Idaho Gov. Brad Little gives his annual State of the State address on Jan. 6, 2025, on the House floor at the Statehouse in Boise. (Pat Sutphin for the Idaho Capital Sun)
This story was originally posted on IdahoEdNews.org on March 3, 2025.
Idaho Gov. Brad Little’s office received 32,366 messages calling for a veto of House Bill 93 before he signed the private school tax credit into law, according to a tally compiled by Little’s staff.
Altogether, Little’s office received 37,457 phone calls and emails weighing in on the bill, and 86% were opposed. Little signed the bill Thursday, and his staff released the tally of public comments Saturday.
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“Gov. Little considers a variety of factors in weighing his decision on any bill that reaches his desk,” Joan Varsek, Little’s press secretary, said by email. Varsek did not respond to requests for more specifics about which factors Little considered.
House Bill 93 creates a $50 million tax credit program offering non-public school students up to $5,000 — or $7,500 for special needs students — for tuition and other education expenses. It was the first private school choice bill to reach the governor’s desk.
Little’s office last month set up an automated phone system to manage the volume of calls urging the governor’s action on House Bill 93. A recording asked callers to dial 1 for “sign” or 2 for “veto.” It also said that the governor’s office was only accepting feedback from Idaho residents and only one call per person.
Varsek said the tally did not include duplicate numbers — people who called more than once from the same number.
Idaho Education News first asked for a tally of the phone calls on Feb. 21. Little’s staff declined to release the information until after he signed the bill.
Messages to the governor’s office, including phone calls and emails, asking Little to sign or veto House Bill 93:
Sign — 5,091
Veto — 32,366
Total — 37,457
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