Gov. Butch Otter has made a series of revisions to his executive budget for next year, which were presented to the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee this morning by his budget chief, Jani Revier. Among them: The addition of a new director of information security position in the governor’s office, reporting directly to the governor, to oversee cybersecurity efforts. “This position is essential, as it will lead the state’s efforts in cybersecurity,” Revier told lawmakers. The governor is requesting a supplemental appropriation of $64,900 in the current year for the new position, with annualized costs in fiscal year 2018 of $115,100.

Other revisions to the governor’s budget include a downward adjustment on the impact on revenue of proposed legislation to $1.6 million; an update to the Department of Health & Welfare budget for caseload in the Aid to Aged, Blind and Disabled program that requires a $116,300 supplemental appropriation this year and a non-discretionary adjustment upward of $834,000 next year; and a $100,000 supplemental appropriation request for the state Department of Commerce to promote and lobby for the recruitment of an F-35 mission and other future missions at Gowen Field, as the current A-10 mission winds down.

“Gowen Field is among five candidates for the F-35 mission,” Revier told the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee. The funds would be used to educate the public and key decision makers at the federal level “of the benefit of choosing Idaho.”