Gov. Little opens Idaho’s legislative session with State of the State

BOISE — School choice, an investment in the state’s natural resources and expanded efforts to address the state’s housing needs were some of the key issues highlighted in Monday’s opening of the legislative session.
In his Monday State of the State address, Idaho Gov. Brad Little revealed what he called the “Keeping Promises” campaign, highlighting key areas of investment throughout the state that would be pursued in the coming session — all of which Little said would come without raising taxes in the state.
A total of $100 million in tax relief has been proposed for Idahoans for the FY 2026 budget, bringing the governor’s cumulative tax cuts to $4.7 million since he took office in 2019.
“We delivered property tax cuts and a new lower flat income tax,” Little said. “We increased the grocery tax rebate, and we stand ready to implement President Trump’s promised tax cuts.”
An elimination of sales tax on groceries in Idaho is expected to be a topic of discussion once again. Little previously said he would support a repeal of the tax “within certain parameters,” though what constitutes groceries would need to be defined, he said.
Beyond continued tax cuts, Little’s priorities heading into the 2025 legislative session and the return of President Donald Trump to the White House include expanded investment in school choice initiatives and public schools, restorative investments in the state’s natural resources and regulatory changes to address Idaho’s housing needs.
Education
The state’s public schools will continue to be the “first and foremost” priority in the area of education, Little said, but expressed openness to allowing funds to go to private education. For the coming fiscal year, Little has proposed over $150 million going toward public schools, $50 million of which will be dedicated to funding for rural school facilities, mental health services and for accountability in literacy outcomes, according to budget documentation.
The governor is also recommending a 5% change merit-based raise for state education staff, $83 million of which will be dedicated to teachers, administrators and “classified staff.” The remaining $28 million will be dedicated to funding teacher health insurance, budget documentation said.
Little highlighted an increasing demand for public charter schools in the state, and he set $50 million to fund private