Bill Analyses and Ratings
Bill Information: H0619 – Idaho Wildfire Risk Mitigation Fund Act
Bill Summary
This bill creates the Idaho Wildfire Risk Mitigation Fund, a continuously appropriated fund in the state treasury designed to reduce wildfire risks and improve property insurance access for Idaho citizens. The fund provides grants of up to $20,000 per recipient for wildfire risk mitigation measures on private property and supports educational efforts on fire prevention. Funding comes from multiple sources, including one-fourth of excess insurance premium tax revenues above $125 million, excess departmental fees and licenses, excess stamping fees, private sector contributions, and legislative appropriations.
The Director of the Department of Insurance is granted broad authority to promulgate rules, establish policies and procedures for fund operation, select an administrator, and determine grant distribution methods. The director may also appoint an advisory committee to assist with fund operations. The bill amends existing insurance premium tax distribution provisions to redirect a portion of excess revenues to this new fund while maintaining existing allocations to the public employee retirement fund and the Idaho individual high risk reinsurance pool.
Overall Assessment
This bill establishes a new government program funded primarily through insurance premium tax revenues to provide grants for wildfire mitigation on private property. While the program offers tangible benefits to property owners in wildfire-prone areas and may help attract more insurers to Idaho’s market by reducing risk exposure, it does so by expanding government spending and administrative authority through a continuously appropriated fund with broad discretionary powers granted to the Insurance Director.
Rating Breakdown
ARTICLE I. RESPONSIBILITY IN GOVERNMENT (-1)
The bill creates a continuously appropriated fund that bypasses the standard annual legislative appropriations process, reducing legislative oversight over how these funds are spent. It grants the Insurance Director broad discretionary authority to establish policies, select administrators, and determine grant distribution with limited checks on that power. This expansion of executive authority and automatic appropriation mechanism runs counter to principles of responsible, accountable government.
ARTICLE II. CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT IN GOVERNMENT (0)
This bill does not substantively affect citizen involvement in government processes, voting rights, or public participation mechanisms, and therefore receives a neutral rating.
ARTICLE III. EDUCATION (0)
While the bill includes a minor provision supporting educational efforts on fire prevention, this is incidental to the bill's primary purpose and does not meaningfully advance or hinder education policy, resulting in a neutral rating.
ARTICLE IV. AGRICULTURE (0)
This bill does not address agricultural policy, farming operations, or related concerns, and therefore has no measurable impact on this metric.
ARTICLE V. WATER (0)
This bill does not address water rights, water management, or related water policy issues, and therefore receives a neutral rating.
ARTICLE VI. NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT (0)
Although the bill addresses wildfire risk, which has environmental implications, it does not directly advance or alter natural resource management policy in a way that meaningfully impacts this metric, resulting in a neutral rating.
ARTICLE VII. ENERGY (0)
This bill does not address energy production, energy policy, or related concerns, and therefore has no measurable impact on this metric.
ARTICLE VIII. IDAHO NATIONAL LABORATORIES (0)
This bill has no connection to the Idaho National Laboratories or related research and development activities, and therefore receives a neutral rating.
ARTICLE IX. PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS (0)
While the bill provides grants to private property owners for wildfire mitigation, it does not expand or restrict private property rights in any substantive legal sense, and therefore receives a neutral rating.
ARTICLE X. STATE AND FEDERAL LANDS (0)
This bill does not address the management, transfer, or use of state or federal lands, and therefore has no measurable impact on this metric.
ARTICLE XI. WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT (0)
This bill does not address wildlife management, hunting, fishing, or related concerns, and therefore receives a neutral rating.
ARTICLE XII. ECONOMY (0)
The bill redirects a portion of insurance premium tax revenues to a new fund, which may have minor economic implications, but does not substantively advance or hinder broader economic policy in Idaho, resulting in a neutral rating.
ARTICLE XIII. HEALTH AND WELFARE (0)
This bill does not directly address health care, welfare programs, or related social services, and therefore has no measurable impact on this metric.
ARTICLE XIV. AMERICAN FAMILY (0)
This bill does not address family policy, parental rights, or related concerns in any substantive way, and therefore receives a neutral rating.
ARTICLE XV. OLDER AMERICANS (0)
This bill does not specifically address the needs or concerns of older Americans, and therefore has no measurable impact on this metric.
ARTICLE XVI. LAW AND ORDER WITH JUSTICE (0)
This bill does not address criminal justice, law enforcement, or judicial matters, and therefore receives a neutral rating.
ARTICLE XVII. NATIONAL DEFENSE – SECURING THE BORDER (0)
This bill has no connection to national defense, border security, or related concerns, and therefore receives a neutral rating.
ARTICLE XVIII. ELECTION OF JUDGES AND IDAHO SUPREME COURT JUSTICES (0)
This bill does not address judicial elections, the selection of judges, or related matters, and therefore receives a neutral rating.
ARTICLE XIX. RELIGIOUS LIBERTY (0)
This bill does not address religious liberty, freedom of conscience, or related concerns, and therefore has no measurable impact on this metric.