Legislative Weekly Updates

 Senator Mark Harris, LD35 — Week #1, ending Jan 16, 2026

The 2nd Regular Session of the 68th Legislature began this week with the State of the State address from Governor Brad Little.  This year, he noted a change from years of budget surpluses to a year that “demands restraint.”  The Governor introduced a new fiscal roadmap he is calling his “Enduring Idaho” plan, which includes a two-year budget strategy that emphasizes fiscal restraint after reports of recent revenue declines.   

This declining revenue is largely due to the slight downturn in the Idaho Economy, income tax reductions from the nearly $500 million tax cuts passed last year, and uncertainty from the tax reductions of the Big Beautiful Bill that was passed by Congress and President Trump.  It will be some time before we know the full impact of those numbers.  

It is important to emphasize that even though revenue growth has slowed, the Idaho economy remains strong as Governor Little noted in his speech.  We have solid reserves and a strong credit rating.  The Governor proposed spending cuts and budget tightening to address the state’s slowing revenue.  These cuts include a 3 percent cut in all state departments including reduced Medicaid spending to balance the budget without raising taxes.  The Governor wants about $45 million in Medicaid cuts, but not a repeal of Medicaid Expansion.  

The Governor proposed to protect K-12 public education funding.  He emphasized continued support for workforce training and the Idaho Launch program citing its success in keeping Idaho kids in Idaho schools to help them enter high-demand jobs.  

The Governor’s State of the State address was somewhat light on details, and it is now up to the legislature to begin work on setting the budgets for the State.  The Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee (JFAC) that sets these budgets has a new co-chair on the House side with Representative Josh Tanner (14) who was appointed after Representative Wendy Horman (32) resigned to accept a position with the Trump Administration.  We will observe any operational changes that may arise from this transition.  

I am happy to have the opportunity to work with our new representative from Legislative District 35, Representative Mike Veile.  He is excited to serve and will be a benefit to our area.  I will continue to serve as the Senate Assistant Majority Leader this session and I will also continue to serve on the Senate State Affairs, Senate Health and Welfare, and Senate Resources and Environment Committees. It is an honor and privilege to serve the good people of Legislative District 35.  Please feel free to reach out with concerns or issues at mharris.senate.Idaho.gov or call 208-322-1429.

Week #2, ending Jan 23, 2026

This legislative session seems to have started out at a quicker pace more than past sessions.  We have begun to undertake the “Rules Review” process as usual, which will take a couple of weeks to complete. So far, nothing very controversial has been presented, but we are expecting some new proposed rules from the Idaho Fish and Game that has drawn quite a bit of attention regarding the use of certain technologies and “fair chase.” These rules might be introduced in the next week or two. We will see how they go and what questions arise.  

This week the Soil and Water districts from around the state came to Boise to share some of the projects they have been working on at home.  It is always good to visit them and see how they are improving their areas.   We also were visited by Idaho water users from around the state.  Water seems to be on the mind of everyone, especially this year with the extreme snowfall shortage.    

The state budget is the main topic of discussion so far this session, as the state is experiencing a budget shortfall.  The Joint Finance and Appropriation Committee (JFAC) was presented with a budget projection number, which is a good thing to establish setting the budgets for the various departments.  The Economic Outlook and Revenue Assessment Committee (EORAC) voted on projected state revenues for FY 2026 and FY 2027.  This is a positive sign that budget proposals will start to move through the legislative process earlier than last year.  The Senate supports a careful, conservative approach and we have advocated for a responsible and steady plan by having a projection before we start spending taxpayer funds.  

This will be a tight budget year and there will be cuts to some budgets. One of these areas will be some parts of Medicaid.  I have been receiving several phone calls and emails regarding the Katie Beckett program which is a specialized service provided through Medicaid that helps take care of little kids.  This program is crucial to families and kids that are disabled and must receive different types of therapy to improve their lives.  I have been communicating and working with the Governor’s office to make sure this program does not get cut as it is needed by these families.  It is still early in the session, and we will continue to work on this issue.  

Please keep reaching out to me with your concerns and questions and I will do my best to respond.  I appreciate those that are reaching out.    

 Rep. Josh Wheeler —Week Two Update

As we wrap up the second week of the legislative session, the pace is definitely picking up. A number of bills have now been introduced, committees are settling into their work, and the conversations are moving quickly from big-picture priorities to real policy choices.

