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: (-3)

Bill Description: House Bill 455 is an enhancement of $75,436,300 and 0.00 new full-time positions for the Department of Environmental Quality for fiscal year 2026. This legislation appropriates a total of $246,378,400 and 385.00 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 Department of Environmental Quality at over $170 million, growing from the base by over 150% in the last three years. This rate is far 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 negative appropriation — a reduction to the base budget.

(-1)

Does this budget perpetuate or expand state dependence on federal dollars, thereby violating principles of federalism? Conversely, does this budget actively reduce the amount of federal dollars used to balance this budget?

House Bill 455 appropriates more than $195.8 million in total federal funding to the DEQ. This constitutes more than 79% of the agency’s total budget. This legislation demonstrates both continued and expanding dependency on the federal government by appropriating an additional $73,171,900 in federal enhancements.

(-1)

Does this budget incur any wasteful spending among discretionary funds, including new line items? Conversely, does this budget contain any provisions that serve to reduce spending where possible (i.e. base reductions, debt reconciliation, etc.)?  

House Bill 455 adds six line items, with a few that are particularly concerning. While things like mine remediation and superfund clean-ups may be considered appropriate particularly if the mine or operator has gone bankrupt, there are other more problematic line items. There is a federal ARPA carryover for $73.8 million, but very few details are provided on how this money will be effectively spent. Instead we are told that it is for “waste remediation projects (e.g. Triumph Mine) and drinking water and wastewater infrastructure grants to communities throughout the state[;]" however, "the timeline for many of these projects extended into multiple fiscal years, so the Legislature elected to portion out the appropriation over time. Projects for local communities are reimbursed by the department once expenditures have been submitted. For this reason, DEQ anticipates these projects will reach completion – and need to be paid for – in FY 2026 and FY 2027" (LBB 4-11). There is, however, a separate line item for the Triumph Mine. Additionally, there is another appropriation from the General Fund for $10 million for “Infrastructure Grants.” It is not clear why this was needed or how this is possibly related to these types of projects covered by ARPA.  

Another concerning item is $592,800 in funding for targeted pay to address turnover. The department argues the current pay rates are not sufficient to keep a skilled staff and as a result, there is a backlog of work. This would affect 240 positions within the Department. What is not clear is what percentage increase this will be, whether any of these staff were covered under the extra 4.5% CEC increase for engineering and IT positions; and why that CEC bump could not be applied to these positions. 

(-1)