Appropriates $36,232,700 to the Department of Commerce for fiscal year 2017; limits the number of authorized full-time equivalent positions to 43; and transfers $17,000 from the Small Business Assistance Fund to the Idaho Global Entrepreneurial Mission Fund.

This is the FY 2017 appropriation to the Department of Commerce in the amount of $36,232,700 with full-time equivalent positions capped at 43. This appropriation includes funding for benefit cost increases, statewide cost allocation, a 3% CEC, and the 27th pay period. The 3% CEC is a merit-based increase in employee compensation for permanent employees to be distributed at the discretion of each director. Line item 1 includes an appropriation to spend cash from the Idaho Global Entrepreneurial (IGEM) Fund. Of the amount, $29,600 is from money generated from the Science and Technology License Plate Fund that was replaced by the IGEM Fund in FY 2013. The other $17,000 is from the Small Business Assistance Fund, which is no longer in use by the department. Overall, this budget is a 0.3% increase above the FY 2016 appropriation. Section 3 authorizes a cash transfer from the Small Business Assistance Fund to the IGEM Fund.