Appropriates $9,448,600 to Idaho Public Television for fiscal year 2019; and limits the number of authorized full-time equivalent positions to 68.48.

This is the FY 2019 original appropriation bill for Idaho Public Television. It appropriates $9,448,600 and caps the number of authorized full-time equivalent positions at 68.48. For benefit costs, the bill removes $1,450 per eligible FTP to bring the annual employer contribution for health insurance down to $11,650 by including a two-month employee and employer premium holiday, adds a 6.8% increase for life insurance, and adjusts funding for workers' compensation in amounts that vary by agency. Funding for replacement items includes $921,300 to upgrade building wiring, upgrades to the network infrastructure, an Ethernet microwavesystem, spectrumrepackagingcosts, andvideocameraandeditsystemcomputers. Forstatewide cost allocation, $5,100 is removed, as Attorney General fees will decrease by $3,100, fees for Legislative Audits will increase by $1,000, risk management costs will decrease by $4,900, and State Controller fees will increase by $1,900. This bill also provides funding for a 3% ongoing merit-based salary increase for permanent employees, to be distributed at the discretion of the agency head, and a 3% increase in the compensation schedule. This bill funds four line items: 1.00 FTP and $76,500 to assist with Federal Communications Commission engineering requirements; $74,100 to highlight the work of the National Comprehensive Center on Improving Literacy for Students with Disabilities through a grant from the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; 1.00 FTP and $125,000 to produce Idaho Experience through private grants; and 1.00 FTP to develop a television series through an American Graduate grant.