Idaho Bills

Appropriates $6,316,300 to the Public Utilities Commission for fiscal year 2017; and limits the number of authorized full-time equivalent positions to 52.

Appropriates $9,289,500 from the General Fund to the Public Health Districts for fiscal year 2017.

Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding the use of certain highways by all-terrain, utility type and specialty off-highway vehicles and motorbikes.

Amends existing law to provide an additional requirement for annual continuous improvement plans, to define "statewide student readiness and improvement metrics" and to clarify certain scores.

Amend section 33-320, Idaho Code, to incorporate the Accountability and Autonomy Task Force subcommittee recommendations into the school district continuous improvement plan process. This includes the addition of definitions for terms to insure there is a common understanding of student readiness and student improvement. This includes a Career and College Readiness Score, a Career and College Readiness Improvement Score, a High School Readiness Score, a High School Readiness Improvement Score, 7th-Grade Readiness Score, and 7th-Grade Readiness Improvement Score. These scores will be applicable based on three grade bands; high school, K-8, and K-6. Improvement scores will be based on year-over-year improvement in the level of readiness produced by the school, and would be shown as a percentage of change in the applicable readiness score.

Amends and adds to existing law to provide that consent to adoption is required from certain courts; to provide certain notice and reporting requirements; to provide requirements regarding notification to relatives; to provide for judicial approval of all matters regarding the custody of certain children; to provide additional requirements regarding case plans; to provide that certain adoptions must be sanctioned by the court; to provide for judicial approval of certain determinations and to revise and establish provisions regarding the placement priority and considerations for certain children; and to establish provisions regarding a removal and change in foster home placement.

The intent of this legislation is to implement policy changes in regard to the foster care program. The legislation proposes to enhance court participation in the decision making process regarding adoption choices and placement. It also outlines notice requirements for moving foster children to new foster homes under certain circumstances.

Amends existing law to provide that certain sports officials shall review concussion and head injury guidelines and requirements biennially, to require parental written authorization for participation in athletic activities and to provide for monitoring of a student suspected of suffering a concussion prior to the student resuming athletic activities.

Appropriates $51,402,600 to the Department of Juvenile Corrections for fiscal year 2017; and limits the number of authorized full-time equivalent positions to 412.

This bill appropriates $51,402,600 to the Department of Juvenile Corrections for FY 2017 and caps the number of authorized full-time equivalent positions at 412.00. The bill includes funding for the employer's share of increased benefit costs, inflationary adjustments, replacement items, and accounts for decreases in statewide cost allocation. It provides for an ongoing 3% merit-based increase in employee compensation for permanent employees to be distributed at the discretion of agency heads and funds the 27th payroll. Line items include: $73,700 and 1.00 FTP for a clinician position; 1.00 FTP and the transfer of $42,100 in operating expenditures to personnel costs to fund a maintenance craftsman position; $25,300 for POST training; $6,600 for a personnel cost shortfall associated with 1.50 FTP; a net-zero program transfer of $50,000 for the Community Incentive Program; a net-zero program transfer of $55,000 for additional POST training; $14,100 for travel costs; and the reduction of $900,000 from the Community-Based Substance Abuse Treatment Program to align the agency's budget with program needs.

Appropriates $13,878,400 to the Office of Species Conservation for fiscal year 2017; limits the number of authorized full-time equivalent positions to 12.63; and expresses legislative intent with regard to sage-grouse conservation actions.

Appropriates $283,400 to the Commission on Hispanic Affairs for fiscal year 2017; and limits the number of authorized full-time positions to 3.

Amends existing law to provide for the dissolution of districts by county commissioners under certain conditions.

Appropriates $66,709,900 to the Supreme Court for fiscal year 2017; and exempts the appropriation from object and program transfer limitations.

Appropriates $24,282,700 to the Attorney General for fiscal year 2017; limits the number of authorized full-time equivalent positions to 205.6; and exempts the Attorney General from object and program transfer limitations.

Appropriates $97,605,000 to the divisions of Mental Health, Psychiatric Hospitalization, and Substance Abuse Treatment and Prevention for fiscal year 2017; limits the number of authorized full-time equivalent positions for the three divisions to 695.58; provides for General Fund transfers to the Cooperative Welfare Fund; directs expenditures for trustee and benefit payments; provides for program integrity; limits transfers of legislative appropriations; clarifies responsibility for education of certain children in state care; directs an interagency payment; provides legislative intent relating to a crisis center location; requires an annual report on community support for the Idaho Falls Crisis Center; and provides for reappropriation for the Adult Mental Health Program.

