Tanner takes position as JFAC co-chair
Published at
Kevin Richert, IdahoEdNews.org
This article was originally published at IdahoEdNews.org on Jan. 5, 2026.
BOISE (IdahoEdNews.org) Rep. Josh Tanner made it official Monday: He will co-chair the Legislature’s budget-writing committee.
Tanner, R-Eagle, will be the House’s co-chair of the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee. JFAC is the Legislature’s most powerful committee; its 10 senators and 10 House members craft budget bills for all state agencies.
And JFAC will have a turbulent session ahead. The state will need to shore up a $40 million shortfall for the budget year ending June 30. For 2026-27, the gap between state agency requests and available revenue is projected at $555 million.
“Idaho families balance their budgets every day, and state government must do the same,” Tanner said in a news release Monday. “When revenues fall short, lower-priority programs must be reduced and agencies held fully accountable. Government should work to keep money in the pockets of Idahoans, not locked inside bloated bureaucracy.”
Tanner will succeed Rep. Wendy Horman, R-Idaho Falls, who is leaving the Legislature for a job with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, D.C.
Tanner had been House Speaker Mike Moyle’s top pick to replace Horman. And this move also creates a domino effect.
Tanner told Idaho Reports that will give up his spot as House assistant majority leader — and House Education Committee Chairman Douglas Pickett of Oakley and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jeff Ehlers of Meridian have both told Idaho Reports they are interested in the leadership post.
And since Tanner already had a spot on JFAC, House leadership has another seat to fill on that committee.