Idaho House passes budget for new statewide public defense system
The Idaho House of Representatives approved more than $32 million in additional funding for the new statewide public defense system on Tuesday at the Idaho State Capitol in Boise.
The funding was included in Senate Bill 1202, which includes budget enhancements for the fiscal year 2026 budget for the Idaho Public Defender's Office and supplemental funding for the current fiscal year 2025 budget.
SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Over the last two years, the Idaho Legislature's Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee has been setting budgets differently by breaking the budgets into two pieces.
The first piece is called a maintenance of operations budget. The maintenance budget represents a bare-bones version of the previous year's budget with all of the one-time funding and new funding requests stripped out. The maintenance budget is simply intended to keep the lights on for state agencies. The maintenance budget for the Idaho Public Defender's Office was included in an earlier bill, Senate Bill 1109, which Gov. Brad Little signed into law March 18.
The second piece of the budget is referred to as budget enhancements, or the enhanced budget. Budget enhancements include new funding requests or requests for additional staff positions.
The budget enhancements for the Idaho Public Defender's Office were included in Senate Bill 1202, which the Idaho House took up Tuesday. Combined with the maintenance budget, the budget enhancements bring total funding for fiscal year 2026 for the Idaho Public Defender's Office to $83.2 million. The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee, or JFAC, cut about $5 million from Gov. Brad Little's $88.6 million funding request.
One of the differences between Little's budget request and Senate Bill 1202 has to do with funding for personnel costs. Little sought to increase the rate for contracted attorneys from $100 per hour to $150 per hour. Senate Bill 1202 sets that rate at $125 per hour.
In October, Idaho transitioned from paying counties for public defense to a single, statewide system, the Idaho Capital Sun previously reported. The transition to a new statewide system came following a 2015 ACLU of Idaho lawsuit alleging Idaho's previous county-run public defense system violated low-income Idahoans' Sixth Amendment right to legal counsel.
Although the transition to a new statewide system is designed to address many of the concerns with the old system, the Sun has reported the process of moving from 44 different county systems to one statewide system has been rocky and troublesome.
Rep. Dustin Manwaring, R-Pocatello, acknowledged frustrations with the transition, but said the new funding in the budget is necessary to help get the statewide system up, running and staffed to ensure Idahoans' right to legal representation is honored.
'We have over 1,200 cases without an assigned attorney today, and we still have an obligation to correct and fix this problem and make sure we're not leaving clients without that representation,' Manwaring said.
After a 25-minute debate, the Idaho House voted 51-19 to pass Senate Bill 1202.
The day before, the Idaho Senate voted 23-12 to pass Senate Bill 1202.
Having passed both legislative chambers, Senate Bill 1202 heads next to Gov. Brad Little's desk for final consideration. Once the budget bill reaches his desk, Little will have five days to sign it into law or veto it, otherwise it will become law without his signature.
Even though the Idaho House passed the public defense budget Tuesday, the House killed two other budgets.
On Tuesday morning the Idaho House killed Senate Bill 1192, the budget enhancements for the Idaho State Liquor Division. That budget included new funding for shrink wrap that is required under the state's new freight contract.
In addition, the Idaho House on Tuesday also killed Senate Bill 1193, the budget enhancements for the Office of Information Technology Services. Senate Bill 1193 included $11.1 million in additional funding for new office space, security enhancements, emergency connectivity network enhancements, IT infrastructure investments, software and IT personnel transfers.
The Idaho House was not alone in killing budgets. On Monday, the Idaho Senate killed House Bill 450, the budget enhancements for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. House Bill 450 included $800,000 in money from a settlement agreement with Idaho Power to help pay for restoration of wildlife habitat burned in the Valley Fire in the Boise foothills in October.
Any of the budgets that were killed may still be rewritten before the Idaho Legislature adjourns for the year.
SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
16 hours ago
- New York Post
California's ‘legal kidnapping' bill puts gender-confused kids in danger
Next week California's state senate could take one more step toward effectively ending parental rights in the Golden State. If the body's Appropriations Committee approves Assembly Bill 495, the 'Family Preparedness Plan Act of 2025,' it sets up a floor vote on a law that will allow nothing short of legal kidnapping — and put gender-confused kids in unimaginable danger. As detransitioners, we know firsthand how parents' rights can shield children from a medical industry seeking to drug and butcher them. When Luke was a teenager seeking out cross-sex hormones and permanently disfiguring surgeries to pursue a false transition, his mother Michelle Rodgers was the one who told him, 'No.' As a nurse and as a parent who refused to consent to so-called 'gender-affirming care,' Michelle saved Luke from a lifetime of regret. But had California's AB 495 been in effect, Michelle's right to make that decision on her son's behalf would have meant nothing. This bill would permit any adult to claim a mentoring relationship over any child, permit the child to live with that adult, and allow the adult 'mentor' to claim an inability to contact the child's actual parents. It gets worse: A 'mentor' can then become the child's guardian simply by signing a one-page affidavit. Those behind AB 495 have sold it as a way for detained and deported illegal immigrants to create 'caregiving arrangements' for their children — but the measure's scope is broad enough to put every child in California in massive danger. Gender-confused children, who often seek psychological affirmation and medical intervention against their parents' wishes, are particularly at risk. If any adult can claim authority over a child and give consent for that child's medical and psychological decisions, parents can be rendered irrelevant. Time after time, we've heard from gender-confused kids that an outside adult — often one met online — was the one who initially groomed them to accept gender ideology. Often, the goal is to promote a sexual relationship. AB 495 would let these adults go a step further and gain legal authority over their targets, a pedophile's dream. For parents, meanwhile, it's a nightmare — and for parents of gender-confused children, things are bad enough as is. Chloe's parents in Central Valley, Calif., were bullied into letting her transition by doctors who insisted she'd commit suicide otherwise. Get opinions and commentary from our columnists Subscribe to our daily Post Opinion newsletter! Thanks for signing up! Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Never miss a story. Check out more newsletters Chloe was on puberty blockers by age 13, and as a high-school sophomore she underwent a double mastectomy, surgery she now regrets. But under AB 495, even parents like Michelle who resist the medical establishment may have no say in their children's decision-making. Had it been law when Luke was younger, he could have sought any other adult in his life to help him along the path to gender surgery. After all, school counselors and doctors were 'affirming' him as transgender from the age of 13 — and with scores of activists positioning themselves online as surrogate 'glitter families,' he could easily have found someone willing and able to procure cross-sex hormones and surgeries for him. 'All I kept thinking is, 'Somebody's hurting my kid,' ' Michelle said in the new documentary 'Identity Crisis: A Mother's Instinct vs. the Transgender Industry.' If online groomers were able to legally kidnap Luke, they absolutely would have. Parents of transgender-identifying children must not be overlooked in California's debate over AB 495. Gender ideology relies on a medical and legal establishment that is able to tear families apart with impunity. We're sharing our stories, and Michelle's, in hopes of empowering other moms and dads to stand up to radical gender ideologues. But if the law declares that any adult can declare authority over any child at any point, there is little a brave California parent will be able to do. If we truly want to protect kids, we have to ensure that the state cannot remove parents from their children's lives. Meanwhile, as more and more formerly gender-confused children become clear-minded adults who condemn the harm done to us as minors, the lawmakers and bureaucrats who lied to parents and undermined their authority will start being held to account. California lawmakers would do well to recognize this reality — if not to protect the state's children, then for the sake of their own political futures. Chloe Cole and Luke Healy are detransitioner advocates and leading subjects of the IW Features documentary series 'Identity Crisis.'
