This bill allows fire protection and ambulance service districts in Idaho to use citizen initiative petitions to raise or lower their property tax budgets, giving residents a direct vote on these financial decisions. It establishes specific procedures for these initiatives, including requiring signatures from at least 20% of qualified voters in the district and setting deadlines for petition submission and verification. The bill also updates existing budget limit rules for these districts, allowing them to calculate budget requests differently than other taxing entities, particularly regarding growth factors and annexed property values.
This bill allocates $235,800 in state funds to the Office of the Secretary of State for fiscal year 2027, covering personnel costs and operating expenses. The money comes from the General Fund and is designated for use between July 1, 2026, and June 30, 2027. The legislation includes an emergency clause to allow immediate implementation of the funding on the specified date. This appropriation directly supports the operational budget of the Secretary of State's office without changing existing laws or responsibilities.
This bill modifies Idaho's tax exemptions for data center operations, extending a sales tax exemption for data center equipment and revising property tax rules for capital investments. It requires businesses to invest at least $250 million in data center facilities and create 30 new full-time jobs within specific timeframes to qualify for the exemptions. The legislation also introduces new requirements for companies starting construction on or after April 1, 2026, including electricity rate agreements and water consumption planning with local providers. Businesses that fail to meet these investment and job creation requirements must pay the taxes that would have otherwise been owed.
This bill provides an additional $63,000 in state funding to the Idaho State Police for their Forensic Services Program during fiscal year 2027. The money is designated for operating expenses and will be drawn from the state's General Fund. The legislation includes an emergency declaration to ensure the funding takes effect immediately on July 1, 2026. This appropriation directly supports the forensic analysis work conducted by Idaho State Police personnel.
This bill appropriates state and federal funds to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare and the State Independent Living Council for fiscal year 2027, covering programs like Medicaid, child welfare, mental health services, and substance abuse treatment. It establishes specific funding amounts for various divisions including youth safety, early learning, family partnerships, and benefit payments, while also limiting the number of authorized full-time equivalent positions. The legislation includes requirements for program integrity, monthly Medicaid tracking reports, and cost-sharing for certain services, and directs how specific funds must be used for initiatives like smoking cessation, opioid response, and rural physician incentives.
This bill allows Idaho school districts and public charter schools that meet specific performance and financial standards to gain more control over how they spend state education funds. To qualify, districts must rank in the top 20% for test scores or exceed state averages by significant margins, maintain strong graduation rates, and demonstrate three years of clean financial audits. Participating schools gain flexibility to allocate money for salaries, programs, and other expenses as they see fit, while being exempt from many state reporting requirements. The law includes safeguards that allow the state to revoke this flexibility if schools fail to meet academic benchmarks for two consecutive years or have serious financial audit issues. A report on the program's impact will be submitted to the legislature in 2029.
This Idaho bill allocates and adjusts funding for the Workforce Development Council and the STEM Action Center for fiscal years 2026 and 2027. It increases the Workforce Development Council's budget by $1,150,000 from the In-Demand Careers Fund while adding six full-time equivalent positions, but simultaneously reduces its General Fund allocation for operating expenses. The STEM Action Center receives a budget increase from the STEM Education Fund while having its total funding reduced by $76,400 from the General Fund and losing seven full-time equivalent positions. The bill also declares an emergency to allow the General Fund reduction to take effect immediately upon passage, with other provisions beginning on July 1, 2026.
This bill adjusts funding and staffing levels for two Idaho state agencies for fiscal year 2027. It increases money and authorized positions for the Office of Species, Minerals, and Energy Coordination while reducing both funding and staff positions for the Idaho State Historical Society by the same amount. The legislation also allows the Office of Species, Minerals, and Energy Coordination to move money between different budget categories without restrictions. These changes take effect on July 1, 2026, and the bill was signed into law by the Governor.
This bill amends Idaho law to revise the Parental Choice Tax Credit, which provides financial assistance to parents for private school and related educational expenses. It establishes eligibility for Idaho residents with children aged 5 to 18, or children with disabilities up to age 21, to claim a refundable tax credit of up to $5,000 per eligible student for qualified expenses including tuition, tutoring, assessments, and transportation. The bill creates a priority application system that favors lower-income families and allows eligible parents to request an advance payment of the credit before filing their tax return. It also repeals the previous advance payment fund and sets specific application deadlines and documentation requirements for claiming the credit.
This bill allocates an additional $200,000 from the General Fund to Idaho's Department of Correction for fiscal year 2027, specifically for the County and Out-of-State Placement Program. The funds are designated for operating expenditures and will be available from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027. The legislation includes a declaration of emergency to ensure the appropriation takes effect immediately upon passage. This measure directly affects the Department of Correction's budget and resources for managing inmate placement programs.
