2019. >> mr. speaker mr. pro tem, mr. president, honored legislators my fellow constitutional law officers. chief of justice to members of the judiciary, my family, friends, and my fellow idaho. the constitution from the great state of idaho received mate too report to our legislature on the condition of our states. thatthis is my sixth opportunito address you i am struck how much exchange and six years are not defined by how much greater my area is that, six years ago may maybe the speaker had here at. [laughter] but for all of the change i can confidently stand before you with the sixth straight year

into the state of our state is strong. stronger than ever before. [applause] but we are doing is working. over the past year i have traveled 25000 miles across the state of idaho at times with their first lady, teresa. teresa, thank you for your love and support. [applause] one of the best and most important parts of my job visiting with parents, veterans, seniors, teachers, law enforcement officers, business leaders, faith leaders, farmers, and of course our young people. idaho is diverse.

want quality of idaho's people is consistent. they continue to fight to keep our great state a special place for this generation and the next. that has always been my goal also. never settle, keep improving. even though we are leaving the country and so many ways we could always do better. we went idaho to be the place we can all the opportunity to thrive it. work children and grandchildren choose to stay in the ones who have left can choose to return. [applause] you, the leaders of our state in this room have helped idaho surge ahead of the competition. of course of note for the least regulated states we are one of the states of states of the union. we ranked first for income growth we have relieved more tax

relief per capita than any other state. idaho is one the most fiscally responsible states and recognize for our ability for any economic downturn. were number one for economic momentum. we are a top 10 state to the best economy, rivaling florida and texas. in fact the three best dates for three business. [applause] and, on issues where it is important to take a stand, idaho has led the charge. where the first state to be on critical race theory and our school. we are taking a stand that we should not divide our children. we introduced a history curriculum for the idaho schools. one that teaches students to appreciate and respect our country. we are a leader in education freedom. idaho is a top 10 state for charter schools.

i am bring a bill this session the cut more red tape while providing the transparency they deserve it. [applause] to get more bang for our buck is the number one state per returnn on investment, education, we offer parents resources to support the children's education outside of the classroom. idaho came in first the best new open enrollment lawn because we expanded opportunities for parents to choose the public school that is best for their child regardless of their zip code. i will continue to support a fair, responsible, transparent and accountable approach to standing school choice in idaho. boy from our public schools.

[applause] we also banned diversity statements and university hiring. her academic freedom policies protect free speech on campus while barring hateful dangerous threats against the jewish people. and we are pushing back on china. i've been tiktok and state government to protect your information from the chinese government sinister motives. it cannot be sold to foreign government that want to do us harm. we successfully ended and illegal encampment on public property right across the street from the people's house a scene or drug use, sexual assault, violence, a destruction of property took place. we are showing left coast states have a stand up to actavis to take advantage of the homeless and the vulnerable. is also the state first estate to sign integrity of women's

sports we will keep up the fights. back all of these steps have been a collective effort between executive effort and legislative branch. i am proud to be a part of it. folks, what we are doing and idaho is working. we've heard me say it before and i will say it again and again, we are on a tremendous path. a powerful trajectory armitage keep going. we must continue to lead the nation and responsibility, tax relief in a strategic investment to keep up with record growth. they give growth come a couple years ago i joked that we would build a wall around idaho wouldt california pay for it. [laughter] now that half of organ once a part of idaho i'm not sure where we would build the wall. there is a recent u-haul from

california to idaho cost four times as much as a return trip. idaho's record population growth and in migration comes from both opportunities and challenges. but in all seriousness, i get why people are flocking hear from other places. in fact i can think of 3.7 billion reasons why people are coming here. we are on pace to deliver 3.7 billion in tax relief and we are not done yet. [applause] with a surplus of limited or passed last session our budget this year includes up to one or $50 million in new property tax savings on top of the hundreds of monza property tax we were already deployed to dates. people are coming here because what we are doing is working. let me show you some of what we have gotten done together.

