This Idaho bill allocates state funds to the Department of Correction for fiscal years 2026 and 2027, with the majority of money designated for operating expenses at various prisons and correctional facilities. The legislation provides specific amounts for management services, prison administration, medical services, and community corrections programs, drawing from funds like the General Fund and Inmate Labor Fund. Additionally, the bill requires the department to conduct a review of community reentry center operations and submit findings to a legislative committee by November 1, 2026, evaluating efficiency, recidivism outcomes, and security considerations.
This bill provides funding to Idaho's State Tax Commission for fiscal years 2026 and 2027, allocating money for personnel, operating expenses, and capital costs across various departments. The legislation specifies exact dollar amounts from different state funds, including the General Fund and specialized tax funds, to support general services, compliance activities, and property tax operations. A portion of the 2026 funding is restricted to payments for a specific tax collection vendor, with unused funds returning to the General Fund. The bill includes an emergency declaration to allow immediate implementation of the 2026 funding provisions upon signing.
Idaho's H 760 revises property tax exemptions for low-income housing owned by nonprofit organizations. It requires qualifying nonprofits to meet specific criteria, including federal 501(c)(3) status and ensuring no private benefit from tax exemptions. The bill mandates that 55% of units must rent to residents earning ≤60% of local median income, 20% to those earning ≤50%, and 25% to those earning ≤30%, with annual compliance reports to counties. It also adds protections preventing evictions for three months after certified medical emergencies and prohibits the exemption for properties with financing closed by July 1, 2026, unless undergoing rehabilitation.
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.
Idaho's S 1331 reduces state funding for education programs in fiscal year 2026 by $22.3 million from the Public School Income Fund and transfers money to the General Fund. It directly affects public schools (teachers and student support), Idaho's universities (including Boise State, Idaho State, and the University of Idaho), community colleges, and education programs like medical residencies and career technical education. Key mechanisms include cutting specific budget line items (e.g., $5.4 million for Boise State University, $1.8 million for student administrators), reducing authorized staff positions, and reallocating funds. The bill declares an emergency to expedite these fiscal adjustments.
Idaho's H 583 restricts local governments from banning short-term rentals or imposing most specific regulations on them, such as owner occupation requirements, professional management mandates, or rental day limits. It allows only basic safety measures (like smoke alarms and fire extinguishers) and requires counties/cities to treat short-term rentals equally with standard residential properties under zoning and building codes. The bill also prohibits local taxes on rental marketplaces (like Airbnb), instead requiring these platforms to collect and remit state and local lodging taxes to the state tax commission for distribution to local governments. This directly affects short-term rental owners, property managers, and online platforms operating in Idaho.
H 587 amends Idaho law to allow the rangeland improvement account to be used automatically each year without needing separate annual budget approvals. This affects the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (which manages the account) and ranchers who benefit from rangeland improvements funded through the account. The bill requires the department to provide annual reports to specific legislative committees detailing all funding sources and uses for the account. The change takes effect July 1, 2026, streamlining funding for ongoing rangeland conservation projects.
Idaho's S 1317 creates a framework for voluntary regional service centers (RSCs) that school districts and public charter schools can form to share specialized staff and administrative services. The bill allows multiple local education agencies to pool resources for high-cost, hard-to-staff roles like psychologists and special education support under IDEA, while maintaining local control over curriculum and enrollment. RSCs would receive state funding for core administrative services (e.g., HR, finance), operate under locally governed boards, and offer additional fee-based services through agreements. This aims to reduce duplication, improve compliance with federal special education requirements, and lower costs for participating schools.
