Governor Brad Little delivered the State of the State to a joint session of the Idaho Legislature on Jan. 6, 2025, in the Idaho State Capitol, proposing a package of tax relief and new spending for education, water and public safety while urging lawmakers to work with his administration on regulatory and workforce reforms.

Little said his “keeping promises” plan would include $100,000,000 in additional tax relief on top of roughly $4,600,000,000 the administration says it has returned to Idaho taxpayers over the past five years. He also proposed $50,000,000 to expand “education options” and said his broader school package includes more than $150,000,000 for public schools.

"My keeping promises plan builds on those investments by more support for schools on top of the 80% increase in state funding we champion for education since I took office," Little said. "I am recommending $50,000,000 to further expand education options for Idaho families." He added that any school-choice measures would have to be "fair, responsible, transparent, and accountable" and must not reduce funding for public schools.

Little described several infrastructure and natural-resource priorities in the speech. He urged funding to address a long-term decline in the Eastern Snake Plain aquifer, calling for investments to implement a recently negotiated water plan that, he said, safeguards Idaho agriculture. He also proposed additional funding for wildfire response and firefighter retention and asked the Legislature to “properly fund the fire suppression account.”

On transportation and growth, Little said Idaho will continue investments in roads and bridges and proposed more transportation funding to keep up with record population increases. He acknowledged housing affordability challenges and urged regulatory and permitting reforms to accelerate housing construction.

Little highlighted workforce and training programs, saying the state’s Launch program has increased postsecondary enrollment and that his plan will expand fast-track career training. He also proposed more cybersecurity resources and said the Idaho State Police have conducted missions to the southern border; Little announced plans for a prosecutor focused on drug trafficking in North Idaho.

Lawmakers took several formal steps to convene and record the joint session in which Little spoke. The House approved House Concurrent Resolution 1, clearing the way for the joint session to hear the governor. After Little’s address, the House moved to spread his State of the State message and budget address in both the House and Senate journals.

The address drew no formal debate recorded on the transcript; leaders and members applauded and the joint session was later dissolved, with the House returning to its regular order of business.

Votes at a glance

- House Concurrent Resolution 1 (to permit a joint session to hear the governor): motion to suspend rules and consider HCR 1 passed by recorded vote (70 ayes, 0 nays) and the resolution was subsequently adopted by voice vote. (Referenced in transcript at Jan. 6 proceedings and during roll call.)

- Motion to print the governor’s State of the State and budget address in the House and Senate journals: moved and seconded on the floor and adopted by voice vote.

Context: Why this matters

Little’s address bundles proposals that affect state tax policy, K-12 funding and school choice, water projects that affect agriculture, wildfire suppression funding, transportation and housing. Each of those areas requires legislative action to enact new spending or statutory changes; the speech was an opening policy outline to guide the 2025 legislative session.

Ending

Lawmakers took the procedural steps to receive and record the governor’s address and returned to House business after the joint session was dissolved. Little said he looks forward to working with the Legislature to implement the proposals he outlined.