Bill Description: House Bill 416 would prohibit government from using public money for membership fees or dues, unless required by law or needed by a government employee to maintain licensure. 

Rating: +1

NOTE: House Bill 416 is similar to House Bill 91 from the 2023 legislative session, but it lacks the enforcement provision contained in last year's version. 

Does it increase government spending (for objectionable purposes) or debt? Conversely, does it decrease government spending or debt?

House Bill 416 would create Section 67-2360, Idaho Code, which says, "The state executive, legislative, and judicial branches and any subdivision, public officer, or public employee of the state executive, legislative, or judicial branch shall be prohibited from using public funds to pay membership fees or dues to any organization unless required to do so by law or unless required to maintain professional licensure or for the purposes of fulfilling and maintaining state employment."

Right now, government agencies and commissions (and even the Legislature) spend millions of dollars each year on membership and association dues for various regional and national organizations. 

The prohibition contained in House Bill 416 would likely save taxpayers money and might even help keep Idaho government more independent from the groupthink and me-tooism that so often pervades these organizations. 

(+1)