Ahead of the 2026 legislative session, Idaho Gov. Brad Little’s office told state government agencies to work with the governor’s office before responding to questions from state lawmakers and journalists.

The same day as Little delivered his State of the State address that unveiled plans to cut state government spending to avoid a budget shortfall, the governor’s Chief of Staff Zach Hauge released a memo to state agency directors.

“Agencies must respond to all requests for information in the Legislature in a timely manner,” Hauge wrote in the Jan. 12 memo, according to a copy that the Idaho Capital Sun obtained in a public records request. “Inform your Governor’s Office contact and (Division of Financial Management) analyst immediately following the request.”

In a statement Tuesday, Little’s Communications Director Emily Callihan said the policy requires agencies to coordinate with the governor’s office before responding to legislators’ requests, and that it applies even when the Legislature is not in session. The practice was in place in Idaho before Little became the governor in 2019, and it is common in other states, she added.

“As head of the executive branch, Governor Little works closely with state agencies on policy, budgeting, operations, and communications to best serve Idahoans,” Callihan said in response to questions about the policy on replying to journalists’ questions. “Coordination between the Governor’s Office and agencies — including on responses to certain media inquiries — is a common practice among governors’ offices nationwide and predates Governor Little’s administration. This coordination also helps ensure the administration is aware of issues generating public interest across agencies.”

Governor tells agencies how to testify to Legislature’s budget committee

The memo also outlined other coordination with the governor’s office related to the legislative session and the state’s budgeting process, such as:

• To testify on bills not related to executive agency legislation — which has already been vetted by the governor’s office — prior approval from the governor’s office “is required.”
• At hearings of the Legislature’s budget-writing committee, called the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee, or JFAC for short, agencies “must support the Governor’s Executive Budget recommendations.” For line items recommended by the governor, agencies “should provide JFAC with further explanation and justification.” For line items not in the governor’s budget, “the agency should simply respond ‘no’ if asked for comments beyond the (Legislative Services Office) analyst introduction.”

“Idaho’s economy is strong and we will continue to thrive, but balancing our budget is more challenging now than what we have experienced in recent years. It is imperative that we work together to preserve the investments we have made without relying on draining reserve accounts or adopting large tax hikes like our neighboring states,” Hauge wrote. “For this agenda to be successful, frequent contact with your Governor’s office liaison is critical.”

Governor’s office stressed coordination ‘before’ replying to journalists

The governor’s office’s memo also stressed that agencies should collaborate with the governor’s office before replying to journalists’ questions that are related to the agency’s budget or legislative bills.

His memo directed agency heads to coordinate with staff in the governor’s office “to discuss the question before responding.”

Callihan said in a statement that the practice on media communications has also been happening before Little took office, and that it “occurs year-round, not only during the legislative session.”

Former Idaho Gov. Butch Otter required state agencies to share ‘ALL media inquiries’

In 2008, Little’s predecessor then-Idaho Gov. Butch Otter’s office told state agencies that they “must inform his office of ‘ALL media inquiries,’” the Spokesman-Review reported at the time.

Little’s office did not agree to an interview, but sent statements in response to written questions from the Idaho Capital Sun.

The governor’s office’s memo last week, Callihan added, “is a routine communication sent to agency directors at the start of each legislative session, a practice that was in place before Governor Little took office.”

Idaho Capital Sun is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Idaho Capital Sun maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Christina Lords for questions: info@idahocapitalsun.com.