The Idaho Spending Index serves to provide a fiscally conservative perspective on state budgeting while providing an unbiased measurement of how Idaho lawmakers apply these values to their voting behavior on appropriations bills. Each bill is analyzed within the context of the metrics below. They receive one (+1) point for each metric that is satisfied by freedom-focused policymaking and lose one (-1) point for each instance in which the inverse is true. The sum of these points composes the score for the bill.

Analyst: Niklas Kleinworth

Rating: (-1)

Bill Description: House Bill 346 appropriates $5,464,700 and 30.00 full-time positions to the State Treasurer for fiscal year 2026.

Is the continuation or growth in ongoing spending, if any, inappropriate for the changes in circumstances, scope of the agency, or current economic environment? Conversely, is the continuation or growth in ongoing spending appropriate given any change in circumstances or economic pressures?

This legislation funds ongoing spending for the Office of the State Treasurer at $5,439,700, growing from the base by 25.4% in the last three years. This rate is more than 12 points faster than what would be prescribed by inflationary pressures and growth. This increase is largely due to the addition of several new staff positions over the years.

(-1)