COEUR d'ALENE ? Two local state legislators are part of an influential group that will help shape Idaho's budget this session.

Rep. Luke Malek, R-Coeur d'Alene, and Sen. Mary Souza, R-Coeur d'Alene, both serve on the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee (JFAC) ? a group composed of members of the Idaho Senate and House of Representatives that meets each year to analyze available revenue and budget requests before setting a balanced state budget. This week, the committee is hearing from higher education officials regarding their proposed budgets and needs for the upcoming year.

"I don't see any big controversies, yet," Souza said of this year's budgeting process. "But the governor has not approved everything asked of his office. So there will probably be some parts moving around, but nothing substantial."

Each year, individual state agencies create their budget proposals, which are then submitted to Gov. Butch Otter's office. Malek said the agencies' budget proposal reflects their priorities and makes recommendations as to where shifts in funding should occur.

Otter then sets his own budgetary priorities and creates his own budget. After the annual State of the State address, the governor's proposed budget becomes available to lawmakers.

"It's when we get to see the budgets side by side," Malek said. ?We get to see the perspectives of the agencies, and compare them to that of the governor's office.?

JFAC, Malek added, uses the two proposed budgets as a baseline of information. In addition, the group also hears presentations from individual agencies about their proposed budgets, and have the opportunity to question agency members on anything in the proposals.

After two more weeks of presentations from agencies, the committee begins to discuss and debate individual points of the budget, which can shape what is eventually sent before the full House and Senate for a vote. As an example of these debates, Malek said, last session saw him present a budget proposal that would have funded two more mental health crisis centers in the state.

However, a competing proposal that only funded one additional center gained traction and launched the committee into a debate on the merits of each, with Malek's proposal eventually appearing on the final budget.

Issues, Malek said, develop as the committee moves through the process and hears from the public while flushing out any budgetary discrepancies. Members of the committee, Malek added, area also able to present completely new ideas.

Officials from community colleges and universities are in Boise this week to present to JFAC. Souza told The Press each institution is unique and it has been interesting to hear from officials about their individual wants and needs.

?There's a really great energy there for innovation, starting new programs, and using resources close to schools," Souza said.

A complete copy of the legislative budget book, the primary reference document used by JFAC during budget deliberations, is available at http://bit.ly/2kprmlR.