UPDATED: 9:30 P.M. with comments from Idaho Education Association Spokesman Mike Journee. 2:10 P.M. with comments from Governor Brad Little:
BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) — Governor Brad Little is in hot water with Idaho educators over following his signing of the controversial and heavily altered House Bill 516. The legislation, which restricts public school districts from using taxpayer resources to support teachers’ unions, has led the state’s largest teachers’ union to formally break ties with the Governor.
A Vote of No Confidence
During the Idaho Education Association (IEA)’s annual business meeting this past weekend, members voted overwhelmingly to issue a vote of no confidence in Governor Little.
“The simple fact that that he would betray public schools, signing that voucher bill, signing this union-busting bill, is evidence that the governor’s politics is changing on public education,” said Idaho Educational Association Spokesman Mike Journee.
The union said the move was in response to “union-busting legislation attacking the right of educators to organize and advocate in their workplaces.”
“Our members have spoken clearly,” said IEA President Layne McInelly. “They are angry and frustrated with the governor. They feel his choice to sign House Bill 516, when there were so many reasons to veto it, is a betrayal of his claims to be a supporter of Idaho’s educators and public schools.”
Possibly revoking the Governor’s education award
The vote marks a turning point in the Governor’s relationship with IEA members, who previously endorsed Little and ran door-to-door campaigns during his gubernatorial races in 2018 and 2022.
IEA delegates floated the possibility of revoking Little’s “Champion of Education” award, which the union presented to him just two years ago. During floor debates, members compared the Governor’s recent legislative record—including his support for the House Bill 93 “Parental Choice Tax Credit” program—to the records of past award recipients.
“The governor should not share this award with people who truly champion education and our members,” said IEA member Peggy Hoy.
Understanding House Bill 516
House Bill 516 fundamentally changes how school districts interact with teachers’ unions. The bill “forbids school districts from using public payroll systems to collect union dues, increasing teacher salaries to cover union dues, or giving teachers paid time off for union activities,” as reported by IdahoEdNews. It also includes fines for districts that violate the ban, starting at $1,500 for a first offense and $2,500 for repeat violations.
In addition to the controversial nature of the bill, its path to the Governor’s desk was unorthodox. HB 516 was originally introduced to expand Idaho’s 2025 restrictions on LGBTQ+ instruction in classrooms. However, in the closing days of the 2026 legislative session, the Senate “radiator capped” the bill—stripping it down to its bill number and completely rewriting it. The rewritten bill fell short of two-thirds support in both the House and the Senate, only passing the Senate by 6 votes.
In a news release, the IEA argued that Governor Little signed the bill despite recognizing the potential legal risks, stating, “Little signed House Bill 516 despite recognizing that the new law could lead to discrimination against union members.”
According to the IEA, more than 1,000 Idahoans contacted the Governor’s office, urging a veto before the signing.
“Governor Little had a lot of reasons to to veto this legislation,” Journee said. “The process was terrible. The bill is poorly written and and it’s simply the right thing to do for students, public schools and educators.”
Governor Little Responds
In response to the vote of no confidence, Governor Little defended his record of supporting education. He emphasized how his administration has prioritized the “critical role” of educators through increasing state support for education by nearly 70 percent since he took office, including major gains in teacher pay and benefits.
“I remain focused on building on that progress and will continue working with educators to strengthen our schools and support student outcomes across Idaho,” stated Little in an email to Local News 8.
The Governor’s office also released a comprehensive breakdown of education investments made during his tenure, including:
2019: $92 million
- Increased starting teacher pay to $40,000 per year
- Doubled funding for literacy
2020: $36 million
- Increased career ladder funding and literacy funding
2021: $87 million
- Fully funded the build-out of the advanced professional rung on the career ladder
- New investments in Career Technical Education
2022: $696 million
- Allowed school districts to join the state insurance plan
- Additional salary increases
- $1,000 bonuses for teachers
- Special Session – H1 alone accounted for $410 million for public education
2023: $653 million
- Raised starting teacher pay to $47,477
- Additional discretionary funding
- Created the Idaho LAUNCH scholarship program
2024: $1.3 billion
- H521 – largest ever state investment in school facilities
2025: $119 million
- Increased funding for rural school facilities
- Increased teacher pay
- $5 million in additional literacy investments
