Gov. Little’s “Keeping Promises” Initiative – Key takeaways for Southeast Idaho
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) - Governor Little was in Idaho Falls Wednesday, highlighting his "keeping promises plan" for the 2025 Idaho legislature.
A major point of Little's 2025 initiative focuses on education.
Little says he's committed nearly $200 million towards funding public schools, which would go towards investing in rural schools, mental health and school safety. He's also set aside $50 Million to support education freedom and School choice.
Since his address at the beginning of the month, the Idaho House has submitted 12 bills for further discussion, a third of which reflect the Governor's legislative goals. Of those bills, House Bill #1 directly tackles school choice and taxes.
A similar bill failed last year.
During his visit, the Governor once again stressed the importance of approaching the issue of school choice the "Idaho way." He emphasized the importance of expanding school choice in a transparent, responsible and accountable way that prioritizes the families that need it most.
"We have to make sure that those precious state dollars are...that there's no double dipping," Little told Reporters. "That their kids aren't in a public school, and they get money, from a private school."
The governor is also making cybersecurity a priority for this year's legislative session, committing $10 Million in the Idaho state budget towards protecting the Gem State's infrastructure from foreign threats.
Little says another key promise with potential impacts to Southeastern Idaho, budget and legislative work surrounding fire and water.
As part of his keeping promises initiative, Little says he's committing $100 million of the state budget to fire management. $60 million would go towards replenishing the Fire Suppression Deficiency Fund, another portion would go towards recruiting and supporting wildland firefighters.
The move comes after 826,000 acres were burned in the Gem State in 2024, according to the Idaho Conservation League.
The governor is also committing $30 million for critical water infrastructure, which he says will be instrumental in maintaining the agricultural industry of southeast Idaho and statewide.
"We're putting another $30 million of ongoing into water projects," Little told reporters. "A lot of that will be diversions and recharge for this part of the community to continue, to recover the our precious aquifer here in this part of the state."
