This bill allocates additional funding to Idaho's Commission of Pardons and Parole for fiscal years 2026 and 2027, while simultaneously reducing existing appropriations from the state's General Fund. The legislation provides $221,500 for fiscal year 2027 and $87,200 for fiscal year 2026, with money drawn from both the General Fund and Miscellaneous Revenue Fund to cover personnel and operating expenses. The bill also declares an emergency to allow immediate implementation of certain funding adjustments, with most provisions taking effect upon signing and remaining changes beginning July 1, 2026. This funding adjustment directly impacts the financial resources available to the state agency responsible for reviewing clemency requests and managing parole decisions.
This bill appropriates $35,400 from the Public Utilities Commission Fund to provide additional funding for the Public Utilities Commission's capital outlay expenses during fiscal year 2027. The money is designated for the period from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, and is intended to support the commission's infrastructure and operational investments. The legislation includes an emergency declaration to ensure the funds take effect immediately on July 1, 2026. This measure directly affects the Public Utilities Commission by increasing its available budget for capital projects during the specified fiscal year.
This bill allocates $127,700 in state funds to the Idaho Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired for fiscal year 2027, split between operating expenses and beneficiary payments. The money comes from two specific funds: $99,300 from the Rehabilitation Revenue and Refunds Fund and $65,000 from the Adaptive Aids and Appliances Fund. The legislation requires the commission to prioritize using these funds for sight restoration services that help preserve, stabilize, or restore vision for eligible individuals. The bill takes effect on July 1, 2026, and was signed into law by the Governor.
This bill allocates $2,599,400 in state funds to Idaho's Public Employee Retirement System for fiscal year 2027, covering the period from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027. The money is divided between $2,227,300 for operating expenses and $372,100 for capital outlays, drawn from the PERSI Administrative Fund and PERSI Special Fund. The legislation declares an emergency to make the funding effective immediately upon passage, ensuring the retirement system has the necessary resources for its designated programs and expense classes during the upcoming fiscal year.
This bill appropriates $3,700 from the Endowment Earnings Administrative Fund to the Endowment Fund Investment Board for fiscal year 2027. The funds are designated for capital outlay expenses between July 1, 2026, and June 30, 2027. The legislation declares an emergency to allow immediate implementation of the appropriation starting July 1, 2026.
This bill appropriates approximately $25.9 million to Idaho's Department of Fish and Game for fiscal year 2027, covering administration, enforcement, fisheries, wildlife, and communications programs. The funding comes from state, federal, and other dedicated funds, with specific amounts allocated to personnel costs, operating expenditures, and capital outlays. The legislation also allows the department to use any unspent money from fiscal year 2026 for nonrecurring expenses in the following year. An emergency provision sets the effective date as July 1, 2026.
This bill allocates funding and authorizes new positions for Idaho's Office of Information Technology Services for fiscal years 2026 and 2027. It provides approximately $10.7 million in total funding across personnel, operating, and capital costs from the General Fund, Administration and Accounting Services Fund, and Federal Grant Fund. The legislation also increases the office's authorized workforce by 59.5 full-time equivalent positions for 2027 and an additional 0.5 position for 2026 to support the E-CORE Federal Grant program.
H 642 adjusts Idaho's public safety officer retirement benefits to ensure consistency between catastrophic injury and death benefits. It increases the lump-sum death benefit for surviving spouses or dependent children to $500,000 (matching the existing catastrophic injury benefit) and adds an annual pension of $75,000 for surviving spouses. The bill specifically affects surviving spouses and dependent children of police officers and firefighters who die in the line of duty due to catastrophic injuries. Benefits will be funded solely through public safety officers' pension contributions, with no tax on the payments. The legislation repeals outdated death benefit provisions and defines "catastrophic injury" through specific medical criteria.
This bill revises Idaho's sales tax rebate program for developers of retail complexes. It allows developers to receive a 60% rebate on sales taxes collected by qualified retailers within their complex, provided the developer spent at least $4 million on approved transportation improvements (like highway projects costing over $5 million). The rebate is paid from a new "demonstration pilot project fund" and capped at $35 million per transportation project. This directly affects developers building retail complexes who make qualifying transportation investments, not the retailers or general consumers.
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.
