Bill description: SB 1276 creates a new government program to fund pedestrian and bicycle projects with a focus on use by children.

Rating: -2

Does it create, expand, or enlarge any agency, board, program, function, or activity of government? Conversely, does it eliminate or curtail the size or scope of government?

Idaho has a well-documented transportation funding shortfall, yet SB 1276 proposes to create another program for children’s walking and biking infrastructure. Walking and biking infrastructure is already part of the transportation mix and simply creating another program will not create better project prioritization.

Nonetheless, SB 1276 creates a new government program known as the “children’s walking and biking infrastructure program.”

(-1)

SB 1276 creates a new fund in the state treasury known as “the Idaho children’s walking and biking infrastructure program fund.”

(-1)

Analyst's note: Although the SOP states that this bill increases transparency, we would disagree. Not all of the sidewalk and biking infrastructure projects will be captured by this program, some will occur during regular road construction. This program will not provide additional transparency with regard to those projects.