♪ ♪ ♪ >> one of the basic roles of government is to ensure safe and connected system of roads and bridges. they continued prosperity of our businesses including our farmers, ranchers, laggards and bro idaho depends on their ability to get their products to market. unwilling to put the time and safety of idahoans and the maintenance of our statements roads and bridges at the whims of the feds in idaho we have taken control of transportation. instead of looking to washington d.c. to solve our problems we are funding known gaps with no new taxes in providing long-term funding with long-term needs.

this means we are tackling projects that a bit on the waitlist for years. ♪ i'm here to a test of the historic investment of the legislature is providing for local and state system. transportation projects are needs not really wants. work with governor little cava in each of you as members of the legislature we have met most of these needs without raising taxes. let's continue our good work while protecting our loved ones and helping idaho's economy to grow. idaho is working together. ♪ ♪ ♪ water is a foundation of public health.

economic prosperity, outdoor recreation, a strong agricultural sector and idahoans overall quality of life. most maintain our water sovereignty and not toward like other western states in the colorado river basin such as california for the federal government has stepped in to supersede the states control of its water. since i took office i recommend and the legislature has approved more than $1 billion in additional funding for water related infrastructure projects. we dedicated roughly half of that to improve drinking water and wastewater treatment system at the local level. so idaho has safe water to drink and use. we put the other half of the $1 billion to modernize water infrastructure statewide, much of which is century old and in

dire need of replacement or repair. we have made a lot of progress but we still have work to do. i appreciate all the partners who continually demonstrate that idaho, not the feds can best determine the fate of our water. ♪ there is perhaps no greater responsibility of the state of idaho than providing a strong system of public schools for idaho families. one of the duties most plainly written into the idaho constitution. as elected leaders it is not just our constitutional obligation but our moral obligation as well to prioritize and strengthen public schools. in 2019 i assembled a task force to provide recommendations on what the state of idaho can do

better to meet the needs of our public schools. in just five years we have delivered. we increase funding for literacy 500% because there is no better investment in a child in establishing early on the fundamentals. we also provided record level of flexible funds so local schools could meet local needs. and we made teaching professions more competitive by increasing starting teacher pay. we brought idaho up to five fivs ago to now the top 10 for starting teacher pay. we increase pay for teachers at all levels of experience and boosted health insurance benefits so teachers and staff can keep more of their earnings in their pockets. we cannot ignore this fact for .the people of idaho strongly support public schools.

we must continue to prioritize and improve public schools. not just because the constitution requires that, but because the people we serve demand it. ♪ beyond k-12 education we are also taking unprecedented steps to prepare our young people for a lifetime of prosperity. i've always offered support for the careers that require four-year university degrees. we have historically fallen short in providing equal support to other skilled workers, jobs like trucking, linemen, firefighters, welders, plumbers, and the host of other professions like the world go

round. these are good paying jobs that require specialized training. our new grant covers 80% of the cost. up to $8000 to enroll in education or training program after high school that align with in demand career. there are hundreds of career paths to choose from. what idaho because you stay in idaho and work in idaho. we do not want our players to import workers from other places only can train our own kids here right at home. it's been extremely popular flowing away everyone's expectation. many of these kids the effort would have considered going onto a training program after high school. let's hear from a few of them. rex hi i plan to use my grant to study welding at a college of western idaho. i'm planning to use launch of

money to go to university of idaho for business administration for. >> i am planning to use the grant. >> my name is derek i go to high school and i plan to use my idaho scholarship to pursue a computer science degree. >> i plan to use my idaho lunch to get my medical education for. >> my name is alicia i plan to attend dental assistant school and that's what i'll use my idaho lodge fund for pre- >> i plan to use might launch funding for health science to create a project. >> hi i am planning to use might launch grant for electrical work. >> i'm so darn proud of all these kids for taking the initiative to apply for launch. it is a real game changer for so

many young idahoans. >> so how is idaho is able to have a record tax relief on of making so many meaningful investments in our future? simple. it is how we manage our budget. we often talk about kitchen table economics but what does that mean? we live within our means just like any idaho family must. we maintain a structurally balanced budget. there are not costs in our budget that we cannot sustain but we passed budgets on time not the 11th hour like congress creating certainty not instability. we have ample money in reserves so we can weather any economic uncertainty. we make investments where they counts. we give back whatever we can to the taxpayers to meet families and businesses.

