From id_gov_news at gov.idaho.gov Thu Sep 1 18:38:59 2022 From: id_gov_news at gov.idaho.gov (Gov. Brad Little) Date: Fri, 2 Sep 2022 00:38:59 +0000 Subject: =?Windows-1252?Q?Gov._Little=92s_statement_on_successful_special_session?= Message-ID: [cid:image001.png at 01D8BE32.17EB79E0] FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 1, 2022 Gov. Little?s statement on successful special session Boise, Idaho ? Governor Brad Little issued the following statement about today?s extraordinary legislative session securing historic tax relief and education funding to combat 40-year high inflation. House Bill 1 uses Idaho?s record budget surplus to address the impacts of inflation by cutting taxes while making record investments in education. The bill provides $500 million in immediate one-time income tax rebates, $150 million in ongoing tax cuts by establishing a new, lower flat tax, and $410 million in ongoing support for Idaho education ? a new record. The bill overwhelmingly passed both the Idaho House of Representatives and the Idaho Senate. Governor Little signed the bill at 6:27 p.m. ?The successful extraordinary session demonstrates government working FOR THE PEOPLE. I am proud of my legislative partners for confronting the substantial impacts of inflation head on by putting our record budget surplus back in the pockets of Idahoans while responsibly funding education at historic levels to ensure we are meeting our constitutional and moral obligation to Idaho students and families both in the short-term and the long-term. Returning the people?s money is the right thing to do, and the education investments support families, help us keep up with growth, enhance our quality of life, and prepare a workforce to meet the changing needs of employers. ?The people of Idaho expect the executive and legislative branches to work together to move our state forward. I deeply appreciate my partners in the Legislature for continuing to show the rest of the country how Idaho does it right ? we work together to promote a business-friendly tax and regulatory environment, live within our means, pay off our debt, save for a rainy day, routinely cut taxes, and make investments where they count. ?Idaho is an incredible success story, and I am proud of what we?ve accomplished for the people we serve!? Governor Little will hold a series of media events across the state next week to celebrate the success of this game-changing legislation for Idaho families. # # # Please DO NOT REPLY to this message. For press inquiries only, contact the Governor?s press office at (208) 854-3015 or e-mail Madison.Hardy at gov.idaho.gov. To unsubscribe from these announcements, send an e-mail to news at gov.idaho.gov. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.png Type: image/png Size: 98275 bytes Desc: image001.png URL: From id_gov_news at gov.idaho.gov Tue Sep 6 14:29:53 2022 From: id_gov_news at gov.idaho.gov (Gov. Brad Little) Date: Tue, 6 Sep 2022 20:29:53 +0000 Subject: Bryan Nickels to lead new Office of Administrative Hearings Message-ID: [Graphical user interface, text Description automatically generated] FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Sept. 6, 2022 Bryan Nickels to lead new Office of Administrative Hearings Boise, Idaho - Governor Brad Little appointed Bryan Nickels as Chief Administrative Hearing Officer for the newly created Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH). Nickels is a partner and founding member of Scanlan, Griffiths, Aldridge + Nickels, a civil trial and litigation law firm in Boise. He is a practicing attorney with more than 20 years of experience in administrative, civil, and criminal law and is a registered civil mediator. His areas of practice include civil litigation, criminal defense, mediation, medical indigency, judicial review actions in state district court, and appellate litigation. He is a member of the Richard C. Fields American Inn of Court No. 130, and a member of the Idaho Mediation Association, American Bar Association, and Idaho State Bar Association. Nickels received bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Idaho before receiving his Juris Doctorate at Boston College Law School. Nickels also recently served as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Idaho teaching civil litigation. In 2022, the Legislature passed House Bill 629 creating the OAH. The purpose of the legislation was to assure fair hearings without actual or perceived bias on the part administrative hearing officers. The OAH will conduct contested case proceedings from most Idaho state agencies and is also allowed to conduct adjudicatory hearings, mediations, and arbitrations requested by state agencies. As Chief Administrative Hearing Officer, Nickels will supervise other OAH hearing officers, implement a system to monitor the quality of contested case proceedings, and develop a code of conduct for hearing officers within OAH's purview. "I am deeply appreciative of Governor Little providing me with the opportunity to help build the new Office of Administrative Hearings, and I look forward to working with all interested stakeholders to develop an independent and impartial office that serves Idaho's agencies and citizens," Nickels said. The appointment is in effect today. # # # Please DO NOT REPLY to this message. For press inquiries only, contact the Governor's press office at (208) 854-3015 or e-mail Madison.Hardy at gov.idaho.gov. To unsubscribe from these announcements, send an e-mail to news at gov.idaho.gov. