Relates to the appropriation to the State Board of Education and the Board of Regents of the University of Idaho for Special Programs for fiscal year 2023.

This is the FY 2023 original appropriation bill for the Division of Special Programs under the State Board of Education. It appropriates a total of $32,383,800 and caps the number of authorized full-time equivalent positions at 47.09. This division includes the budgets for six distinct programs, including Forest Utilization Research, Idaho Geological Survey, Scholarships and Grants, Idaho Museum of Natural History, Small Business Development Centers, and TechHelp. For benefit costs, the bill increases the appropriated amount for health insurance by $850 to $12,500 per eligible full time FTP, includes a one-year holiday of unemployment insurance, and adjusts workers' compensation amounts. The bill also provides funding for permanent employees for the equivalent of a 3% salary structure shift and provides $1.25 per hour per eligible employee to be distributed based on merit for change in employee compensation. The bill funds two line items, which provide for operational support at the Idaho Geological Survey; and a rural consultant at the Small Business Development Centers.