Bill Analyses and Ratings
Bill Information: H0866 – FY2027 Constitutional Officers Appropriations
Bill Summary
House Bill 866 appropriates $89,468,100 to Idaho’s six constitutional offices for fiscal year 2027, covering the period from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. The funded offices include the Attorney General ($33,837,600), State Controller ($39,566,200), Executive Office of the Governor ($4,667,500), Lieutenant Governor ($302,500), Secretary of State ($5,636,600), and State Treasurer ($5,457,700). Funding is drawn from a variety of sources including the General Fund, federal grant funds, the Data Processing Services Fund, the State Treasurer LGIP Fund, the Consumer Protection Fund, and several other specialized funds. The bill also establishes full-time equivalent position caps for each office, ranging from 3.00 positions for the Lieutenant Governor to 227.40 for the Attorney General.
Beyond base appropriations, the bill includes several administrative provisions. The Governor’s Office and Attorney General are exempted from expense class and program transfer limitations, granting those offices flexibility to move funds between categories without legislative approval, though inter-fund transfers still require legislative sign-off. The State Controller is directed to complete a cash account reconciliation covering July 2023 through June 2026 across all funds and agencies and report findings to the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee by October 16, 2026. Additional provisions carry forward unspent FY2026 funds for the Secretary of State’s election integrity audits and elections system upgrades, allow up to $2.5 million in Data Processing Services Fund carryover for the Computer Service Center, and grant the State Treasurer continuous appropriation authority for the America250 Commemoration Fund.
Overall Assessment
House Bill 866 is a routine annual appropriations bill that maintains existing service levels and staffing across Idaho’s six constitutional offices. The bill’s provisions are largely administrative in nature, funding day-to-day operations without introducing significant new policy directions across most of the evaluated metrics. As a result, the bill scores neutrally across the vast majority of evaluation categories, reflecting its status as a maintenance-level funding measure rather than a substantive policy initiative.
The one area where the bill draws a negative score is under Article I, Responsibility in Government. The exemptions granted to the Governor’s Office and Attorney General from expense class and program transfer limitations reduce legislative oversight by allowing those offices to reallocate funds between categories without prior legislative approval. This concentration of executive discretion over appropriated funds, without corresponding accountability mechanisms, runs counter to principles of transparent and responsible governance. The cash reconciliation mandate for the State Controller, while a positive transparency measure, does not fully offset the accountability concerns raised by these transfer exemptions.
Rating Breakdown
ARTICLE I. RESPONSIBILITY IN GOVERNMENT (-1)
The bill exempts the Governor's Office and Attorney General from expense class and program transfer limitations, allowing those offices to move appropriated funds between categories without legislative approval. This reduction in legislative oversight concentrates discretionary spending authority in the executive branch without sufficient accountability safeguards. While the cash reconciliation mandate for the State Controller represents a transparency improvement, it does not offset the diminished legislative control created by these transfer exemptions.
ARTICLE II. CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT IN GOVERNMENT (0)
This bill is a routine appropriations measure that does not substantively expand or restrict citizen involvement in government processes. Its provisions are administrative and fiscal in nature, with no direct impact on public participation mechanisms or civic engagement frameworks.
ARTICLE III. EDUCATION (0)
House Bill 866 does not address education policy, funding, or programs in any meaningful way. The appropriations contained in this bill are directed exclusively toward Idaho's six constitutional offices and have no direct bearing on educational outcomes or institutions.
ARTICLE IV. AGRICULTURE (0)
This appropriations bill does not include provisions related to agriculture, farming, or rural economic development. None of the funded offices or programs have a direct agricultural policy focus.
ARTICLE V. WATER (0)
The bill contains no provisions related to water rights, water management, or water infrastructure. Its scope is limited to operational funding for Idaho's constitutional offices.
ARTICLE VI. NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT (0)
House Bill 866 does not address natural resources, environmental policy, or conservation programs. The funded offices do not have primary jurisdiction over these areas, and no relevant provisions are included.
ARTICLE VII. ENERGY (0)
This bill does not contain any provisions related to energy policy, energy infrastructure, or energy development. It is a routine administrative appropriations measure with no energy-related components.
ARTICLE VIII. IDAHO NATIONAL LABORATORIES (0)
The bill makes no reference to the Idaho National Laboratories or related nuclear research and energy programs. Its appropriations are directed solely toward the six constitutional offices of state government.
ARTICLE IX. PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS (0)
House Bill 866 does not include provisions that affect private property rights, eminent domain, or related legal frameworks. The bill's scope is confined to operational appropriations for constitutional offices.
ARTICLE X. STATE AND FEDERAL LANDS (0)
This bill does not address state or federal land management, land transfers, or related policy matters. No provisions within the bill have a bearing on land ownership or jurisdiction issues.
ARTICLE XI. WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT (0)
The bill contains no provisions related to wildlife management, hunting, fishing, or related conservation programs. Its appropriations are directed toward administrative and legal functions of state government.
ARTICLE XII. ECONOMY (0)
House Bill 866 is a routine appropriations bill that maintains existing government operations without introducing new economic development initiatives or regulatory changes. Its fiscal impact on the broader Idaho economy is negligible and indirect.
ARTICLE XIII. HEALTH AND WELFARE (0)
This bill does not address health care, public health programs, or welfare services. The funded constitutional offices do not have primary responsibility for health and welfare policy.
ARTICLE XIV. AMERICAN FAMILY (0)
The bill contains no provisions that directly affect family policy, child welfare, or related social programs. It is a straightforward operational funding measure for constitutional offices.
ARTICLE XV. OLDER AMERICANS (0)
House Bill 866 does not include provisions specifically addressing the needs or interests of older Americans, senior services, or retirement-related programs. Its scope does not extend to these policy areas.
ARTICLE XVI. LAW AND ORDER WITH JUSTICE (0)
While the bill funds the Attorney General's office, including programs such as the Internet Crimes Against Children initiative, it does so at maintenance levels without expanding or contracting law enforcement capabilities. The appropriation represents a continuation of existing programs rather than a substantive policy change in law and order.
ARTICLE XVII. NATIONAL DEFENSE – SECURING THE BORDER (0)
This bill does not address national defense, border security, or immigration enforcement. Its appropriations are directed toward state constitutional offices with no direct role in these federal policy areas.
ARTICLE XVIII. ELECTION OF JUDGES AND IDAHO SUPREME COURT JUSTICES (0)
House Bill 866 does not contain provisions related to the election or appointment of judges or Supreme Court justices. While it funds the Secretary of State's elections infrastructure, this pertains to general election administration rather than judicial selection.
ARTICLE XIX. RELIGIOUS LIBERTY (0)
The bill contains no provisions that affect religious liberty, freedom of conscience, or related constitutional protections. It is a routine fiscal measure with no bearing on these rights.