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Read. Follow. Verify.Idaho Approves $1.58 Billion Economic Development Budget for Fiscal Year 2027
Last action · March 19, 2026: Signed by Governor on 03/19/26 Session Law Chapter 70 Effective: 07/01/2026
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What This Bill Does
Idaho Senate Bill 1373 appropriates $1,580,987,400 across state economic development agencies and programs for 2027, taking effect July 1, 2026. The legislation funds 21 state entities including the Department of Agriculture, Department of Commerce, and Idaho Transportation Department, while establishing staffing caps, fund transfers, and authorities.
The measure dictates operational funding, authorized staffing limits, and specific statutory requirements for dozens of Idaho state agencies and public services for the 2027 , impacting state-administered programs ranging from watercraft inspections and livestock depredation compensation to highway construction and public defense facilities.
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
State Agencies and Departments
Twenty-one state agencies and divisions receive specific fiscal year 2027 funding amounts, operational expense classifications, and authorized full-time equivalent position caps.
Idaho Counties
Counties that provided office space to a county office of public defense as of January 1, 2023, must continue making similar office and parking space available to the Office of the State Public Defender through July 1, 2029.
Livestock Owners and Ranchers
A $225,000 General Fund transfer is provided to the Depredation of Livestock and Prevention Fund to compensate for livestock depredation caused by grizzly bears and wolves.
Key Facts
- Appropriates a grand total of $1,580,987,400 across Economic Development programs for fiscal year 2027, covering July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.
- Authorizes specific full-time equivalent (FTP) personnel positions for 21 state agencies and divisions, totaling 1,645.00 FTP for the Idaho Transportation Department and 644.00 FTP for the Department of Labor.
- Directs the Department of Agriculture to maximize watercraft inspection programs to prevent aquatic invasive species like zebra and quagga mussels, and report back during the 2027 legislative session.
- Appropriates and transfers $225,000 from the General Fund to the Depredation of Livestock and Prevention Fund on July 1, 2026, to compensate for livestock depredation by grizzly bears and wolves.
Show all 13 facts
- Distributes $300,000 equally among Idaho's 50 soil and water conservation districts from the Soil and Water Conservation Commission's trustee and benefit payments.
- Reappropriates unexpended balances for broadband infrastructure up to $33,066,900 from the Idaho Broadband Fund, $89,011,100 from the ARPA Capital Projects Fund, and $150,000,000 from the Federal Grant Fund to the Department of Commerce.
- Grants the Department of Finance continuous appropriation authority to reimburse persons awarded actual damages for residential mortgage practice violations.
- Prohibits the Department of Insurance from using its appropriated moneys to pay or reimburse personnel costs at other state agencies.
- Grants continuous appropriation authority to the Idaho State Lottery for prizes, commissions, advertising, and vendor fees based on sales.
- Reappropriates up to $1,169,400 from the General Fund for capital appeals and $52,900 for noncapital appeals to the State Appellate Public Defender.
- Requires counties providing office and parking space to a county office of public defense as of January 1, 2023, to maintain substantially similar space for the Office of the State Public Defender through July 1, 2029.
- Exempts the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses from standard program transfer limitations, allowing unlimited transfers between programs during fiscal year 2027.
- Continuously appropriates moneys transferred to the Local Bridge Inspection Account and Railroad Grade Crossing Protection Account to the Idaho Transportation Department.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much total funding is appropriated by this bill for fiscal year 2027?
What is the funding for the Department of Commerce's broadband infrastructure projects?
Are counties required to maintain office space for public defenders under this act?
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News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Current status: Signed into law.
Procedural history
15 actions- Mar 19, 2026EnrolledSigned by Governor on 03/19/26 Session Law Chapter 70 Effective: 07/01/2026
- Mar 19, 2026Reported delivered to Governor at 4:06 p.m. on 03/18/26
- Mar 18, 2026Reported signed by the Speaker & ordered delivered to Governor
- Mar 18, 2026Received from Senate; Signed by Speaker; Returned to Senate
- Mar 17, 2026Reported enrolled; signed by President; to House for signature of Speaker
- Mar 17, 2026CommitteeReturned From House Passed; referred to enrolling
Show 9 earlier actions
- Mar 16, 2026FloorRead Third Time in Full – PASSED - 54-15-1 AYES – Alfieri, Barbieri, Beiswenger, Boyle, Bruce, Burgoyne, Cannon, Cayler, Cornilles, Crane(12), Crane(13), Dygert, Ehardt, Ehlers, Erickson, Fuhriman, Furniss, Hall(Stone), Harris, Hawkins, Healey, Hill, Holtzclaw, Hostetler, Leavitt, Manwaring, Marmon, Mendive, Miller, Mitchell, Monks, Palmer, Petzke, Pickett, Pohanka, Price, Rasor, Raybould, Raymond, Redman, Sauter, Scott, Shepherd, Shirts, Skaug(Chadwick), Tanner(13), Tanner(14), Thompson, Vander Woude, Veile, Weber, Wheeler, Wisniewski, Mr. Speaker NAYS – Berch, Bingham, Cheatum, Church, Egbert, Galaviz, Gannon, Garner, Green, Handy, Mathias, McCann, Mickelsen, Nelsen, Rubel Absent – Haws Floor Sponsor - Price Title apvd - to Senate
- Mar 13, 2026Read second time; Filed for Third Reading
- Mar 12, 2026IntroducedRead First Time, Filed for Second Reading
- Mar 12, 2026Received from the Senate, Filed for First Reading
- Mar 11, 2026FloorRead third time in full – PASSED - 26-7-2 AYES – Adams, Bernt, Bjerke(Bjerke), Blaylock, Burtenshaw, Coho(Lenney), Cook, Den Hartog, Foreman, Galloway, Grow, Harris, Hart, Keyser, Kohl, Lakey, Lent, Nichols, Okuniewicz, Ricks, Rundhaug(Carlson), Toews, VanOrden, Woodward, Zito, Zuiderveld NAYS – Guthrie, Rabe, Ruchti, Semmelroth, Taylor, Ward-Engelking, Wintrow Absent and excused – Anthon, Shippy Floor Sponsor - Hart Title apvd - to House
- Mar 10, 2026Read second time; filed for Third Reading
- Mar 9, 2026Reported out of Committee with Do Pass Recommendation; Filed for second reading
- Mar 6, 2026CommitteeReported Printed; referred to Finance
- Mar 5, 2026IntroducedIntroduced; read first time; referred to JR for Printing
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Extensive Broadband Fund Reappropriations
The bill carries over massive unexpended balances totaling over $272 million across three distinct federal and state broadband funding streams for fiscal year 2027.
Connected Entities
Sources
legislature.idaho.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance90How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy15Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz35Current news / social attention level
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