Dear Members of the Idaho DOGE Task Force, 

At the request of members of this Task Force, we have attached our analysis and recommendations for the committee's consideration. Each proposed reduction, consolidation, or elimination falls within the committee's stated purpose and offers realistic options for waste reduction. 

The Idaho DOGE Task Force is positioned to lead the Legislature in limiting government and promoting fiscal conservatism by reducing and eliminating waste; consolidating departments, divisions, and agencies; and reducing unnecessary employee positions and state employee travel.

This is a rare and defining opportunity — one that demands bold leadership and principled action. The decisions made by this committee can set a powerful precedent for limited spending and accountable governance not only in Idaho but across the nation.

We encourage the Task Force to seize this opportunity with clarity and conviction, and we are pleased to provide the following roadmap for true DOGE success. The Idaho Freedom Foundation uncovered $2,146,117,000 of potential savings from bold DOGE actions, 98.3% of which may be realized on an ongoing basis each year. 

The Idaho Freedom Foundation stands ready to provide any further analysis the committee may need.

DOGE Committee Stated Purpose:

“Looking at agencies, divisions, and departments for reduction, consolidation, or elimination…looking at state employees for efficiencies…and looking at state travel” (Erikson, 07/25/25). 

1. Examine divisions and departments for reduction, consolidation, or elimination
2. Elimination of unnecessary employee positions
3. Examining unnecessary state travel

Recommended Agency Reductions:

Per the first outlined objective of the DOGE Task Force:

ANALYST NOTE: Source of savings is for the fiscal year 2026 except where noted.

1. Repeal Medicaid expansion, saving $1,343,700,400 in federal and state appropriated funds
2. Repeal the Medicaid Hospital Assessment Fund, saving $191,000,000 in dedicated and federal funds (56-1403) 
3. Strip programs from the Public Health Services budgets, such as:
   • The Health Care Policy Initiatives have presented no deliverables toward improving public health; eliminate and save $942,700 and 2.00 FTPs
   • Repeal the Suicide Prevention and Awareness Program created in 2016 and save $2,016,100 and 3.5 FTP
4. Remove funding for Idaho Public Television, saving $4,431,700 and 15.00 FTPs (savings adjusted for keeping Capitol streaming services and emergency broadcasting)  
5. Repeal Idaho Launch, saving $74,845,700 million and 6.00 FTPs (72-12)

Recommended Agency Consolidations:

Per the first outlined objective of the DOGE Task Force:

ANALYST NOTE: It is difficult to estimate the exact dollar amount consolidations will save taxpayers; rough estimates show it will be in the hundreds of millions. 

1. Restructure the Department of Self-Governing Agencies (67-2601) to conform with Idaho’s Constitutional mandate of no more than 20 executive departments by eliminating any commission that cannot be consolidated within other existing executive departments  
2. Consolidate the Department of Labor and the Department of Commerce (67-47)
3. Transfer the Department of Juvenile Corrections’ (20-503) functions between the Department of Corrections (20-201) and the Department of Health and Welfare (56-203)
4. Consolidate programs, commissions, and departments covering environmental and natural resources into a new Department of Natural Resources:
   • Department of Water Resources (42-1701)
   • Department of Lands (58-1)
   • Department of Environmental Quality (39-104)
   • Idaho Rangeland Resource Commission (58-14)
   • ISDA Idaho Grazing Improvement Program (58-15)
   • Soil and Water Conservation Commission (22-2718)
   • Idaho Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (47-315)
   • Office of Energy and Mineral Resources 
5. Consolidate the depredation/wildlife control boards and programs:
   • State Animal Damage Control Board — Department of Agriculture (25-2612A)
   • Idaho Wolf Depredation Control Board (22-5301)
   • Livestock Depredation by Grizzly Bear and Wolves Fund (36-1121)
   • Wild Animals and Birds Damaging Property — Fish and Game (36-1107)
   • Control of Damage by Black Bears, Grizzly Bears, or Mountain Lions (36-1109)
   • Idaho Depredating Wildlife Appeals Board (22-5501)
6. Consolidate commissions and divisions relating to livestock health:
   • Idaho Sheep and Goat Health Board (25-128)
   • ISDA Animal Industries Division (25-201) 
7. Consolidate all rangeland programs and commissions into the Department of Lands (58-302):
   • Idaho Rangeland Resource Commission (58-14)
   • ISDA Idaho Grazing Improvement Program (58-15)
8. Consolidate agencies with overlapping authority on disability and aging policy:
   • Idaho State Independent Living Council (56-12) (if not completely eliminated)
   • Commission on Aging (67-50)
   • State Council for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (67-73)
   • Developmental Disabilities Council (67-67)
   • Idaho Educational Services for the Deaf and the Blind (33-34)
9. Consolidate agencies with overlapping authority on behavioral and mental health:
   • Idaho Behavioral Health Council
   • Idaho Behavioral Health Planning Council (BHPC) (39-3125)
   • Council on Suicide Prevention
10. Consolidate agencies with overlapping authority on workforce development:
    • STEM Action Center (67-823) (if not completely eliminated)
    • Idaho Workforce Development Council (72-12) (if not completely eliminated)
11. Transfer the Administration of the Crime Victims Compensation Program from the Industrial Commission (72-10) to the Attorney General [Precedent: Texas, Florida]
12. Transfer the functions of the Outfitters and Guides Licensing Board (36-21) to the Department of Fish and Game (36-24)
13. Transfer the functions of the Office of Species Conservation (67-818) to the Department of Fish and Game (36-24)
14. Transfer the functions of the State Brand Inspector and Brand Board to the ISDA (22-1), which oversees the implementation of USDA cattle identification requirements:
    • Idaho State Brand Board (25-1102)
    • Idaho State Brand Inspector (25-1103)
15. Consolidate all agricultural commissions into the ISDA-managed Idaho Preferred Program established pursuant to (22-112):
    • Alfalfa and Clover Seed Commission (22-42)
    • Apple Commission (22-36)
    • Barley Commission (22-40)
    • Bean Commission (22-29)
    • Beef Commission (25-29)
    • Cherry Commission (22-37)
    • Pea and Lentil Commission (22-35)
    • Potato Commission (22-12)
    • Wheat Commission (22-33)
    • Idaho Grape Growers and Wine Producers Commission (54-36)
    • Idaho Mint Growers Association (22-38)
    • Hop Growers Commission (22-31)
    • Honey Commission (22-28)
    • Dairy Products Commission (25-31)
    • Oilseed Commission (22-47)

