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H 470

STATE BUDGET – Adds to existing law to provide for the Idaho personnel reduction act and to provide for the reporting of state employee travel expenses.

68th Legislature, 1st Regular Session (2025)

Idaho H470 aims to cut government size by identifying long-vacant positions and potentially eliminating them, while mandating annual reporting of state travel expenses for transpar

Introduced, read first time; referred to: State Affairs
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Bill Summary · H 470

Summary of Idaho H 470 (2025)

Overview

House Bill 470 proposes two new sections to Idaho’s budget and personnel laws, creating the Idaho Personnel Reduction Act and requiring reporting of state employee travel expenses. The bill emphasizes efficiency by identifying long-vacant positions and, where appropriate, eliminating those positions to reduce government size. It also adds mandatory, annual reporting of state travel costs to improve transparency and potential cost savings. An emergency clause seeks to make the act effective upon passage.

  • Bill: H 470
  • Title: STATE BUDGET – Adds to existing law to provide for the Idaho personnel reduction act and to provide for the reporting of state employee travel expenses
  • Status: Introduced, first reading; referred to State Affairs
  • Introduced: April 1, 2025
  • Emergency clause: Yes (effective upon passage)

Key Provisions

1) Idaho Personnel Reduction Act (Section 67-3520)

  • Purpose: Improve government efficiency by identifying vacancies and reducing or reauthorizing positions within existing funds.
  • Definitions:
    • Department: any state department, agency, institution, or office that receives a legislative appropriation for personnel costs.
    • FTP: full-time equivalent positions.
  • Vacancy identification:
    • By September 1, 2025, and annually on September 1 thereafter, every department must identify all appropriated FTP that have been vacant for more than one calendar year as of the budget submission date (per 67-3502).
  • Legislative action on vacancies:
    • Vacant FTP and their salaries/benefits may be eliminated by the legislature.
    • If funds exist within the department’s current personnel budget, the department may request to retain the FTP and fill the position as soon as practicable.
  • Reporting requirements (in the annual budget submission):
    • For each identified vacant FTP:
    • Job title and length of vacancy
    • Job description
    • Whether funds are available to fill the position and source of funds
    • Reason the position remains vacant
    • Whether the department has reduced or retained the FTP in the budget submission

2) Reporting of Idaho State Employee Travel Expenses (Section 67-3520A)

  • Purpose: Improve oversight of travel spending and identify potential waste.
  • Travel expenses definition: Costs reimbursed under the state travel pay and allowances act (1949, ch. 20, title 67).
  • Reporting requirements (in the annual budget submission per 67-3502):
    • Total department travel expenses
    • All travel occurrences and purposes
    • Travel destinations
    • Breakdown of costs (airfare, mileage, car rental, lodging, meals, conference fees, etc.)
    • Travel dates
    • Any travel expenses paid by entities other than the state

Who is Affected

  • State departments, agencies, institutions, and offices that receive appropriations for personnel costs.
  • State employees whose positions may be identified for potential elimination or retention.
  • Budget policymakers monitoring travel expenditures.

Timeline and Process

  • Sept. 1, 2025: First annual vacancy identification and reporting deadline.
  • Annually thereafter: Continued September 1 reporting.
  • Budget submissions (per 67-3502) must include the vacancy details and travel expense details outlined above.
  • Emergency clause: Effective upon passage and approval.

Fiscal Impact

  • The bill does not impose new revenues or mandatory expenditures.
  • Potential savings if long-vacant positions are eliminated or not funded, though exact amounts will be known only after the September 1 budget submissions.
  • Travel expense reporting could yield cost containment through better data and oversight.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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