BOISE, Idaho — This year's legislative session has been quieter than previous ones, specifically last year's which ended up being the longest session in state history. Lawmakers said they hope this session will wrap up by the end of the month, but still, there's a lot of work to be done inside the statehouse.
Idaho press members joined Gov. Brad Little Wednesday for a virtual breakfast, where they talked about the current legislative session, COVID-19 and more.
So far this session 13 bills have been signed by Little — among those are the largest tax cut in Idaho state history, and the empowering parents grant.
I was happy to sign SB 1255 in Caldwell today! The Empowering Parents grants put families in control of their child’s education and helps set them up for success. https://t.co/1NSsjEaKxh pic.twitter.com/TFTHP2Xdi7
— Brad Little (@GovernorLittle) March 1, 2022
Some of Little’s priorities he laid out during his State of the State Address included investing in education, infrastructure, and tax cuts.
“My three real big agenda items are all doing well and it's only the 2nd of March. So that's not bad,” Little said.
Little was asked by a reporter about his relationship with Idaho lawmakers this year, compared to last year and he said the system is built where there is always a "healthy" friction between the executive branch and the legislative branch.
Full-day kindergarten has also been a topic of discussion in this session. Little said there was a meeting Tuesday and lawmakers are getting "awful close" to a consensus. When asked what the proposal was, Little said, "it's a surprise."
One of the hottest topics of this session has been elections. Multiple election-related bills have been introduced targeting ballot harvesting, absentee drops off and audits.
“The legislature passes election laws on a very frequent basis. We should make it easier for people to vote and harder for people, for there to be fraud there,” Little said. “The most important thing to me is that the people of Idaho have confidence when they cast their ballot that it will Be accurately reflected in the results.”
Still, two months away from the primary elections, Little has not confirmed if he will be seeking reelection although he has campaign ads running. When asked this Wednesday morning about his campaign, this was his response.
“That’s a political question. I'm here to talk about official state business,” Little said.
Candidates have until March 11 to officially file.