One of the highlights of the week was a great kickoff to Idaho’s America250 celebration. It was a meaningful moment to reflect on our shared history and the values that have shaped our state. We also had the chance to hear the newly commissioned Idaho Forever song, which was a powerful reminder of the pride and stewardship Idahoans feel for this place we call home.

We also heard from Idaho’s Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, who spoke thoughtfully about the role the judiciary plays in maintaining community health and safety. It was a good reminder that a strong, well-functioning government depends on each branch doing its job—often quietly, but critically—to uphold the rule of law and protect our communities.

Much of my own time this week has been focused on finding workable solutions for Health & Welfare funding. With budget pressures becoming clearer, conversations are underway about how we maintain critical services while staying fiscally responsible. One option being discussed is the careful use of budget stabilization funds as part of a broader solution, and I’ll continue to engage in those discussions with an eye toward long-term stability, not short-term fixes.

As always, I appreciate hearing from you. These early weeks set the tone for the rest of the session, and your input helps guide where I focus my time and energy. I look forward to keeping you updated as things continue to move forward.

—

Josh Wheeler

Idaho State Representative

Education, Taxes, and Tough Budget Choices: What Week Two Meant for District 35

 By Representative Mike Veile

The second week was another fascinating and fulfilling experience at the capitol.  I am grateful to be able to serve District 35 and humbled at the incredible honor.  It is one of the best experiences of my life to sit on the floor of the house. Every decision made on the House floor this session affects taxes, schools, and services back home. Week two made that reality very clear.

Decisions made here have real consequences back home, and it’s  amazing how busy it is.  Meeting with so many people and furthering my relationships with the great legislators and administrators here in Idaho.  There are truly great people here, especially my East Idaho
Colleagues.

The week started off meeting with many public-school teachers from across Idaho.  These educators are committed and passionate.  I so appreciate their work and the challenges they face.  The IRI reading scores also came out this week for K-3.  Two school districts from District 35 ranked in the top 10 for public schools: North Gem in Bancroft and Swan Valley Elementary.  For large districts, Idaho Falls and Pocatello were in the top 10 list.  Charter schools rank highest overall, but North Gem is in that list too. The success of North Gem and Swan Valley reflects the work happening every day by our local teachers, parents, and communities.

Education discussions continue around trying to keep funding whole.  However, some funding will likely come from online institutions including Idaho Digital Learning Academy (IDLA) as well as some other online charters schools.  This is still being developed to determine the final outcome for the budget balancing. Education remains a top priority in a tight budget year.

The dominant topic of the 2026 session  the issue of conformity.  This entails conforming to the One Big Beautiful Bill for tax relief on items like overtime and tips as well as corporate tax exemptions for research and experimentation.  This is another general tax cut of about $155M/year.  The challenge to the state of Idaho is that this is to include retractive implementation for 2025 tax year.  This is another revenue reduction that was not planned for during last years legislative session and is therefore a new impact to deal with this year.  It is almost certain that the Idaho Legislature will conform to the One Big Beautiful Bill and mimic tax policy for the state to that of federal.

Cuts are also being applied to Medicaid.  The Health and Welfare committee is going through the details to see where those cuts can be applied most judiciously and minimize impact.  A lot of discussion there. The state budget is about ½ K-12 education so requiring cuts while keeping education whole has an outsized effect on other agencies.  

Next week, we should begin to see the actual bill on conforming and some actual revenue numbers to set the targets and more detailed impacts to items like Medicaid.

This week Governor Desantis from Florida was in Boise  to talk about a balanced budget amendment to the constitution.  This is being facilitated through a state convention.  If enough states sign on to the convention, a state convention to develop a balanced budget amendment is called.  Thirty-four states are needed to call for this amendment and right now 28 states have signed on.  Signing on to this convention happens through a vote of the state legislature.  If a convention is called by 34 states and they agree on language, 38 states must ratify it to make the amendment valid; this is a high hurdle. The federal debt is an existential problem for all of us from a fiscal and personal financial standpoint.  This issue needs to be addressed sooner than later.  If the national congress is unable to address this the states can through article 5 of the constitution. 

With federal interest payments consuming a growing share of national revenue, states are increasingly concerned about long-term economic stability. While the bar for a constitutional amendment is intentionally high, the conversation reflects frustration many Idahoans share: Washington’s inability to live within its means.

My responsibility during the legislative session is to serve the people of District 35. I welcome your thoughts, questions, and concerns. You can reach me by email [email protected], on Substack, or through social media, and I encourage you to stay in touch as this work continues.