriation bills for affected entities, and the change applies to all fund types.
Idaho's H 610 revises the homestead property tax exemption, setting a new limit of the first $125,000 of a home's market value or 50% of that value (whichever is lower) as exempt from taxation. This directly affects Idaho homeowners who occupy their primary residence, requiring them to apply through county assessors with documentation confirming primary occupancy and compliance with uniform appraisal standards. Key provisions include updated application forms, rules for mid-year eligibility changes (prorating taxes based on days of eligibility), and simplified documentation for military homeowners. The bill does not alter the exemption's eligibility criteria but clarifies calculation methods and administrative processes for county assessors.
This bill amends Idaho Code sections governing the Idaho Forest Products Commission, primarily updating definitions and administrative procedures. It directly affects forest product manufacturers (businesses processing timber into lumber, paper, or other products in Idaho), requiring them to pay a 50-cent assessment per thousand board feet for timber harvested in Idaho - regardless of where it's processed later. Key changes include revised definitions of terms like "forest lands," updated commission membership rules (with governor appointments from financial supporter lists), and technical corrections to assessment provisions. The bill does not change fee amounts or create new obligations beyond clarifying existing assessment rules for manufacturers.
This Idaho bill updates the state's tax code to align with the current Internal Revenue Code (IRC), specifically revising how businesses calculate taxable income related to depreciation and research credits. It directly affects Idaho businesses and taxpayers claiming bonus depreciation or research activity credits, ensuring adjustments prevent double tax benefits when federal loss limitations apply. Key provisions include modifying how bonus depreciation deductions are handled for Idaho tax purposes (e.g., adding back unused federal depreciation when losses are later deducted) and updating research credit rules for activities conducted in Idaho. The changes apply retroactively to certain tax years and require businesses to track Idaho-specific tax basis and loss carryforwards.
HJR 7 proposes repealing a constitutional ban (Section 5, Article IX) that currently prohibits Idaho from using public funds to support religious institutions or activities. If approved by voters, this amendment would allow the state legislature to fund religious organizations directly with taxpayer money, removing a long-standing constitutional barrier. The bill itself does not create new funding programs but eliminates the existing constitutional restriction on such appropriations. It is a constitutional amendment requiring voter approval at the next general election, having recently passed committee with a "Do Pass" recommendation.
