Rating: –1

Bill Summary:
House Bill 477 appropriates an additional $420,500 to the Department of Health and Welfare’s Foster and Assistance Payments Program for fiscal year 2026. This funding supports extended foster care services, which provide continued assistance to individuals aging out of the foster care system. The appropriation includes $222,900 from the Cooperative Welfare (General) Fund and $197,600 from the Cooperative Welfare (Federal) Fund. The bill includes an emergency clause and takes effect on July 1, 2025.

Reason for Rating:
While the bill aims to aid vulnerable youth, it does so by expanding taxpayer-funded welfare benefits without incorporating accountability measures, privatization efforts, or a path toward independence. It increases state spending on social services and further entrenches federal involvement through matching funds, both of which conflict with the Idaho Republican Party Platform’s emphasis on limited government, fiscal restraint, and reduced reliance on entitlement programs. The bill does not reform the foster care system or introduce any market-based or local solutions, resulting in a net expansion of state dependency.