Boise, ID – Governor Brad Little issued the following statement applauding the passage of two initiatives in his 'Idaho Works' plan, securing historic investments into Idaho education from kindergarten to career.

Historic funding for school facilities that doubles as long-term property and income tax relief is on its way to Idahoans following the passage of House Bill 521 today by the Idaho Senate. The bill, which received overwhelming support from the House of Representatives last month, now goes to the Governor's desk to be signed into law.

Governor Little called for a historic investment in school facilities in his State of the State and budget recommendations this year. House Bill 521 has the dual benefit of making school learning environments more productive while giving back more income and property tax relief to hardworking Idahoans.

Also on Thursday, the Idaho House of Representatives passed funding for the Idaho LAUNCH program, which now goes to the Senate.

A key initiative of the Governor's 'Idaho First' plan last year, LAUNCH offers graduating high school seniors up to $8,000 in grants to enter an education or training program that aligns with an in-demand career. The widely popular program has received over 13,500 applications from Idaho high school seniors.

"Thank you, and congratulations to the Idaho legislature for supporting this historic investment in the education and future of Idaho children!

"Idaho has made unprecedented investments in our K-12 education system since I took office in 2019. Together, we've improved teacher pay, boosted literacy, and expanded resources to support learning inside and outside the classroom. House Bill 521 continues our historic record by securing the largest-ever investment in school facilities.

"In my State of the State, I called on the Idaho Legislature to make addressing funding for critical school maintenance priority number one. Together, we delivered. Together, we secured the largest-ever investment in school facilities funding in state history while giving families back more of their hard-earned money with property and income tax relief. 

"With LAUNCH, Idaho is also taking unprecedented steps to prepare our young people for a lifetime of prosperity. This game-changing initiative prioritizes the future of young Idahoans, our businesses, and our economy!

"I am proud to join my legislative partners in recognizing what truly matters to Idahoans," Governor Little said.