ID H0616

Appropriates $47,254,300 to the Idaho Department of Lands for fiscal year 2015 (July 1, 2014 through June 30, 2015), distributed across five programs: Support Services ($5,727,400), Forest Resources Management ($21,914,000), Lands and Waterways ($8,649,200), Forest and Range Fire Protection ($10,728,600), and Scaling Practices ($235,100).

Authorizes the Department of Lands to employ no more than 264.47 full-time equivalent positions during fiscal year 2015, unless specifically authorized by the Governor, with prompt notification to the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee of any increases.

Exempts the Forest and Range Fire Protection Program from object transfer limitations under Idaho Code Section 67-3511(1) and (3), allowing unlimited transfers between object codes for the fiscal year 2015 period, while prohibiting transfers between funds without express legislative approval.

Directs the department to adjust compensation schedules upward by 1%, continue job classifications on payline exception for recruitment or retention issues, and fund an ongoing 1% salary increase plus a one-time 1% merit-based bonus for state employees with flexibility in distribution by agency directors.

Encourages the department to reinvest salary savings from turnover, attrition, or reorganization efforts into merit increases and to bring employees below policy compensation levels closer to established rates.