it is that easy. so easy in fact it makes you wonder why washington d.c. can't figure it out. our hard-working congressional delegation persistently stands up for it raining in federal spending and using idaho as the example for the feds to follow pre- >> when i came to washington i quickly learned congress had a bad habit of legislating a crisis. critical work is delayed link to 11th hour bills passed to unrelated policies. that is not the way to do business. i will continue to fight to change that practice. that is just one of many ways washington d.c. needs to do more to be more like i don't. the diocese carries nearly 34 trillion in debt that has no meaningful monetary reserves. but thanks to you all idaho balances its budget annually with responsible levels of reserve in the event of a downturn.

unbridled federal spending is crippling american families with high inflation unsustainable energy. but in idaho looking for delivering tax relief for these and other reasons many of my colleagues and be what i have it idaho. i am so proud to represent the state and appreciate our common sense approach to budget and governance. washington d.c. can learn from what is right in idaho. idaho is winning. >> rest is right. idaho is setting the example not just for washington d.c. but every other state. one area where we shine as tax relief. idaho is in the top 10 for lowest taxes in the nation. we have third lowest property tax in the country we deployed another 300 billion in relief to idaho property taxpayers last year. no other state in the country

has given more tax relief per capita than idaho. historic tax relief we have champion in each of the past few years is helping thousands of idaho families and businesses across our state. the crushing inflation skyrocketing interest rates under the biden administration are holding us back. the idaho legislature year after year has stepped up for meaningful tax relief this is not our money it issuers. we need to understand that and remember it. it's because of this and other reasons such as her historic investments in education and roads then people moved idaho to live the kind of life that used to live in other parts of the country. but we are doing idaho is working. and we want your help to keep that way. we are on pace to deploy $3.7 billion in tax relief.

>> what idaho is doing is working. and we are just getting started. [applause] >> without popcorn. before we get too far i would like to congratulate the more than 12500 students who applied for launch. lieutenant governor and i traveled the state extensively over the past year to visit with many of the students. the interest in launch far exceeded everyone's expectations we are excited for these young

idahoans. to keep that excitement going every legislature is receiving an e-mail right now with information on the students in their districts who applied for launch. looking ahead. [applause] go ahead. [applause] looking ahead, we have a plan to keep idaho strong. it is called idaho works. what we are doing is working and the results speak for themselves. we mustn't never get complacent. idaho works is about taking what we know has contributory state's tremendous success and not just prioritizing its continuation, but ramping up our efforts. we will work to raise the bar even higher because it is what our citizens expect. and what they deserve from their elected leaders. but we must do so responsibly.

we have all seen the trend the economy is returning to normal. idaho is seen revenue growth but at pre-pandemic levels. that means we cannot do it all. this session should be about priorities. we must invest in those matters that are most pressing for idahoans. keep up with the transportation needs of a growing state are among the most pressing for our people. our state freshman other states think their infrastructure has been solved by one-time federal funds idahoans know we must cut and take control of her own transportation needs become all but the federal government and the driver's seat. we will not raise taxes or fees to clear out our transportation backlog building off of what we have done in recent years so let's go big. our idaho work plan proposing to

the $50 million ongoing to bond for an additional $800 million a new transportation infrastructure we can save idahoans the precious time on the road. we will put eight or million enn dollars toward the highest priority, highest valued projects that have been in the queue for way too long. the plan calls for repair or replacement of the last one third of dilapidated bridges throughout the state. 900 bridges and idaho have been rated poor or predate the moon landing. we have put $40 million into this effort in the past few years and it is time to buckle up and finish the job. let's continue to facilitate commerce with added transportation investments. especially in rural idaho. and remember this is property tax relief too.