Recommended Agency Eliminations:

Per the first outlined objective of the DOGE Task Force:

1. Eliminate the Governor’s Authority in 67-802 to establish new government agencies via executive order
2. Eliminate the Commission for Reapportionment (72-15) and transfer its functions back to the Legislature 
3. Eliminate the Idaho Commission on Human Rights (67-59) and transfer its functions to the Attorney General 
4. Eliminate the Commission on Hispanic Affairs, saving $546,400 and 3.00 FTPs (67-7201)
5. Eliminate the Commission for Libraries, saving $8,204,000 and 35.5 FTPs (33-2503)
6. Eliminate Office of Health and Social Services Ombudsman, saving $465,100 and 3.00 FTPs (56-19)
7. Eliminate the Idaho Technology Authority (67-832) and transfer its functions to the Office of Information Technology Services (67-827) 
8. Eliminate the Office of Drug Policy, saving $4,953,300 and 6.00 FTPs (67-821)
9. Eliminate the Council on Domestic Violence and Victim Assistance, saving $17,130,200 and 6.00 FTPs (39-5203)
10. Eliminate the STEM Action Center, saving $6,277,000 and 8.00 FTPs (67-823)
11. Eliminate the Idaho Women’s Commission (67-60)
12. Eliminate the Idaho Digital Learning Academy, saving $25,810,000 (33-5502)
13. Eliminate the Time Sensitive Emergency System Council and Registry, saving $457,000 and 1.5 FTPs
14. Eliminate the Idaho Public Safety Communications Commission (31-4815)
15. Eliminate the Idaho Criminal Justice Commission
16. Eliminate the Idaho State Independent Living Council, saving $696,500 and 4.00 FTPs (56-1201)

Recommended Employee Position Eliminations:

Per the second outlined objective of the DOGE Task Force:

1. Eliminate funding for special assistant U.S. attorney in North Idaho and related support positions in East Idaho, saving $85,000 (SB1175) 
2. Eliminate the 10.00 new full-time positions added last legislative session to the State Controller’s Office, saving $2,527,800 (H426)
3. Eliminate 3.00 new full-time positions added to the Department of Lands for program managers, saving $577,100 (H444)
4. Eliminate 4.00 new FTPs, which were created to split the Water Management Bureau and a resource protection bureau under the Department of Water Resources, saving $516,100  (H445)  
5. Eliminate 2.00 new full-time positions for the Department of Insurance, saving $323,100 (SB1131)

Recommended Travel Reductions:

Per the third outlined objective of the DOGE Task Force:

Reduce the additional $20,000 appropriated to the Idaho Secretary of State for IT conference travel (H347)  

Additional Eliminations: 

1. Eliminate $150,000 for redundant fire detection and mapping systems under the Department of Lands (H444) 
2. Eliminate $30,000,000  for loosely overseen “water infrastructure” under Department of Water Resources (H445) 
3. Eliminate wasteful spending for renovations totalling roughly $9,600,000, and sell State Street campus under the Transportation Department (SB1218) 
4. Investigate selling the State Chinden Campus after reviewing whether it has achieved its purported cost reductions
5. Eliminate the $27,500,000 on new building projects for ISP, ISU, and UofI under the Department of Administration (H425)

Programmatic Review for Elimination and Consolidation:

1. The Division of Career Technical Education (CTE), costing $109,755,300 and 569.14 FTPs (33-2202) 
2. The Department of Environmental Quality, costing $246,378,400 and 385.00 FTPs (39-104)
3. Occupational & Professional Licensing Boards, costing $37,208,100 and 267.2 FTPs (67-9408)

Grand Total Savings to the State and Federal Spending in Idaho in Dollars:

$2,146,117,000 (estimated) 

Note: Of the total, $2,108,867,000 or 98.3% is ongoing savings, and $37,250,000 is one-time savings.

Total Savings to the State in FTPs:

1,333.84 (minimum, consolidations would provide even more savings)

Disclaimer:  This analysis provides the first take from the Idaho Freedom Foundation of recommendations for cuts, consolidations, and efficiencies. It should not be inferred that items, programs, or spending not mentioned here would all be deemed efficient and prudent. Certainly, scrutiny should be ongoing and comprehensive.