Idaho Bills

Relates to the appropriation to the Department of Lands for fiscal years 2025 and 2026.

This appropriation to the Department of Lands provides enhancements to the FY 2026 maintenance budget that includes funding for a fire emergency support program manager, and fire aviation section manager, a statewide forest assessment program manager, fire detection cameras, fire equipment, the replacement of the fire burn permit system, statewide security upgrades, GIS enhancements, a boat and trailer, a vehicle for the agency's fleet and facilities manager, assessment fee adjustments for the timber protective associations (TPA), a change in employee compensation adjustment for TPA employees, a net zero salary split adjustment, a net zero transfer to correct a CEC adjustment, dedicated funds for replacement items, funding to replace computer hardware as recommended by the Office of Information Technology Systems, onetime for bonuses for firefighters, and support for satellite fire detection and mapping. This bill also includes a FY 2025 supplemental enhancement that appropriates and transfers $40,000,000 from the General Fund to Fire Suppression Deficiency Warrant Fund for fire-fighting activities. This action is reflected in Table 2. The appropriation does not include an additional 2.00 FTP and $323,000 that was requested by the Department of Lands, including funding for an assistant fire warden in the Ponderosa Area; a net-zero adjustment to support a fiscal financial specialist; a forestry program specialist; and funding for the shared stewardship program. The appropriation also shifted $83,000 from the General Fund to dedicated fund sources. The Governor's Recommendation included an additional $60,000,000 from the General Fund to Fire Suppression Deficiency Warrant Fund for fire-fighting activities as part of the FY 2025 and FY 2026 recommendations that was not included in the appropriation.