let's prioritize transportation projects that will benefit generations of idahoans so we can keep idahoans safe and enjoy it more of what we love it. [applause] speaking of infrastructure, we put $1 billion to improve water quality and quantity in recent years idaho works plan also calls for continued expansion of water infrastructure so we can ensure a stable water supply both during the good water years and the bad ones. this is especially important now. we have been blessed with good water years but we may be headed into a prolonged drought again and prudence dictates we prepare. we had quite a scare this year will be discovered basic and the snake river. they clogged pipe that deliver water for drinking, energy,

agriculture, and recreation. debilitating or states economy and costing the taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars annually. the team at the state the team at the state department of agriculture put 15 years of preparation into action a and deployed a treatment plan quickly and effectively to protect our water. idaho got done in six weeks what took other states six months to get done. thanks, janelle. [applause] and we must finish the fight.. our idaho works plan continues our state's response to this highly destructive invasive species. our plan also further expandsru access to outdoor recreation because we know idahoans' quality of life depends greatly on their ability to explore and unwind in our vast open spaces. we all agree the safety and

protection of our children is paramount. protecting our youth and communities from harm is all our responsibility, especially when it comes to the scourge of fentanyl. in the past year, idaho began a successful public education campaign that reached people in idaho 60 million times in a few short months. and now, teens and young adults are more aware of fentanyl. they're more concerned about their peers using it than ever before and, importantly, they are talking about it more with their friends. [applause] as we march on, armed with better information about fentanyl, we've taken many other steps to reduce the supply and distribution of drugs on our sstreets. much of our fentanyl battle grew out of operation esto perpetua, our crime-fighting crew

that has helped us stay laser-focused on strategies to combat this deadly drug. and now it is time for us to expand its focus. in the coming weeks, i will issue an executive order to formally establish operation esto perpetua, and i am adding another directive for the groupd to assess the threat of human trafficking and our open border. we will work even harder to address the open border and its impacts because of the failure of the biden-harris administration to admit it's even a problem. human trafficking is modern day slavery. the cartel and other bad actors are taking advantage of our open border to manipulate and abuse the most vulnerable, including children. to help curb human trafficking,n my idaho works plan calls forld sending two more teams of idaho state police troopers to train and act as a force multiplier at our lawless southern border, as

we did with fentanyl twice before. only now, the troopers will learn the best tactics to respond to those who smuggle and abuse vulnerable people. they will come back to idaho with better knowledge to stop these perpetrators in our state and, as they did before,p our troopers will debrief and train their law enforcement colleagues around the state when they return. [applause] our children need our protection in all aspects of their lives, including their personal lives.re we know young people today face greater levels of distress and isolation than any other generation before them. to help keep our children well, idaho works doubles the fundingk for school advisors. these are the professionals on

the front lines in talking to students about their futures as well as their current personal struggles. idaho works also proposes a new statewide student behavioral health initiative for additional suicide prevention. [applause] we know prevention measures work. here's an example from juvenile corrections, the progress we've made in standing up youth crisis centers and safe teen assessment centers around the state has contributed to a reassuring trend. over the last five years, even with a growing population, the number of juveniles in state custody has dropped by half. this goes to show that when we invest in prevention and intervention efforts to support every kid's success, we improve lives.

[applause] and there's more we can do to protect our kids online. the dominance of social media in the past decade is an obvious reason for the decline ince youth mental health. p social media is addicting. it creates a forum for cyberbullying. it replaces quality time with kids' friends and loved ones, and it makes them compare themselves to impossible, artificial standards for looks and lifestyles. to that end, i am asking my partners in the legislature to pass meaningful reforms this session, like the legislative bodies in arkansas, utah, and other states have done, to better protect our children from the harms of social media. [applause] of course, one subject has taken

up the largest share of our attention, public education. together, we've improved teacher take home pay and boosted literacy.io the improvements are making a difference, but we are far from meeting our obligation to maintain a general, uniform and thorough system of public, free common schools, as required by the idaho constitution. one area in particular needs work, and that's school facilities. we've all seen the pictures and videos of some idaho schools that are neglected, crumbling, leaking, falling s apart. in one school i visited, raw sewage is seeping into a space under the cafeteria. folks, we can do better. the can we're kicking is getting heavier and we're running out of road. let's make this priority number one. my idaho works plan proposes the

