Rating: –1

Bill Summary:

Senate Bill 1200 appropriates an additional $744,100 to the Idaho State Historical Society for fiscal year 2026. The funding includes $506,900 from the General Fund, $174,300 from the Miscellaneous Revenue Fund, and $62,900 from the Federal Grant Fund. Of this amount, $196,100 is allocated for personnel, $498,600 for operating expenditures, and $49,400 for capital outlay. The bill also authorizes the addition of three new full-time equivalent (FTE) positions. It includes an emergency clause and becomes effective July 1, 2025.

Reason for Rating:
S1200 increases taxpayer spending on a non-essential state agency without offering any structural reform, cost savings, or offsetting reductions. The Idaho Republican Party Platform calls for the elimination of unnecessary government programs and emphasizes the need to downsize state government. By allocating over half a million dollars from the General Fund and expanding agency staff without performance requirements or privatization efforts, this bill expands bureaucratic overhead without delivering core government services. It directly contradicts the platform’s commitment to limited government and fiscal discipline, earning a negative rating.