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: (-2)
NOTE: Senate Bill 1220 replaces the failed Senate Bill 1191 and removes $481,000 for the Governor’s Initiative-SPEED Council. Removing the funding for the SPEED Council and the correlated FTP is an overall net positive and lowers the bill rating from a -4 to a -2.
Bill Description: Senate Bill 1220 removes the enhancement to $0.00 and reduces the original bill's new full-time positions to 0.00 for the Office of Energy and Mineral Resources for fiscal year 2026. This legislation appropriates a total of $12,757,600 and 11.00 full-time positions to the agency.
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.)?
The Office of Energy and Mineral Resources exists under the authority of Executive Order 2020-17, through which Gov. Brad Little extended the role of the office for another four years. The office works to manage energy efficiency efforts and to educate the public and elected officials about state and federal energy policy. It also oversees the Idaho Strategic Energy Alliance.
Presently, the Legislature has no statutory obligation to fund this agency, which acts as a means for centrally planning Idaho’s energy and mineral usage. Though the agency can coordinate statewide energy projects, that task could easily be absorbed by agencies with a statutorily mandated role. This agency, however, is a wasteful use of taxpayer funds.
(-1)
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 Energy and Mineral Resources at over $12 million, growing from the base by over 200% over the last three years. This 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 the budget fund any programs or line items that violate either the spirit or the letter of the U.S. Constitution? Conversely, is this budget restricted to programs and line items that observe the spirit and the letter of both the U.S. Constitution?
Senate Bill 1220 rightly eliminates enhancement funding for a program from the governor's office — the SPEED Council. By reducing enhancements for the 2026 fiscal year to $0.00, it is an overall net positive.
(+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?
Federal funding at $11,627,900 is 91% of the total. This legislation perpetuates federal dependency, then expands it even more.
(-1)