Amends existing law to remove language regarding when an order may be given and may be effective and to provide that water right holders participating in an approved ground water management plan shall not be subject to administration on a time priority basis under specified conditions.

Amends and adds to existing law to provide the Idaho School Safety and Security Act, to provide the Office of School Safety and Security, the Idaho School Safety and Security Advisory Board, and to provide powers and duties of the board.

The purpose of this act is to enhance the safety and security of students and educators who use Idaho's public schools and campuses by providing for an Office of School Safety and Security within the Division of Building Safety. DBS staff is in every school building every year for safety inspections. This legislation proposes to leverage those existing resources to establish a process and resources to also assess for security vulnerabilities. The Office will provide Idaho educators with on-site security assessments and training, identify areas of vulnerability and provide technical assistance for improvement of safety and security at schools statewide. It is in the interest of students,parentsandeducatorstoprovideasafeandsecureeducationalenvironment,andtoprovide for adaptation where necessary to cope with societal changes which affect the nature of threats and vulnerabilities to which Idaho schools may be exposed.

Appropriates $4,035,800 to the State Treasurer for fiscal year 2017; limits the number of authorized full-time equivalent positions to 26; provides for reappropriation authority for the LGIP Fund; provides legislative intent regarding conference-related activities; provides legislative intent regarding payment of bank service fees; and provides legislative intent regarding mitigation of bank service fees.

This bill appropriates $4,035,800 to the State Treasurer for FY 2017 and caps the number of authorized full-time equivalent positions at 26.00. For program maintenance, the bill includes funding for the employer's share of increased benefit costs as well as decreases for statewide cost allocation. It includes an annualization and increase for the State Treasurer's salary changes, as provided by Section 59-501, Idaho Code. The bill also provides for an ongoing 3% merit-based increase in employee compensation for permanent employees to be distributed at the discretion of agency heads and funds the 27th payroll. One line item is included, which provides $60,000 in ongoing dedicated funds for a third-party to audit the financial statements of the various investment pools managed by the State Treasurer. Under budget law exceptions, the State Treasurer is provided with carryover authority of unspent appropriations from FY 2016 for the Local Government Investment Pool (LGIP) Fund. The bill also expresses legislative intent regarding conference related activity, payment of bank service fees, and mitigation of bank service fees.

Appropriates an additional $222,300 from the General Fund to the Idaho State Police for the Forensic Services Program for fiscal year 2017; and authorizes an additional 3 full-time equivalent positions.

Appropriates an additional $222,300 from the General Fund to the Idaho State Police for the Forensic Services Program for fiscal year 2017; and authorizes an additional three (3) full-time equivalent positions.

Appropriates $10,312,300 for the Public Schools Educational Support Program/Division of Educational Services for the Deaf and the Blind for fiscal year 2017.

This is the FY 2017 appropriation to the Public Schools Support Program Division of Educational Services for the Deaf and the Blind in the amount of $10,312,300. This is a 16.9% increase from the General Fund and 16.4% overall. This appropriation provides for increased cost of benefits, one-time replacement items to replace a school bus and two sedans, the equivalent of a 3% change in employee compensation and an increase in endowment funds. This budget includes ten line items. Line item 1 provides $79,200 to hire one campus instructor certified for elementary aged children who are blind and visually impaired. Line item 2 provides $39,600 from the General Fund for one-half of the costs to hire an assistive technology specialist in the campus program to address the growing need for expertise in the field of blind and low-vision education. The other half of these costs are found in line item #11. Line item 3 provides $79,200 to hire one campus instructor certified for elementary aged children who are deaf and hard of hearing. Line item 4 provides $3,000 one-time from the General Fund to purchase new textbooks for the middle-school math and health curricula. Line item 6 provides $350,000 one-time to replenish the school's contingency fund. Line item 7 provides $79,200 to hire a sign language interpreter to help staff communicate with schooldistrictpersonnelandfamilieswhoareinexperiencedinsignlanguage. Lineitem8provides $79,200 to hire an outreach educator to address a growing number of students receiving services who are located at school districts and charter schools. Line item 10 provides $15,000 ongoing from the General Fund for professional development for all certificated staff educators. Line item 11provides$39,600forone-halfofcostsofhiringanassistivetechnologyspecialistintheoutreach program. The other one-half of the funding is included in line item 2. Line item 12 provides $189,500 to reopen a campus cottage to address increasing enrollment. Of this amount, $17

