Idaho Bills

Appropriates an additional $80,000 to the Board of Dentistry for fiscal year 2016; appropriates an additional $21,100 to the Board of Pharmacy for fiscal year 2016; and authorizes an additional position to the Board of Pharmacy.

This is a fiscal year 2016 supplemental appropriation for the Board of Pharmacy and the Board of Dentistry. Board of Dentistry: This bill provides an additional $80,000 one-time for the procurement of a new licensing system. The current system is contractually set to expire in September 2016. This supplemental appropriation will allow the board to purchase and test a new system before the completion of the current fiscal year. Board of Pharmacy: The bill provides an additional 1.00 FTP, $15,900 of ongoing personnel costs, and $5,200 of one-time capital outlay funding. This supplemental appropriation will be used to recruit and hire an IT systems integration analyst, and purchase equipment and office furniture for the new position. This position will need to understand, and be able to translate the needs of the board into a new licensing system and assist with other IT programs. Of the total appropriation, $15,900 and 1.00 FTP are ongoing, and $85,200 is one-time for fiscal year 2016.

Appropriates an additional $3,500,000 from the Federal Grant Fund to the Military Division for the Federal/State Agreements Program for fiscal year 2016; appropriates $69,685,700 to the Military Division for fiscal year 2017; limits the number of authorized full-time equivalent positions to 319.8; and grants a continuous appropriation for the Bureau of Homeland Security's Miscellaneous Revenue Fund for the purpose of covering incurred costs arising out of hazardous substance incidents.

Appropriates an additional $3,500,000 from the Federal Grant Fund to the Military Division for the Federal/State Agreements Program for fiscal year 2016; appropriates $69,685,700 to the Military Division for fiscal year 2017; limits the number of authorized full-time equivalent positions to 319.8; and grants a continuous appropriation for the Bureau of Homeland Security's Miscellaneous Revenue Fund for the purpose of covering incurred costs arising out of hazardous substance incidents.

Adds to existing law to establish the STEM Education Fund and related provisions.

The legislation creates the STEM Education Fund to support the initiatives and work of the Idaho STEM Action Center. The STEM Action Center was created to drive student experience, engagement, industry alignment, and provide Idaho students with competitive employment opportunities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Appropriates $5,525,300 to the Idaho Commission for Libraries for fiscal year 2017; and limits the number of authorized full-time equivalent positions to 37.5.

This bill is the FY 2017 appropriation to the Idaho Commission for Libraries for $3,822,300 from the General Fund, $70,000 in dedicated funds, and $1,633,000 in federal funds with full-time equivalent positions capped at 37.50. It includes $39,300 in benefit cost increases, $12,800 for inflation, $113,200 for replacement items, a reduction of $2,000 for statewide cost allocation, $62,400 for an ongoing 3% merit-based increase in employee compensation for permanent employees to be distributed at the discretion of the State Librarian, and $77,200 for the cost of the 27th payroll that will occur in FY 2017 for all state agencies using a bi-weekly payroll. Payroll costs accrue, but are unpaid at the rate of one day per year for ten years, to be paid out in the eleventh year. This amount is calculated using FY 2016 payroll costs. The bill also includes $2,100 ongoing from the Federal Grant Fund to reclassify positions. In FY 2015, the commission initiated a review of its current positions to ensure all employees are correctly aligned in their current class. At that time, two office specialist positions were identified as performing out of class and require an upgrade. The commission has identified a shipping and receiving materials handler position as a better aligned class. Of those two positions, only one will result in an increase in salary and benefits. That increase is projected to be $1,700 in salary and $400 in benefits. The Commission's appropriation totals $5,525,300.

Amends existing law to provide that a guardian's authority and responsibility shall terminate upon termination of the guardianship and to revise a provision regarding the resignation of a guardian; and to provide for proceedings for the modification or termination of a guardianship.

This bill would correct an omission in the statutes relating to guardianships. Idaho Code § 15-5-212A specifically addresses the procedure for terminating the guardianship of a child who has been found to be abandoned, abused, or neglected under the Child Protective Act. However, the statutes include no reference to the termination of a guardianship for other minors. This was identified as an apparent oversight in the concurring opinion of Justice Jim Jones in Doe v. Doe, 150 Idaho 432, 247 P.3d 659 (2011). This bill would amend I.C. § 15-5-212 to provide that a person interested in the welfare of a ward, or a ward who is at least 14, may petition the court for modification or termination of the guardianship on the ground that the modification or termination would be in the best interest of the ward. This would fill a gap in the Idaho Code and provide guidance to all persons concerned in a guardianship.

