Jerome Republican Rep. Maxine Bell is one of two leaders of the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee who writes budgets for state agencies. JFAC has finished setting budgets for all agencies but one, and completed a draft balanced budget for the next 16 months. Bell spoke with IdahoReporter.com about the process of transferring funds to balance the state's revenue and spending plan.
On Friday, lawmakers on JFAC also approved adding funding for the State Tax Commission to hire more auditors. Bell spoke about that decision.
Bell also discussed the planned merger between the Idaho Department of Labor and the Idaho Human Rights Commission. JFAC approved a spending plan for the merger on Friday.
