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Read. Follow. Verify.Idaho appropriates $18.1 million to the Department of Parks and Recreation and adds 2.95 positions
Last action · April 1, 2026: Signed by Governor on 03/31/26 Session Law Chapter 255 Effective: 03/31/2026 SECTION 3; 07/01/2026 SECTION 1 & 2
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What This Bill Does
Idaho appropriates an additional $18,129,900 to the Department of Parks and Recreation for 2027, authorizes 2.95 new full-time equivalent positions starting July 1, 2026, and exempts the department from certain program transfer limits for fiscal year 2026.
The law provides $15.76 million specifically for projects and adds staff to support state park operations and development beginning in mid-2026.
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Department of Parks and Recreation
The department receives $18,129,900 in additional appropriations, authority for 2.95 additional staff positions, and temporary transfer flexibility.
Key Facts
- Appropriates an additional $18,129,900 total to the Department of Parks and Recreation for the period July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.
- Allocates $5,266,400 for Park Operations, covering personnel costs ($337,900), operating expenditures ($150,000), capital outlay ($2,901,000), and trustee and benefit payments ($1,877,500).
- Allocates $12,863,500 for Capital Development, entirely dedicated to capital outlay.
- Increases full-time equivalent position authorization by 2.95 for the period July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.
Show all 6 facts
- Exempts the department from Section 67-3511(2), Idaho Code, allowing unlimited transfers between programs for trustee and benefit payments from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026.
- Prohibits transferring legislative appropriations from one fund to another fund unless expressly approved by the Legislature.
Frequently Asked Questions
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When do the funding increases and position authorizations take effect?
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Current status: Signed into law.
Procedural history
15 actions- Apr 1, 2026EnrolledSigned by Governor on 03/31/26 Session Law Chapter 255 Effective: 03/31/2026 SECTION 3; 07/01/2026 SECTION 1 & 2
- Mar 30, 2026Reported delivered to Governor at 2 p.m. on 03/30/26
- Mar 30, 2026Reported signed by the Speaker & ordered delivered to Governor
- Mar 30, 2026Received from Senate; Signed by Speaker; Returned to Senate
- Mar 30, 2026Reported enrolled; signed by President; to House for signature of Speaker
- Mar 27, 2026CommitteeReturned From House Passed; referred to enrolling
Show 9 earlier actions
- Mar 26, 2026FloorRules Suspended: Ayes 68 Nays 1 Abs/Excd 1, read in full as required – PASSED - 39-30-1 AYES – Berch, Bingham, Cheatum, Church, Cornilles, Egbert, Erickson, Fuhriman, Furniss, Galaviz, Gannon, Green, Hall(Stone), Handy, Haws, Healey, Holtzclaw, Manwaring, Mathias, McCann, Mendive, Mickelsen, Miller, Mitchell, Monks, Palmer, Petzke, Pickett, Raybould, Raymond, Rubel, Sauter, Shepherd, Shirts, Tanner(14), Veile, Weber, Wheeler, Mr. Speaker NAYS – Alfieri, Barbieri, Beiswenger, Boyle, Bruce, Burgoyne, Cannon, Cayler, Crane(12), Crane(13), Dygert, Ehardt, Ehlers, Garner, Harris, Hawkins, Hill, Hostetler, Leavitt, Marmon, Pohanka, Price, Rasor, Redman, Scott, Skaug, Tanner(13), Thompson, Vander Woude, Wisniewski Absent – Nelsen Floor Sponsor - Manwaring Title apvd - to Senate
- Mar 26, 2026Read second time; Filed for Third Reading
- Mar 25, 2026IntroducedRead First Time, Filed for Second Reading
- Mar 25, 2026Received from the Senate, Filed for First Reading
- Mar 24, 2026FloorRules Suspended (2/3 Vote - Read in full as required) – Read third time in full – PASSED - 25-8-2 AYES – Adams, Bernt, Burtenshaw, Carlson, Cook, Den Hartog, Foreman, Galloway, Grow, Guthrie, Harris, Hart, Keyser, Lakey, Lent, Rabe, Ricks, Ruchti, Semmelroth, Taylor, Toews, VanOrden, Ward-Engelking, Wintrow, Woodward NAYS – Blaylock, Kohl, Lenney, Nichols, Okuniewicz, Shippy, Zito, Zuiderveld Absent and excused – Anthon, Bjerke(Bjerke) Floor Sponsor - Hart Title apvd - to House
- Mar 24, 2026Read second time; filed for Third Reading
- Mar 23, 2026Reported out of Committee with Do Pass Recommendation; Filed for second reading
- Mar 20, 2026CommitteeReported Printed; referred to Finance
- Mar 19, 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.
Connected Entities
Sources
legislature.idaho.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance65How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy10Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz20Current news / social attention level
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