The Legislature’s chief budget-writers went on the offensive Thursday — spending an hour explaining their plans for spending cuts this year and next.

The rare news conference highlighted budget tensions between lawmakers and Gov. Brad Little and Little’s state agency heads. The news conference also illustrated concerns about the state’s tight bottom line, which has left state leaders haggling over a small fraction of the $5.5 billion general fund budget.

Nearly two weeks ago, the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee agreed on a plan to cut an additional 1% from most state budgets for this year, a $15.2 million cut. Last week, the committee added a 2% cut to most base budgets for next year, a $30.6 million cut. Both of these JFAC cuts spare K-12 — much like Little’s 3% reductions, imposed last fall — but higher ed is subject to a disproportionate share of the hit.

Little’s staff has contended that JFAC’s additional cuts are not needed to balance the books. But in a meeting with reporters Tuesday, Little maintained that he has limited ways to push back against the Legislature’s spending plans.

While Little appears uninterested in a fight, JFAC’s co-chairs — Sen. C. Scott Grow and Rep. Josh Tanner, both R-Eagle — were at times combative Thursday.

Tanner again suggested that Little’s agency heads may have turned in worst-case scenarios, when JFAC asked for written plans for possible budget cuts.

“I don’t know if they did intentionally throw out … the things that just were going to draw a lot of attention,” he said. “But in my opinion, there are plenty of areas within government you can actually cut back on.”

Grow and Tanner also said Little’s budget proposal is not structurally balanced, since it relies on fund transfers and other one-time maneuvers. Tanner leveled a similar allegation on Jan. 13, the day after Little unveiled his budget. Little’s staff has steadfastly defended his budget.

The budget battle between legislative leaders and Little has dominated the 2026 session, now in its sixth week. The next step is scheduled to take place Friday morning, when JFAC will begin setting final agency budgets.

The State Tax Commission is among the agencies on the calendar. On Thursday, Grow and Tanner predicted JFAC will beef up the Tax Commission budget, so the agency will be able to handle tax returns this spring, and navigate the tax cuts from President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill. The Legislature has agreed to adopt most of the federal tax cuts, making them retroactive to 2025 — a move that will put the Tax Commission on the clock.

The additional Tax Commission funding could come in what JFAC calls an “enhancement” budget, a bill containing a new program. JFAC leaders have said the committee will work on a series of enhancement bills that could increase agency budgets, or impose further cuts.

It’s not exactly clear how many “enhancement” bills will come out of JFAC. The committee hopes to finish setting agency budgets on March 12.

One other piece of the JFAC budget puzzle remains in limbo  — a standalone bill to impose this year’s budget cuts, including the $15.2 million proposed by JFAC. It’s unclear when or where that bill will emerge. “That’s still in the discussion stage right now,” said Grow.

But JFAC leaders defended their plan for an additional $15.2 million in cuts, on top of those cuts already made by Little. With tax collections coming in nearly $40 million below projections, this year’s budget is razor thin.

“We could be looking at a negative bottom line right now,” Grow said.

House committee rejects school start date bill

Public schools will maintain control over their start dates for now.

A bill that would have required public schools to start their academic years after Labor Day failed to pass the House Education Committee amid bipartisan opposition Thursday. 

Sponsoring Rep. John Vander Woude argued that House Bill 710 would provide “continuity” for parents planning summer vacations. And it would help the tourism industry retain school-aged employees during their busy season. 

“I’m not trying to control their schedule,” said Vander Woude, R-Nampa. “I’m just giving them a start date.”

Pam Eaton, president and CEO of the Idaho Lodging and Restaurant Association, spoke in favor of the bill during a public hearing Thursday. “We’re very short on workers,” she said. 

But most public testimony opposed HB 710. Three superintendents, a Boise parent and advocates representing trustees and parent-teacher associations spoke against it, arguing it would usurp control from school leaders — and parents, who play an active role in setting school calendars.

Randy Lords, superintendent of the Madison School District, said patrons gave the Rexburg-based school board a standing ovation when it enacted a calendar that included a weeklong break for Thanksgiving. The suggestion came from a parent survey, Lords said. “I would just encourage this legislative body to continue to do what you’ve done in the past, and support parents and local control.”

Opponents also said the bill would also throw a wrench in rural public schools’ September breaks for students and staff to support the potato harvest. “These workers include nearly every junior high and high school student, not just a few, plus most teachers and staff,” said Grace School District Superintendent Jason Moss. 

Two Republicans on the House Education Committee — Reps. Dale Hawkins of Fernwood, chairman of the panel, and Clint Hostetler of Twin Falls — said public school leaders have “abused” local control. But they diverged on the start-date bill. 

“With our founders’ intentions, local control is this body, the elected officials that are sent to represent individuals in a republic,” Hawkins said. 

Hostetler, on the other hand, said, “This is something that should be left to the school boards and the parents, especially the parents that are active.”

The committee voted 9-5 to hold the bill, effectively killing it for the session. 

In chaotic hearing, former trustee tries to give traditional schools more autonomy

Rep. Michael Veile chose chaos Thursday morning in the House Education Committee.

What might have been an ordinary bill introduction hearing on a proposal to give charter schools autonomy over how they spend state funds became disorderly when Veile moved to apply the same standard to traditional public schools. 

“I look at this directionally as the right thing to do. I think that we need to give that flexibility,” said Veile, a former public school trustee and Republican from Soda Springs. “But I also think that we need to share the love.”

The bill would allow charters that “demonstrate strong student outcomes” to spend certain state funding, including money for teacher salaries, “in the manner it deems best serves students and the public charter school.” The proposal comes from the Idaho Charter School Network and Rep. Douglas Pickett. 

Pickett, R-Oakley, and Emily McClure, a lobbyist for the network, explained that Veile’s motion didn’t make sense in the context of the bill, which would update state laws that apply only to charters. “Bring up another bill addressing that, and we can run it through the same process,” Pickett said.

Rep. Dale Hawkins, R-Fernwood, chairman of House Education, stopped the meeting twice to consult with secretaries about whether Veile’s motion was appropriate. Ultimately, Hawkins allowed it. “I want the committee to understand that the sponsor of the bill is against these changes,” Hawkins said. 

The motion failed on a 6-8 vote, and the committee introduced the charter bill as originally written. 

But the point was made. Three Republicans and two Democrats supported Veile’s idea, arguing that strong-performing traditional public schools should be given the same leeway with state funds. 

“Ever since charter schools were started, we’ve always driven them for innovation, and everybody loves it,” said Rep. Jack Nelsen, R-Jerome. “But we’ve never taken the innovations from charter schools and applied them to public schools.”