Appropriates $102,551,800 to the Department of Fish and Game for fiscal year 2018; limits the number of authorized full-time equivalent positions to 558; and appropriates an additional $125,000 to the Department of Fish and Game for fiscal year 2017 for depredation payments.

This is an appropriation bill to the Department of Fish and Game in two parts: the fiscal year 2018 appropriation and a supplemental for fiscal year 2017 for additional depredation payments to landowners. The FY 2018 budget includes $498,300 for benefit costs for permanent employees, $4,447,200 for replacement items, a reduction of $28,600 for statewide cost allocation, and $1,117,600 for a 3% CEC to be distributed at the discretion of the director. Itincludes10lineitemsand$35,600forcybersecurityinsurance. Itprovidesfundingtomakeleasepayments on a new Region 3 Office Building to be constructed by the Fish and Game Foundation. It also includes additional one-time funding for hatchery repairs, moneys for sockeye trapping and transport, and moneys to finish reconstruction of the sockeye weir on Redfish Lake Creek. The budget is a 2.9% decrease in dedicated funds and a 3.9% decrease in federal funds for a total reduction of 3.3% from this year's original appropriation. The FTPs are capped at 558. The FY 2017 supplemental provides an additional $125,000 from the Expendable Big Game Depredation Fund for payments to landowners. The Department recently notified the Legislature that due to the severe winter, depredation claims are estimated to exceed the current $600,000 appropriation (plus $2,900 in the Administration budget). This addition brings the budget for claims to $725,000. The Idaho Department of Fish and Game uses the Big Game Depredation Fund to reimburse farmers and ranchers for crop losses caused by big game animals, livestock losses caused by predators, and damage to forage caused by grazing wildlife. A non-expendable balance of $2,250,000 is invested in long-term bonds and is maintained to generate interest that may be expended. Interest is also retained on the expendable balance. An annual transfer of $200,000 from the Fish and Game Fund provides the main source of income. Cropandforagelossesaresubjecttoa$1,000deductible. Claimsarelimitedtothelesseroftheappr