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.png Type: image/png Size: 98275 bytes Desc: image001.png URL: From id_gov_news at gov.idaho.gov Thu Sep 8 09:49:40 2022 From: id_gov_news at gov.idaho.gov (Gov. Brad Little) Date: Thu, 8 Sep 2022 15:49:40 +0000 Subject: Empowering Parents grants go live today Message-ID: [Graphical user interface, text Description automatically generated] FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 8, 2022 Empowering Parents grants go live today Coeur d'Alene, Idaho - Governor Brad Little announced at the Coeur d'Alene Charter Academy today that Idaho families can start applying for Empowering Parents grants at 10 a.m. MT today. EmpoweringParents.Idaho.Gov will begin processing $50 million in grant funds to Idaho families to use for students' educational needs outside the classroom. "The Empowering Parents grants reinforce this fact - a person's education starts in the home. Parents are in the driver's seat, as they should be and always will be in Idaho. The Empowering Parents grants put families in control of their child's education and helps set them up for success," Governor Little said. Throughout Idaho and the country, the pandemic pushed many parents toward new ways of meeting the educational needs of their children. In 2020, Idaho served 18,000 Idaho families and 46,000 students with "Strong Families, Strong Students" grants to help cover educational needs outside the classroom. Governor Little signed Senate Bill 1255 earlier this year to build on that success, putting another $50 million toward similar grants to cover things such as computers, tutoring, internet connectivity and other needs so students have the best chance for success. Each eligible family will have access to $1,000 per eligible student, with a maximum award of $3,000 per family. The Empowering Parents grants are available for both public and non-public students to address learning loss and provide support for our most at-risk students. Additional details about the grants are available at EmpoweringParents.Idaho.Gov. "The Empowering Parents grants were a key part of my 'Leading Idaho' plan, and I appreciate my legislative partners for making it a priority," Governor Little added. "The children today will become the workforce of tomorrow. We want our Idaho students to receive a strong foundation of learning now so they can stay here and make our state prosperous for future generations." # # # Please DO NOT REPLY to this message. For press inquiries only, contact the Governor's press office at (208) 854-3015 or e-mail Madison.Hardy at gov.idaho.gov. To unsubscribe from these announcements, send an e-mail to news at gov.idaho.gov. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.png Type: image/png Size: 41261 bytes Desc: image001.png URL: From id_gov_news at gov.idaho.gov Mon Sep 19 12:18:51 2022 From: id_gov_news at gov.idaho.gov (Gov. Brad Little) Date: Mon, 19 Sep 2022 18:18:51 +0000 Subject: Idaho, Taiwan Flour Millers sign $576 million wheat deal Message-ID: [cid:image001.png at 01D8CC21.F9B40020] FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 16, 2022 Idaho, Taiwan Flour Millers sign $576 million wheat deal Boise, Idaho - Governor Brad Little joined representatives of the Idaho wheat industry and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Seattle in the State Capitol today to sign a letter of intent for the Taiwan Flour Mills Association (TFMA) to purchase U.S. wheat over the next two years, a deal valued at $576 million. "We are excited to welcome the Taiwan Flour Mills Association back to Idaho in their first in-person visit since 2019," said Governor Little. "Export markets are critical to our state's economy and especially to Idaho agriculture. Taiwan is an important customer and Idaho's second-largest export market. We are grateful once again to mark this important relationship." Idaho State Department of Agriculture Director Celia Gould, TFMA Chairman Tony Yi-Cheun Shu, Director General Daniel K.C. Chen of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Seattle, and Idaho Wheat Commission Chairman Clark Hamilton joined Governor Little for the ceremony. "The United States has long been Taiwan's most important supplier of agricultural products, which makes Taiwan the sixth largest overseas market for U.S. agricultural exports," Director Gould said. "Taiwan is one of our most important and reliable agricultural trade partners. We greatly