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House committee advances bill to create Idaho Department of Government Efficiency task force
Summary
The House State Affairs Committee voted to send House Bill 364 to the floor with a ‘do pass’ recommendation, creating a temporary legislative task force to review agency functions, regulatory processes and budget authority through 2029.
Representative Jaren Crane, sponsor of House Bill 364, told the House State Affairs Committee on Friday that the bill would create the Idaho Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) legislative task force to review redundancies and regulatory burdens across state government. “This puts it, not only codifies it, it gives a focused task force to go in and be targeted specifically,” Crane said.
The task force would include three House members appointed by the Speaker, three Senate members appointed by the Senate President Pro Tem, and three legislative members from the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee. The bill allows up to two nonlegislative advisers, directs the task force to meet at least twice a year and sets a sunset date of November 30, 2029.
Crane said the work would be year-round and could be divided into three subgroups—regulatory accountability, budget accountability, and government operations and oversight—and that findings could prompt proposed legislation. “A copy of any reports, findings and proposed legislation shall be submitted to LSO,” Crane said, referring to the Legislative Services Office.
During the committee hearing, supporters cited potential savings from eliminated redundancy; critics called the proposal unnecessary or duplicative of existing bodies, including JFAC and the Office of Performance Evaluations. Laura Miller, testifying in opposition, said, “This legislation is simply repackaging Idaho’s existing efficiency work and creating a new entity with new buzzwords.” Supporters pointed to past DOGE-style work that identified obsolete code and urged lawmakers to give the task force authority to pursue similar cuts.
Committee members asked about staffing, access to data and enforcement of recommendations. Crane said members could be reappointed and the task force would advise the legislature and submit proposed legislation to address inefficiencies. The bill passed the committee with a motion by Representative Judy Boyle to send House Bill 364 to the floor with a due-pass recommendation; the committee approved the motion by voice vote.
The committee heard three in-person witnesses: one opposed and two in favor. Proponents urged a focused, legislative vehicle to identify duplicative agencies and obsolete rules; an opponent said the proposal risks layering bureaucracy over existing review mechanisms.
House Bill 364 now goes to the full House for further consideration.
