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.
Rating: (-1)
Bill Description: House Bill 372 is an enhancement of $139,800 and 1.00 new full-time positions for the State Appellate Public Defender for fiscal year 2026. This legislation appropriates a total of $4,349,300 and 27.00 full-time positions to the agency.
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 State Appellate Public Defender at $4,339,200, growing from the base by 36.8% in the last three years. This rate is nearly 23 points faster than what would be prescribed by inflationary pressures and growth.
Because of the accelerated growth in this budget the last three years, a truly fiscally responsible enhancement budget for FY2026 would reverse the growth with a reduction to the base budget, or negative appropriation.
(-1)
Does the budget grow government through the addition of new permanent FTPs or through funding unlegislated efforts to create new or expanded entitlement programs? Conversely, does this budget reduce the size of government staff and programs except where compelled by new legislation?
House Bill 372 adds 1.00 new full-time position to staff a deputy state public defender. This line item has a cost of $139,800 and includes onboarding costs. Public defense is a critical government service that cannot be accomplished by other means outside of this agency. This will be only the second position the agency added in the last five years, and seems prudent in light of the growth of our state.
(0)