value their friendship and customer loyalty." "We appreciate that the Taiwan milling and baking industry recognizes the consistent quality of Idaho wheat," Idaho Wheat Commission Chairman Clark Hamilton said. "The importance of maintaining this trade relationship with valued customers cannot be overstated. We greatly value the Taiwan Flour Mills friendship and commitment over the past 40 years and look forward to cooperation in the years to come." The U.S. wheat industry has had an excellent working relationship with Taiwan for more than 40 years. The TFMA imports wheat on behalf of all 20 Taiwanese flour mills. The U.S. supplies more than 80-percent of Taiwan's total wheat imports each year. The TFMA continues to be one of Idaho's best customers year-after-year, coming in as one of the top five wheat importing trade partners. # # # Please DO NOT REPLY to this message. For press inquiries only, contact the Governor's press office at (208) 854-3015 or e-mail Madison.Hardy at gov.idaho.gov. To unsubscribe from these announcements, send an e-mail to news at gov.idaho.gov. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.png Type: image/png Size: 44819 bytes Desc: image001.png URL: From id_gov_news at gov.idaho.gov Tue Sep 20 13:39:09 2022 From: id_gov_news at gov.idaho.gov (Gov. Brad Little) Date: Tue, 20 Sep 2022 19:39:09 +0000 Subject: =?Windows-1252?Q?One_year_later:_Biden=92s_denial_of_border_crisis_contin?= =?Windows-1252?Q?ues?= Message-ID: [Graphical user interface, text Description automatically generated] FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 20, 2022 One year later: Biden?s denial of border crisis continues Boise, Idaho ? Exactly one year ago, Governor Brad Little and half of the nation?s governors issued a joint letter to President Joe Biden requesting a meeting within 15 days to discuss the crisis at the southern border. Now, 365 days later, the governors are still waiting. ?The sustained availability of drugs and the impact from crime related to drug abuse ? including property and violent crimes ? present continuing threats to the health and safety of Idahoans. Meth and fentanyl are the most serious and growing drug threats in Idaho, and there is a direct tie to the loose border with Mexico,? Governor Little said. ?America?s governors, including me, are STILL asking the President to talk to us and work with us on solutions to the crisis.? Idaho?s growing drug threat is a direct consequence of the loose border with Mexico. Law enforcement reporting shows the supply of illicit fentanyl from Mexico in the region has become much more prevalent. The majority of officers surveyed reported that investigations involving fentanyl were directly tied to sources in Mexico. Law enforcement reporting shows drugs are primarily transported into Oregon and Idaho from Mexico through California. Approximately 96-percent of Drug Trafficking Organizations investigated identified Mexico as the source country for drugs trafficked into the region. The governors? plea for the President to listen to them last September followed another request sent by the Governors earlier last year, which also went unanswered. Following the 15-day period with no response from the Biden administration, the governors released 10 policy solutions the administration could enact immediately to protect America, restore security, and put us on a path to end the crisis at the southern border. The administration never responded, and the border crisis has only become more deadly and dangerous for both Americans and migrants in the time that has passed. Governor Little sent a team of specialized state troopers to Arizona in 2021 to assist with drug interdiction, and he joined half the nations? governors in creating the American Governors? Border Strike Force. He and Attorney General Lawrence Wasden also joined a lawsuit challenging Biden?s Title 42 border decision. Governor Little also hosted a roundtable with Idaho law enforcement last year to discuss Idaho?s growing drug threat and the connection to the U.S.-Mexico border, and also created Operation Esto Perpetua in March to protect our children from drugs. He recommended and the Legislature approved $250,000 to carry out objectives of the initiative. He directed another $1 million this summer to fight the deadly impacts of fentanyl. # # # Please DO NOT REPLY to this message. For press inquiries only, contact the Governor?s press office at (208) 854-3015 or e-mail Madison.Hardy at gov.idaho.gov. To unsubscribe from these announcements, send an e-mail to news at gov.idaho.gov. