Rating: –1

Bill Summary:

House Bill 451 appropriates $504,900 to the Public Schools Educational Support Program’s Division of Educational Services for the Deaf and the Blind for Fiscal Year 2026. The funding includes $492,000 from the General Fund, routed through the Public School Income Fund, and $12,900 from the School for the Deaf and the Blind Endowment Fund. The bill clarifies the accounting treatment of the transfer, stating that the expenditure should be recognized as General Fund spending regardless of the intermediary fund routing. No new full-time positions are created, and the appropriation supports general operating expenses. The bill includes an emergency clause and takes effect July 1, 2025.

Reason for Rating:

While supporting specialized educational services is a valid state role, House Bill 451 increases General Fund spending without accountability metrics, performance expectations, or offsetting reductions elsewhere in the budget. Its routing of funds through multiple accounts adds unnecessary complexity, reducing transparency and clarity in public finance. The bill continues a pattern of expanding centralized services without enhancing local control or choice. Its use of an emergency clause for a routine appropriation also undermines the legislative process. These features run contrary to the Idaho Republican Party Platform’s principles of fiscal responsibility, limited government, and transparent budgeting. For these reasons, H0451 is rated –1.