house✓ Signed
Appropriates $4,823,500 to the Office of Drug Policy for fiscal year 2019; and limits the number of authorized full-time equivalent positions to 6.00.
This is the FY 2019 original appropriation bill for the Office of Drug Policy. It appropriates $4,823,500 and caps the number of authorized full-time equivalent positions at 6.00. 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. For statewide cost allocation, risk management costs will decrease by $100. The 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. Thebillfundstwolineitems. Thefirstprovides$14,900ofonetimepersonnelcostsfortheofficetoretainits currentstaffduringatwomonthgapinfundingwithafederalgrant. Iftheofficeisabletoidentifyalternative funding then this money is to be reverted. The second line item adds $120,000 for opioid education and awareness programs in four Idaho hospitals.