Idaho’s 2025 legislative session begins today in Boise, setting the stage for weeks of debate over state budget priorities, immigration policy, policies and more. Public funding of private education proposals.
In keeping with tradition, Idaho Governor Brad Little will begin the first day of the annual legislative session by delivering the State of the Union address in the House chamber at 1 p.m. mountain time.
The State of the Union address is like Idaho’s version of the State of the Union address. The governor is using the speech to rally support for budget and policy proposals that he will need to work with the Idaho Legislature to pass.
“We always have a theme, and this time we’re going to talk about keeping promises,” Little said Friday at the Idaho Press Club’s legislative preview event at the Idaho State Capitol.
As usual, Mr. Little did not provide advance specific details of what he planned to announce in Monday’s speech. Instead, in a preview event with reporters on Friday, he spoke about themes and priorities and his eagerness to work with President-elect Donald Trump.
“My top priority has always been, and always will be, education,” Little said.
A few legislative leaders indicated that spending and budget requests would be scrutinized and governed.
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Little said almost all of the federal economic stimulus and COVID-19 funding for Idaho has been spent or is obligated and will not continue to flow.
“We’re in good shape here in Idaho,” Little said. “We’ve had such a great run. But, you know, all the federal money is gone. Or almost gone. And the money that was stuffed into the economy has been pumped all over the system. But we are still in very good shape.”
Idaho House Speaker aims to cut taxes during 2025 legislative session
Republican House Speaker Mike Moyle was even more blunt. Moyle said tax cuts remain a top priority and that lawmakers will tackle income, sales and property taxes in the next Congress.
Moyle also supports additional budget changes and said he believes the Consolidated Appropriations Committee should be empowered to take a zero-based approach to budgeting. Rather than starting with the previous year’s budget and adding new spending requests from there, Moyle said budget writers can remove some existing or ongoing items from the state budget or start from scratch. They would like to be able to require state agencies to justify each expenditure. .
“I would like to go back and take some of these budgets one at a time and work from the bottom up,” Moyle said. “I think there are things that could come out of that. And the more responsible we are with taxpayers’ money, the better off we’ll all be. We’ve seen that in recent years. These budgets have gotten out of control, especially with the influx of COVID-19 funding. And in my opinion, it’s time to get them back where they belong.”
Mr. Little is also expected to release his proposed budget for fiscal year 2026 on Monday. One of the only requirements of the Idaho Legislature each year is to pass a balanced budget in which spending does not exceed revenue.
Legislative leaders continue to push for options to use tax dollars for private education
Moyle and Senate Majority Leader Lori Den Hartog (R-Meridian) said they will continue to push for legislation that would allow public funding to support private and religious education.
Idaho Education News reported. multiple invoices It is likely that he will come forward this year. The Idaho Legislature has failed to pass any significant private school choice legislation in the past few legislative sessions, but as Idaho Education News reported: Losing the 2024 election could pave the way for the bill to be passed. this year.
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On Friday, Den Hartog spoke in favor of a proposal to create a refundable tax credit that would allow families to receive reimbursement for education expenses, including tuition at private schools and private religious schools.
“One of the ways I think about[accountability]is are parents satisfied with the education their children are receiving,” Den Hartog said. “If you have a school that is great academically and meets all the goals and all the grades, but your child is being bullied, you need another option.”
Den Hartog said the tax credit would be similar to the failed 2024 tax credit bill and would not include any state oversight requirements for academic curriculum. Or standardized testing in private schools.
Moyle said he likes the proposal because “the money follows the student” and not the education system.
However, Democrats vehemently opposed these proposals. Democrats said the tax credit would not provide enough money for low-income families to pay private school tuition, but would instead be given to households that already enroll their children in private schools. Democrats also worried that funding private schools with tax refunds would come at the expense of other programs in the state budget, such as public schools and health care.
“Whether we talk about vouchers or tax credits or whatever we want to call it, the result is the same,” said Senate Minority Leader Melissa Wintrow, D-Boise. “Competing for resources in the state budget…This Legislature continues to choose not to fund and invest in things, whether it be public defense, state employees, health care, housing, We’re looking at childcare, and these are important services that can help Idahoans.”
Few Republicans support President Trump’s immigration and deportation policies.
In December, Little signed a public statement that read: ‘Committed’ to supporting President-elect Trump’s immigration and deportation policies.
When reporters asked Little on Friday how he plans to balance tackling President Trump’s deportation program with supporting the agriculture and dairy industries that rely on undocumented workers, Little said: He said one solution is to make dairy farms eligible for the deportation scheme. H-2A program. H-2A The program allows workers to legally enter the United States to perform agricultural work, but it is temporary or seasonal in nature.
“The dairy issue could be solved very easily by just qualifying for the H-2A program in Idaho, and we have a lot of carriers in Idaho. H-2A operators, you know, have a legitimate program sitting next to them,” Little said.
According to the Idaho Dairy Association. 90% of daily jobs are held by foreign-born workers. According to the association, the Idaho dairy industry generated approximately $10.7 billion in total sales and created approximately 33,000 jobs.
Moyle also expressed support for President Trump’s immigration and deportation policies.
“There’s a lot of support for doing something to help dairy farms, but if dairy farms can’t come to the table and help find solutions, they’re going to get run over. I’m worried that this could happen,” Moyle said.
Moyle said the Idaho House is likely to introduce several immigration-related bills this year, including a bill related to an online electronic verification system that would allow employers to verify their employees’ eligibility to work in the United States.
Mr Moyle also expressed support for other proposals.
“I think we’re going to see something similar to what came before the House last year, where if illegal aliens are caught breaking the law, they’re going to jail and sent home,” Moyle said.
Moyle also discussed possible legislation that would allow law enforcement and states to seize vehicles driven by undocumented immigrants who don’t have insurance.
Little did not elaborate on his priorities, but a bill the Idaho Family Policy Center has promised to introduce this year that would require Bible reading in every classroom in Idaho’s public schools is facing scrutiny. Mr. Little predicted that it could be challenged under the law. Idaho Constitution.
“Given the language of the Constitution, I think it would be a change of pace to make this mandatory,” Little told reporters.
Congressional sessions typically last about 80 to 90 days, but they are not required to adjourn by a specific date.
How to follow the State of the Union address and Congress in 2025
Idaho Governor Brad Little will deliver the 2025 State of the State Address today at 1:00 PM Mountain Time at the Idaho State Capitol in Boise. Speeches will be streamed live online. session streaming service in idaho Click on the “House Stream” link.
During the 2025 legislative session, committee hearings and floor sessions of the Idaho House of Representatives and the Idaho Senate will also be live-streamed through the Idaho Sessions.
Information about Register to testify during a legislative committee meeting Available on the Idaho State Legislature’s website.
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