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.png Type: image/png Size: 41261 bytes Desc: image001.png URL: From id_gov_news at gov.idaho.gov Fri Sep 23 15:55:36 2022 From: id_gov_news at gov.idaho.gov (Gov. Brad Little) Date: Fri, 23 Sep 2022 21:55:36 +0000 Subject: Carey to host Governor Little's 'Capital for a Day' event Sept. 29 Message-ID: [Graphical user interface, text Description automatically generated] FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 23, 2022 Carey to host Governor Little's 'Capital for a Day' event Boise, Idaho - Governor Brad Little's first "Capital for a Day" event in over a year will be held in Carey on September 29 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Location TBD. Officials joining Governor Little include: * Idaho State Controller Brandon Woolf * Idaho Department of Financial Management Administrator Alex Adams * Idaho State Department of Agriculture Deputy Director Chanel Tewalt * Idaho Department of Water Resources Bureau Chief Shelley Keen * Idaho State Policy Deputy Director Lt. Colonel Bill Gardiner * Idaho Department of Labor Director Jani Revier * Idaho State Department of Education Chief Deputy Superintendent Peter McPherson "It is an honor to host my first Capital for a Day in over a year in Carey," Governor Little said. "This event will give the good people of Blaine County a chance to discuss what's on their minds when it comes to good government and how we can better serve them." # # # NEWS MEDIA CONTACT: Madison Hardy, Press Secretary 208-547-7485 or Madison.Hardy at gov.idaho.gov Madison Hardy Press Secretary | Idaho Governor Brad Little Phone: 208-854-3015 Mobile: 208-547-7485 Email: Madison.Hardy at gov.idaho.gov Web | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram Sign up to receive news from Governor Little -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.png Type: image/png Size: 68980 bytes Desc: image001.png URL: From id_gov_news at gov.idaho.gov Mon Sep 26 16:36:04 2022 From: id_gov_news at gov.idaho.gov (Gov. Brad Little) Date: Mon, 26 Sep 2022 22:36:04 +0000 Subject: UPDATED: Carey to host Governor Little's 'Capital for a Day' event Sept. 29 Message-ID: [Graphical user interface, text Description automatically generated] FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 26, 2022 UPDATED: Carey to host Governor Little's 'Capital for a Day' event Boise, Idaho - Governor Brad Little's first "Capital for a Day" event in over a year will be held in Carey on September 29 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Blaine County Fairgrounds. Officials joining Governor Little include (UPDATED LIST): * Idaho State Controller Brandon Woolf * Idaho Division of Financial Management Administrator Alex Adams * Idaho State Department of Agriculture Deputy Director Chanel Tewalt * Idaho Department of Commerce Director Tom Kealey * Idaho Department of Health and Welfare Director Dave Jeppesen * Idaho Department of Environmental Quality Director Jess Byrne * Idaho Department of Fish and Game Director Ed Schriever * Idaho Department of Water Resources Bureau Chief Shelley Keen * Idaho State Police Deputy Director Lt. Colonel Bill Gardiner * Idaho Department of Labor Director Jani Revier * Idaho State Department of Education Chief Deputy Superintendent Peter McPherson In addition, representatives of the following agencies and state entities will be on hand to help answer questions: Idaho State Board of Education, Idaho Transportation Department, Idaho Division of Veterans Services, Idaho Commission on Aging, and the Idaho Division of Career Technical Education. "It is an honor to host my first Capital for a Day in over a year in Carey," Governor Little said. "This event will give the good people of Blaine County a chance to discuss what's on their minds when it comes to good government and how we can better serve them." # # # NEWS MEDIA CONTACT: Madison Hardy, Press Secretary 208-547-7485 or Madison.Hardy at gov.idaho.gov Madison Hardy Press Secretary | Idaho Governor Brad Little Phone: 208-854-3015 Mobile: 208-547-7485 Email: Madison.Hardy at gov.idaho.gov Web | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram Sign up to receive news from Governor Little -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.png Type: image/png Size: 68980 bytes Desc: image001.png URL: From id_gov_news at gov.idaho.gov Wed Sep 28 14:24:42 2022 From: id_gov_news at gov.idaho.gov (Gov. Brad Little) Date: Wed, 28 Sep 2022 20:24:42 +0000 Subject: UPDATED: Carey to host Governor Little's 'Capital for a Day' event Sept. 29 Message-ID: [Graphical user interface, text Description automatically generated] FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 28, 2022 UPDATED: Carey to host Governor Little's 'Capital for a Day' event Boise, Idaho - Governor Brad Little's first "Capital for a Day" event in over a year will be held in Carey on September 29 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Blaine County Fairgrounds, located at 20507 N. Main Street. Officials joining Governor Little include (UPDATED LIST): * Idaho State Controller Brandon Woolf * Idaho Division of Financial Management Administrator Alex Adams * Idaho Department of Commerce Director Tom Kealey * Idaho Department of Environmental Quality Director Jess Byrne * Idaho Department of Fish and Game Director Ed Schriever * Idaho Department of Health and Welfare Director Dave Jeppesen * Idaho Department of Labor Director Jani Revier * Idaho Department of Lands Director Dustin Miller * Idaho Department of Water Resources Bureau Chief Shelley Keen * Idaho State Department of Agriculture Deputy Director Chanel Tewalt * Idaho State Department of Education Chief Deputy Superintendent Peter McPherson * Idaho State Police Deputy Director Lt. Colonel Bill Gardiner In addition, representatives of the following agencies and state entities will be on hand to help answer questions: Idaho State Board of Education, Idaho Transportation Department, Idaho Division of Veterans Services, Idaho Commission on Aging, and the Idaho Division of Career Technical Education. "It is an honor to host my first Capital for a Day in over a year in Carey," Governor Little said. "This event will give the good people of Blaine County a chance to discuss what's on their minds when it comes to good government and how we can better serve them." # # # NEWS MEDIA CONTACT: Madison Hardy, Press Secretary 208-547-7485 or Madison.Hardy at gov.idaho.gov Madison Hardy Press Secretary | Idaho Governor Brad Little Phone: 208-854-3015 Mobile: 208-547-7485 Email: Madison.Hardy at gov.idaho.gov Web | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram Sign up to receive news from Governor Little -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.png Type: image/png Size: 68980 bytes Desc: image001.png URL: From id_gov_news at gov.idaho.gov Wed Sep 28 16:47:09 2022 From: id_gov_news at gov.idaho.gov (Gov. Brad Little) Date: Wed, 28 Sep 2022 22:47:09 +0000 Subject: Governor appoints new ITS chief, Elmore County district judge Message-ID: [Graphical user interface, text Description automatically generated] FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 28, 2022 Governor appoints new ITS chief, Elmore County district judge Boise, Idaho - Governor Brad Little announced two new appointments today - Alberto Gonzalez will serve as the new chief of the Office of Information Technology Services (ITS) for the State of Idaho and Theodore J. Fleming will be the new Elmore County district judge. Gonzalez replaces Jeff Weak, who accepted a position in the private sector after serving as ITS chief for the past five years. ITS was created in 2018 to increase efficiency in IT services across state agencies, enabling agencies to focus on their core missions rather than being IT providers. ITS provides dedicated IT services along with state-of-the-art cybersecurity operations to promote consistent security across agencies. "I appreciate Jeff Weak for the tremendous job he did improving IT infrastructure, implementing cybersecurity protocols, and supporting our efforts to modernize IT services throughout state government, and we welcome Alberto Gonzalez to this important role. Alberto brings extensive experience to the job, and I have confidence he will continue to strengthen cybersecurity and our state's IT infrastructure," Governor Little said. Gonzalez has nearly 30 years in private and public sector management. He has served the State of Idaho for 15 years. He has been the administrator of Idaho Department of Transportation's Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) since 2017 and also worked for the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. His work in state government has had a strong focus on transformation and modernization, with serving Idaho citizens as his main priority. Prior to state service, he worked for an international communication company for 14 years in a variety of leadership roles. He studied Organizational Behavior at the University of San Francisco. Governor Little also announced his appointment of Theodore J. Fleming to fill a new district court position created during the 2022 legislative session. The position is within the Fourth Judicial District but is the first judgeship to be chambered at the Elmore County Courthouse in Mountain Home. Fleming has been a lawyer in Idaho for nearly 20 years. He is a native Idahoan and grew up in southwest Idaho. He is a former deputy prosecutor and most recently served as a magistrate judge in Elmore County where he has been actively involved in the local drug and treatment courts. Fleming is a resident of Mountain Home and well-respected in the local bar and county, which will facilitate his transition from magistrate court to district court. "I am deeply humbled to have been entrusted by Governor Little to serve the Fourth Judicial District and the people of Elmore County and the State of Idaho as a District Judge. I am incredibly honored for the continued opportunity to serve my community with integrity, fairness, and impartiality in order to maintain the greatest possible public confidence in both the judiciary and the rule of law," Fleming said. # # # Please DO NOT REPLY to this message. For press inquiries only, contact the Governor's press office at (208) 854-3015 or e-mail Madison.Hardy at gov.idaho.gov. 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