Appropriates $170,000 to the Office of the Lieutenant Governor for fiscal year 2017; limits the number of authorized full-time equivalent positions to 3; and authorizes lump sum spending authority.

Appropriates $170,000 to the Office of the Lieutenant Governor for fiscal year 2017; limits the number of full-time equivalent positions to three (3); and authorizes lump sum spending authority. The bill includes funding for the employer's share of increased benefit costs; changes made in the statewide cost allocation plan; adjustments made in the Lieutenant Governor's compensation, as authorized in Chapter 356, Laws of 2014; an ongoing 3% merit-based increase in employee compensation for permanent employees to be distributed at the discretion of agency heads; and the 27th payroll.

Appropriates and transfers $400,000 from the General Fund to the Wolf Control Fund for fiscal year 2017.

This is a fiscal year 2017 appropriation and transfer of $400,000 from the General Fund to the Wolf Control Fund Other Money Subaccount. Enablinglegislationpassedin2014foundthatadditionalfinancialresourcesareneededtocontinue the implementation of Idaho's Wolf management plan administered by the Department of Fish and Game. It established a five-member Wolf Depredation Control Board in the Governor's Office and created a set of new funds and subaccounts to be administered by the Department of Agriculture. The law established fees from the livestock industry, to be matched up to $110,000 per year by sportsmen, to be transferred into the Wolf Control Fund. Fish and Game authorizes control actions when wolves are causing conflicts with people, domestic animals, and significant measured deer and elk population declines. The responsibility of the Wolf Control Board is to allocate the money for control actions approved by the Idaho Fish and Game Commission. The Wolf Control Board has a cooperative services agreement and a work plan with Wildlife Services. During calendar year 2015, Wildlife Services responded to 84 livestock depredations, confirmed 59 depredations were a result of wolves, and reported that 72 wolves had been killed using funds provided by the Wolf Depredation Control Board. In February of 2016, Wildlife Services s agents killed 20 wolves consistent with the Elk Management Plan and Lolo Predation Management Plan.

Amends existing law regarding provisions relating to the funding of the state underground storage tank program and to provide for reporting; to remove a provision that certain training by the department shall be offered at no cost; and to revise a provision regarding fees for department inspections.

The Department of Environmental Quality's (DEQ) Underground Storage Tank (UST) Program regulates approximately 3,350 tanks at approximately 1,180 facilities throughout the state. DEQ operates this program in lieu of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to the benefit of Idaho'sregulatedfacilitiesandtheenvironment. Theprogramiscurrentlyfundedbyafederalgrant and state matching funds, however, successive federal grant reductions have made it impossible to maintain the minimum program effort necessary to retain state program authorization (primacy). Furthermore, EPA recently released new UST rules that increase requirements and costs for the agency. The purpose of this legislation is to provide DEQ the authority to begin collecting tank fees to supplement the remaining federal grant dollars and state matching funds. If approved, the UST fee program will be developed through negotiated rulemaking and brought to the legislature for approval. DEQ has requested general fund appropriations to support the UST program while a fee program is developed and implemented. If the proposed fee program is not approved, ongoing general fund appropriations will be necessary to maintain program primacy.

Amends existing law to provide that certain persons acting as a trustee shall not require a charter.

The purpose of this legislation is to amend the Idaho Trust Institutions Act to clarify that an individual who does not engage in trust business may serve as a trustee of a trust without obtaining a state trust company charter.

Appropriates and transfers $2,000,000 from the General Fund to the Constitutional Defense Fund in fiscal year 2016; and appropriates $971,700 from the General Fund to the Department of Administration for the Purchasing Program for fiscal year 2016.

This bill appropriates $2 million from the General Fund to the Constitutional Defense Fund in FY 2016 to support the work of the Constitutional Defense Council. The Constitutional Defense Council is made up of the Governor, Pro Tempore of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Attorney General. The Constitutional Defense Fund is continuously appropriated and is managed in the House of Representatives on behalf of the Council. The current balance in the fund is $230,393.72. Since the creation of the program in 1994 the Legislature has appropriated a total of $2.5 million. This bill also appropriates $971,700 from the General Fund to the Department of Administration in FY 2016 to pay the Board of Examiner's approved legal fees and interest to Syringa Networks, LLC relating to the Idaho Education Network lawsuit. On June 30, 2015, the District Court entered a supplemental judgement awarding Syringa $930,593 in attorney's fees, accrued interest from that date through the end of April 2016 totals $39,852, and an additional $1,249 was awarded for costs by the Idaho Supreme Court.