From the Executive Director – Week of April 8, 2024

The Idaho Legislature recessed for five legislative days on Thursday, April 4th after passing a key appropriation bill for the Idaho Department of Transportation. The Legislature will return to Boise on Wednesday, April 10th to wrap up its work for the year and adjourn sine die. Passage of House Bill 770 ensures that counties and other local highway jurisdictions continue to receive over $121 million in state funding for road and bridge maintenance as well as an additional $200 million in one-time funding for local bridge repair and replacement.

In addition to continuing state support for transportation funding, the legislature also enacted laws related to planning and zoning that will be useful to counties. These laws include IAC priority legislation Senate Bill 1403 clarifying the respective authorities of counties and cities within an area of impact (signed by the Governor on 3/28/24), House Bill 608 requiring counties to enact ordinances to establish voluntary agricultural protection areas (signed by the Governor on 3/28/24), and Senate Bill 1293 revising municipal annexation procedures (delivered to the Governor on 4/4/24, yet to be signed).

The Legislature also enacted legislation to improve the transition from a county-based public defense system to a state public defense system. House Bill 521 provides an additional $3 million in ongoing state funding for CPS cases (signed by Governor on 4/2/24), House Bill 593 allowing county institutional public defenders to transfer up to 40 hours of vacation leave to the state (signed by the Governor on 3/22/24), House Bill 697 allowing county institutional public defenders to transfer up to 40 hours of sick leave to the state (signed by the Governor on 3/28/24), and Senate Bill 1367 requiring the state to cover costs for CPS and child guardian ad litem attorneys (signed by the Governor on 4/3/24).  

Other key bills that passed and were supported by IAC this year include:

– House Bill 406, establishing mandatory minimums for fentanyl trafficking (signed by the Governor on 2/26/24)

– House Bill 478, allowing counties to perform electrical and plumbing inspections (signed by the Governor on 3/22/24)

– House Bill 508, clarifying that emergency dispatch, juvenile probation, and misdemeanor probation supervisors qualify for PERSI Rule of 80 (signed by the Governor on 3/18/24)

– House BIll 521, allowing the state tax commission to use prior year levy information to calculate Homeowner Tax Relief and providing additional property tax relief by dedicating more state sales tax and general funds to the School District Facility Fund (SDFF) (signed by the Governor on 4/2/24)

– House Bill 571, exempting counties from having to hire a licensed public works contractor for projects costing less than $100,000 (signed by the Governor on 3/18/24)

– Senate Bill 1365, establishing a next of kin database for coroner notifications (signed by the Governor on 3/20/24)

IAC staff will provide a complete overview of the 2024 Legislative Session, including the impact of enacted legislation on counties, at our upcoming Spring County Officials Institute (SCOI) meetings. You can register for IAC’s 2024 SCOI at the following links:

– May 2nd in Burley Register Here

– May 3rd in Idaho Falls: Register Here

– May 15th in Coeur d’Alene: Register Here

– May 17th in Boise: Register Here