Appropriates $15,262,500 for the Public Schools Educational Support Program/Division of Central Services for fiscal year 2017; directs the use for literacy programs, intervention services, math initiative programs and limited English proficiency programs; directs the use for student assessments; directs the use for performance evaluations; directs the use for wireless technology infrastructure; directs the use for professional development; provides legislative intent related to the use for digital content and credit recovery; provides guidance on year-end reconciliation; provides legislative intent for content and curriculum related to technology; provides direction for the development of an online portal; and defines terms.

Appropriates $71,849,200 to the Division of Career Technical Education for fiscal year 2017; exempts appropriation object transfer limitations; and reappropriates certain unexpended and unencumbered fund balances.

Provides a cash transfer from the Idaho Law Enforcement Fund to the Local Highway Distribution Fund; and provides a cash transfer from the State Highway Fund (dedicated) to the Local Highway Distribution Fund for fiscal year 2016.

Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding the calculation for the Educational Support Program.

Appropriates an additional $270,000 from the General Fund to the Division of Building Safety for the Office of School Safety and Security; transfers $247,500 from operating expenditures to personnel costs in the School Security Assessment Fund; authorizes an additional 5 full-time equivalent positions; and clarifies the transfer of funds to the Miscellaneous Revenue/School Security Assessment Fund.

Appropriates $37,519,000 to the State Board of Education for community colleges for fiscal year 2017; exempts appropriation object and program transfer limitations; provides legislative intent relating to system-wide expenditures; and requires an update on the Complete College Idaho initiative.

This is the FY 2017 appropriation to Community Colleges in the amount of $37,519,000. This appropriation provides for increased cost of benefits, the equivalent of a 3% ongoing change in employee compensation, and a nondiscretionary adjustment for enrollment workload decreases. This appropriation includes eight line items. Line item 1 provides $375,500 from the General Fund for the Complete College Idaho efforts. Of this amount, $372,500 is ongoing and $3,000 is one-time. The funding amounts and purposes of the funding are as follows: $242,500 at CSI to address dual credit education services and $133,000 at NIC for student retention and transition efforts. Line item 2 provides $113,200 from the General FundforCSItohireinstructionalsupportstafftodevelopandimplementinstructionalimprovement plansforselectstudentswhoaretakinghigh-riskcoursessuchasbiology, chemistry, andhigh-level math. Lineitem3provides$107,600fromtheGeneralFundtoCSItohireaninstructionaldesigner toimproveonlineandhybridcoursesandworktomaintainanexcellenceinteachingprotocol. Line item 4 provides $91,500 from the General Fund to CSI to hire an institutional researcher to address CSI's internal and external reporting, data analysis, and predictive analytics. Line item 5 provides $400,000 from the General Fund to CWI to narrow the difference between CWI's enrollment workload adjustment (EWA) weighted credit hour value and those same values of CSI and NIC. This funding would narrow the gap by 2.5%. Line item 6 provides $200,000 from the General Fund to CWI to hire three full-time positions to improve the student-to-advisor ratio and to provide outreach to special student populations. Line item 10 provides $1,929,000 from the General Fund to backfill the current and projected decreases in enrollment at the three community colleges. This includes $695,200 to CSI, $618,000 to NIC, and $615,800 to CWI. Line item 11 provides $615,100 to NIC for occupancy costs. This funding will address nearly 111,000 square feet

Appropriates $86,798,500 for the Public Schools Educational Support Program/Division of Administrators for fiscal year 2017; amends existing law to increase the salary-based apportionment for administrators; and limits the amount distributed for school district and charter school continuous improvement planning and training.

This is the Fiscal Year 2017 appropriation for the Administrators Division of the Public Schools Educational Support Program, in the amount of $86,798,500. This division provides funding for superintendents, assistant superintendents, principals, assistant principals, supervisors, and coordinators. This budget includes nondiscretionary adjustments for an estimated enrollment growth of 167 support units and an increase for the statewide education and experience index for salary- based apportionment. There is also funding for a 3% base salary increase. There are no line items. All funds are ongoing from the General Fund and results in a 4.2% increase over the previous year.