largest investment ever in school facility construction and our maintenance match, $2 billion. [applause] not only will we make learning environments more productive foe students, but we get a two-fer. this $2 billion investment in school facilities is $2 billion in long term property tax relief. b let me say that again. let's pass $2 billion in long-term property tax relief. [applause]us

while other states are digging themselves into record deficits and grabbing another shovel, we can invest $2 billion to modernize and improve school facilities in every district in every corner of the state while delivering another $2 billion in property tax relief to idaho citizens. but we must do it right. we must provide for both new facility construction and the maintenance needs for f existing facilities. we should not punish those that have stepped up and invested ine their facilities locally disproportionately reward those communities that have chosen not to upkeep their school buildings. and we can't wait years or decades.s. the cost of construction is skyrocketing, and the deferred maintenance backlog grows daily.y. let's also ensure we include all public schools, my proposal includes record funding

for our charter school p facilities, too. let's dedicate the $2 billion in school facilities now to modernize school infrastructure and address unmet critical maintenance. [applause] in my speech before you last year, i mentioned that one of my friends told me i used the word historic more than any other word to describe what we've accomplished. it's true. when we look back at what we've done over the past six years, i can't believe it was ever possible. we made decisions that positioned our state to propel ahead in our economic performance. we strategically and thoughtfully deployed relief funds and we balanced the needs of our growing state with returning more money back to the people of idaho than ever before.

and we did it all while passing a balanced budget every year. [applause] as revenue normalizes from pandemic highs, our idaho works plan continues fiscal prudence so that we're ready for any economic conditions that come our way. idaho works outlines the most fiscally conservative budget since the great recession. c it bolsters rainy-day funds to the max. it leaves a surplus in both budgeted years for added cushion in case the economy slows. more importantly, we are proposing to spend less this year than last, about 200s million fewer dollars to be exact. let me repeat that, my idaho works budget proposed spending about $200 million less this year than last year. [applause] and as i said earlier, we are on track to deliver even more

property tax relief this year, up to $150 million this year plus the $2 billion for school facilities over the next decade. if idaho can do it, washington, d.c., should do it. to that end, i am signing on as a member of the governors debt council for a balanced budget amendment to the u.s. constitution. the runaway freight train of federal spending has got to stop. it's not right. it's not what the founders envisioned for our greatat country. the u.s. constitution gives the states the power to propose a balanced budget amendment, and in the coming weeks i will announce new steps we'll take to force congress to live within the people's means. [applause] folks, what idaho is doing is working.

there's no need to change course. but we must raise the bar and never rest on our laurels. history may not remember all ou names and faces but we have an opportunity while we're here to create a lasting legacy of good government. i'd like to end by quoting one of my good friends and mentors. perhaps not known for his patience, he recounted his first week as a legislator in this chamber, in which he reportedly stood and said, mr. speaker, let's get this show on the road. that, of course, was governor phil batt. we lost phil last year. he was the epitome of a public servant. his legacy is distinguished byto his unrelenting human rights leadership, determined fiscal conservatism, and enduring love for idaho. so let me close with an ode to governor batt and say emphatically, let's get this show on the road. let's get to work for the people of idaho. s

let's focus on the big things. and let us all aspire to leave a legacy like governor batt, a legacy that will outlive us all. god bless idaho. [applause] >> today, secretary of defense lloyd austin will testify on the ilure to meet be notified top officials about his recent hospitalization. seehe house armed services committee live at 10 a.m. eastern c-span3, c-span now, our free mobile video app, or online at c-span.org. >> on thursday, march 7,

president biden delivery is 2024 state of the union address to a joint session of congress. joint-span for preview of his remarks followed by the president's speech, the gop response and viewer reaction. that's why the ap eastern on c-span, c-span now our free mobile video app, and online at c-span.org. >> a healthy democracy doesn't just look like this. it looks like this where american can see democracy at work, where citizens are truly informed, a republic thrives. get informed straight from the source on c-span. unfiltered, unbiased, word for word. from the nation's capital to wherever you are. because the opinion that matters the most is your own. this is what democracy looks like. c-span, powered by cable. >> republican governor kevin