BOISE, ID – The Idaho House of Representatives voted 48-22 on Friday to approve 4% state budget cuts for most state agencies and departments in the current fiscal year 2026 budget.
The cuts were included in Senate Bill 1331, which is also referred to as the fiscal year 2026 budget rescission act. The bill reduces overall state funding by $192.7 million in the current year, including cutting $131.3 million from the general fund portion of the state budget.
Supporters said the bill and the budget cuts are necessary due to ongoing revenue uncertainty, the need to make room for federal tax cuts championed by President Donald Trump and to ensure the state passes a balanced budget.
“It’s a crappy bill that we have to vote on, but it’s a necessary bill,” said House Majority Leader Jason Monks, R-Meridian.
Idaho governor will now consider fiscal year 2026 budget cuts
The budget cuts next head to Gov. Brad Little’s desk for final consideration, potentially setting up an interesting decision for an incumbent governor who just officially announced his re-election campaign last week.
Officials with Little’s office and the Idaho Division of Financial Management have said an additional 1% budget cut that the Idaho Legislature tacked on to the 3% budget cuts he enacted last summer is unnecessary and cuts too deeply into core services and vital programs Idahoans rely on.
Once Senate Bill 1331 reaches his desk, Little will have five days to sign it into law, veto it or allow it to become law without his signature.
If Little vetoes Senate Bill 1331, the Idaho Legislature could override a veto with a two-thirds vote of both the Idaho House and Idaho Senate.
With 48 yes votes Friday, more than a two-thirds supermajority of members of the Idaho House supported the budget cuts. But the vote on the same bill was razor thin in the Idaho Senate.
On March 2, the Idaho Senate voted 18-17 to pass Senate Bill 1331.
Little has not commented publicly on his plans for addressing the bill.
Senate Bill 1311 is the first of two rounds of budget cuts under consideration by the Idaho Legislature.
Senate Bill 1311 includes 4% cuts for most state agencies and departments for the current fiscal year 2026.
Ten other maintenance of operations bills set to go before the Idaho Senate and Idaho House for votes include 5% budget cuts for most state agencies and departments in fiscal year 2027, which begins July 1. Those 10 maintenance of operations budgets with the 5% cuts could be brought forward for a vote earlier next week.
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