Division of Financial Management Administrator Lori Wolff exits the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee meeting room on Jan. 7, 2025, at the State Capitol Building in Boise. (Pat Sutphin for the Idaho Capital Sun)
Idaho Gov. Brad Little is supporting the State Public Defender’s Office to increase its budget for the remainder of this fiscal year and in the 2026 fiscal year.
On Oct. 1, Idaho’s county-based public defense system was consolidated under the new state agency. The agency was appropriated $52 million its first year, but it has faced funding shortfalls since the transition.
Division of Financial Management Administrator for the Office of the Governor, Lori Wolff, told members of the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee on Tuesday morning that the agency reduced contract attorney costs to stay within their budget, which has made filling those positions more challenging. Additionally, the Idaho Supreme Court in December ruled that the agency is in charge of appeal transcript costs, which were not initially considered under the original budget.