Week 12: Idaho Legislative Session

As the Legislature wraps up its 12th week of the session, a number of key issues impacting counties remain in flux. At the top of the list is transportation funding. The Senate Finance Committee introduced Senate Bill 1205 late this week providing funding for the strategic initiatives program. Senate Bill 1205 appropriates $110 million to counties, highway districts, and cities through the Highway Distribution Account (HDA). This amounts to a $10 million dollar reduction in funds from last year. In spite of the reduction, there were efforts to to further cut funding to strategic initiatives. The $10 million reduction is offset by increased transportation funding to locals through the Transportation Expansion and Congestion Mitigation (TECM) program. The bill will likely be voted on early next week by the Senate. Please reach out to your senators and encourage them to vote yes on S1205.

Another bill IAC is closely tracking is House Bill 130. House Bill 130 provides further limitations on what properties owned by a nonprofit hospital are exempt from property taxation. House Bill 130 will be amended by the Senate on Monday. Specifically, the amendments to H0130 will exclude outreach, satellite, outpatient, ancillary, and support facilities from the current exemption. Additionally, the amendments will require hospitals to provide additional information which will be taken under consideration when determining whether or not a nonprofit hospital qualifies for the exemption. 

On the public defense front, the House Judiciary & Rules Committee sent Senate Bill 1181 to House General Orders for potential amendments. The bill includes a number of provisions related to counties, including intent language to move up the transition of state public defenders out of county provided facilities from 2029 to 2027. It also provides additional clarification strengthening the role of the judicial district public defender in overseeing public defense operations, staff, and litigation coordination within the judicial district as well as adding in language clarifying that counties are not responsible for indigent defense services not covered by the state public defender. In spite of the positive in the bill, there is also one piece of the legislation that is not as helpful as the bill includes a provision requiring counties to cover utility, cleaning, and building maintenance expenses. 

Lastly, Senate Bill 1187 has cleared the Senate and awaits action from the House. Senate Bill 1187 is a trailer bill to Senate Bill 1133 related to agriculture protection areas (APA). Senate Bill 1187 aligns the process for adding parcels to an APA with the process for approving an application for a new APA. The bill also clarifies that the board of county commissioners may approve an APA administratively or delegate that responsibility to the planning and zoning administrator or other officer of the county.

We’ll provide email updates throughout next week as the Legislature winds down on any new bills that are introduced. Feel free to reach out to me or any of my team members with questions. As always, thanks for all you do!