WEEK ONE | 2024 LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
January 8 - January 12, 2024
On Monday, Governor Brad Little kicked off the State of the State Address and Budget Address, marking the start of the 2024 Idaho Legislative Session. Governor Little started off the speech by stating we can always make Idaho better and make it the place where all future generations return. Idaho is leading the charge on cutting red tape, tax cuts year after year, and education freedom policies. Governor Little reviewed huge successes, including income and property tax relief, Idaho Launch grants, and infrastructure investments. Throughout his speech, Governor Little referred to his initiative for the year: Idaho Works. Governor Little called out transportation funding, the quagga mussel outbreak, human trafficking, fentanyl, suicide prevention, and school facilities - a $2 billion long-term investment and a fiscally responsible budget. The Governor’s proposed budget is set at $200 million less than the previous fiscal year as well.
FULL 2024 STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS
IDAHO WORKS FY25 BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS
In the first week of the Sixty-Seventh Idaho Legislature’s Second Regular Session, legislators quickly got their feet under them. Many swiftly got to work, introducing legislation and bolstering support for their ideas. While some have been waiting to test the waters, a majority of new and old legislators dove headfirst into the session's work.
The House took full advantage of the first week to introduce legislation, specifically House State Affairs and Judiciary & Rules Committees. Many political statements and social issues arise, just like in past years. The Senate has one (1) more week to introduce personal bills, and the House has two (2) weeks. As a reminder, personal bills do not go through the normal process. They are not granted hearings in a committee and often are read across the desk and filed away. Legislators who introduce them know they won’t move forward but choose to introduce them anyway to get a conversation started or create awareness for an issue by giving it a bill number. These will not appear on reports unless there is a rare instance that one gains traction, which we ensure you are aware of.
The Joint Finance Appropriations Committee (JFAC) began to look at the state’s budget for FY25. JFAC will begin hearing budget presentations and then be setting the budget of those presented within two (2) weeks of the hearing. This process will be repeated until all budgets have been set. Starting Monday, January 15, 2024, statewide and maintenance budgets will be set. The Co-Chairs have been clear: their goal is to pass as many maintenance budgets as possible to focus only on the state's greatest needs. Although Governor Little’s budget is set to be fiscally conservative, the Co-Chairs are looking far beyond these savings to make room for Speaker Mike Moyle’s income tax cut and school vouchers. We are seeing the JFAC Co-Chairs operate deliberately, as their minds seem to be made up before any presentations even begin.
JFAC has set its schedule to set all budgets within nine (9) weeks but has left room in week ten (10) to set and reset appropriations as needed. We highly anticipate this will be the case. Every Friday, the General Fund will be updated, and the Committee will set budgets from the presentations heard that week.
UPDATED JFAC HEARING SCHEDULE
Many legislators are hopeful to be done with their work by the anticipated Sine Die date, March 22nd; however, others seem to have this optimism dwindle by the hour. Only time will tell how motivated the Legislature is to start campaigning for the May Primary. Next week will be more eventful as the session starts to pick up the pace with rules, budget hearings, and plenty of legislation introduced, starting many of the big policy fights of the session.
All bills from the 2024 Idaho Legislative Session are on the Idaho State Legislative Website. To see what bills we are following for Idaho Sportsmen, view our Bill Tracker.