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Yahoo
Morrisson-Reeves Library might relocate if bond not approved Wednesday
RICHMOND, IN — The Morrisson-Reeves Library is in danger of closing its current location should it not receive a bond issuance of more than $18 million. On Aug. 7, library Director Dena Little and the board provided an update to the library's renovation project, estimated to cost $23,815,000. Many of the building's essential systems are failing and quickly approaching a deadline for critical repairs and updates, officials said in a website post. A recent assessment of the Morrisson-Reeves Library building indicated several issues, including: Falling exterior brick Lack of ADA accessibility Lack of life and safety measures being addressed Mechanical and electrical systems failing Need for "crucial" code updates After a series of community forums, library officials also determined other issues needing to be addressed after concerns from community members, which includes making updates to youth areas, expanding meeting rooms and equipping them with technology, creating a dedicated genealogy and local history center and enhancing outdoor spaces. The bond issuance, which requested $18,720,000, is what the library said is the most common and practical path Indiana libraries take to undergo renovations. If it isn't approved by the Wayne County Council's Aug. 20 meeting at 6 p.m., library officials will seek a long-term or permanent relocation to ensure safety. "This would significantly impact our ability to provide the comprehensive services and resources our community expects, and would negatively impact the revitalization of our downtown area," Little and the board said in the post. "Together, we can ensure our library remains a vibrant and essential resource for Richmond and Wayne County for generations to come." Josh Imhoff, engagement manager for the library, did not respond to a phone call by the Palladium-Item in time for publication. Evan Weaver is a news and sports reporter at The Palladium-Item. Contact him on X (@evan_weaver7) or email at eweaver@ This article originally appeared on Richmond Palladium-Item: Morrisson-Reeves Library might relocate if bond not approved Wednesday Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
Idaho Gov. Brad Little orders budget cuts amid tax breaks, revenue shortfall
Idaho Gov. Brad Little on Friday signed an executive order requiring all state agencies other than public schools to cut spending, he announced in a news release. It was the first time since 2020 such cuts have been ordered, according to the Governor's Office. The order cited the need to cut spending after Idaho lawmakers reduced income and property taxes by over 20%. The Governor's Office said the state must 'make way' for the tax cuts in President Donald Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill.' State agencies, including the Idaho State Police, Department of Correction and Department of Health and Welfare — which administers Medicaid — must reduce their general fund spending by 3% for the 2026 fiscal year, which began in July. They can consider consolidating services or agencies, eliminating vacant positions, cutting back on contract costs, and reviewing unused funds that are 'not critical' to operations, according to the order. 'Idaho will right-size government to match the means of Idahoans,' the order read. In the news release about the order, the Governor's Office celebrated Idaho's strong and rapidly growing economy. The Idaho Legislature this year made 'unprecedented' investments in school facilities, teacher pay and literacy, 'demonstrating we can have it all,' Little wrote in the order. 'We can simultaneously cut taxes while meeting the needs of a growing state.' Idaho Democrats pushed back on that framing. Senate Minority Leader Melissa Wintrow, D-Boise, in a Friday news release said 'no amount of spin can hide the truth.' 'If Idaho's fiscal health were truly as strong as Republicans claim, there would be no need to strip funding mid-year,' Wintrow said. 'Ending this wasteful scheme will not close the hundreds of millions of dollars in budget shortfalls created by Republican giveaways.' Idaho Democrats also pointed the finger at the GOP's passage of laws that cost more money, such as allowing public funding for private school tuition. Lauren Necochea, the party's chair, in another news release said the program blew 'a hole in the budget' and called the cuts 'the bill coming due for reckless Republican rule.' 'We were honest with Idahoans about where this budget was headed,' she said. 'Back in the spring, Democrats warned that Statehouse Republicans were budgeting dishonestly while the Trump regime was driving up costs and undermining our economy. The GOP ignored these warnings, and now Idaho families are paying the price.' Though it expressed appreciation for Little's exclusion of public schools from the cuts, the Idaho Education Association in a release called them 'very unfortunate and completely predictable.' 'The Idaho Legislature's massive tax cuts easily foretold this outcome, even as lawmakers dismissed the needs of basic governing and Idaho's most vulnerable residents,' President Layne McInelly wrote. 'Idaho Education Association members believe Gov. Little is right to spare Idaho's public school students and classrooms from even more fiscal austerity while lawmakers write checks to the wealthy.' In recent months, state revenues came in below forecasts set by the Legislature. Little in February told reporters he worried that lawmakers' proposals to cut taxes were beyond what the state could afford. The Legislature cut taxes by $400 million and spent another $50 million on a tax credit for private education. Those bills, which Little signed into law, reduced revenue available for the state budget by about $453 million, the Idaho Capital Sun reported. In his January State of the State address, Little called for a reduction of the fund by $100 million — less than a quarter of the Legislature's amount. 'If I would have thought we could do $450 (million), I would have proposed $450 (million),' Little said of the hundreds of millions more that lawmakers aim to return to taxpayers. On Friday, Democrats called for a special legislative session to repeal the tax credit program, often referred to as school vouchers. 'It is an essential first step toward restoring fiscal responsibility,' Wintrow said in the release. Idaho continues its 'historic' tax cuts. Here's what residents can expect What will Trump administration cuts mean for Idaho? Gov. Little predicts 'economic shock' Solve the daily Crossword
