Several Western Governors are kicking off the 2025 legislative sessions in their states by delivering State of the State addresses to highlight their policy priorities going into the new year.

On Monday, January 6, Idaho Governor Brad Little delivered his seventh State of the State address to assembled legislators. His address largely focused on his Keeping Promises plan, which aims to continue delivering for the needs of Idahoans while promoting fiscal responsibility in the state.  

In addition to $100 million in new tax relief measures, Governor Little announced major investments in education, workforce development, transportation, wildland firefighting, and more.   

For education, Governor Little pledged $150 million to Idaho’s public schools to address mental health, rural education, literacy, and school safety. He also announced another $50 million to help expand education options for all Idaho families.  

The Governor also emphasized his continued support for wildland firefighting efforts, including his push to hire and retain wildland firefighters through additional bonuses and funding for the state’s fire suppression account.  

Given Idaho’s rapid growth, Governor Little addressed essential infrastructure investments in the state’s roads, bridges, and housing stock. He noted efforts to expand housing supply through regulatory and permitting reform to support plans to build thousands of new homes for Idaho families.  

Along with infrastructure, Idaho is successfully investing in its skilled workforce through the Launch program, which is helping students access education or training opportunities after high school to enter essential careers that will help Idaho keep up with rapid growth.  

Read a full transcript of Governor Little’s 2025 State of the State address here.  

In North Dakota, Governor Kelly Armstrong delivered his first State of the State address on Tuesday January 7, just weeks after taking the oath of office on December 15.  

To help make home ownership more accessible for North Dakotans, Governor Armstrong proposed property tax reforms for the state. His plan would provide property tax relief to current residents and help draw newcomers to the state.  

“Over the past year, I’ve spent time with constituents across our state, from east to west, in ag towns and oil towns … in communities large and small,” said Governor Armstrong. “And I can say with full confidence that property tax is their top priority – and it should be ours.” 

He also pledged to carry on the work of former First Lady Kathryn Burgum on mental health and addiction recovery. To expand on those efforts, Armstrong announced a new Cabinet position dedicated to recovery and re-entry and nominated Jonathan Holth, the former director of the Burgum’s Recovery Reinvented initiative.  

Governor Armstrong also stressed the importance of quality education in North Dakota, from K-12 programs through the state’s higher education institutions. He committed to making the education system more accessible and a better reflection of the state’s workforce needs, and he announced a budget increase to $50 million to fund the state’s Challenge Grants, which help support students with scholarships.  

He also promised pro-agriculture policies to help support North Dakota farmers and producers, including support for value-added agricultural commodities and Farm-to-School programs.  

Read Governor Armstrong’s State of the State address in full here.   

Check back here as more Western Governors deliver their 2025 State of the State addresses in the coming weeks.