Welcome and best which is best wishes to all the new members of the legislature joining us today. Nk each of you of bringing each of you for bringing your life experiences. I have the privilege of introducing newly elected Supreme Court justice to this chamber and the ohio judiciary. Congratulations madam justice. The new year bring some key departures from our executive branch of government. Im sure you will join me in wishing kevin godspeed in his new National Responsibilities after two eventful and successful years as the director of the department of corrections. And kelly pierces experience with his recent retirement. I extend my thanks and best wishes to each and every one of them. Finally this will be the last legislative session. As department of the director of health and welfare. This set a High Standard for difficultkes on that and thankless responsibility he will be retiring in june and leaving big shoes to fill. I wish you godspeed. It is my honor and privilege to report to you today that the state of ohio state of idaho is resurgent and gaining National Reputation among the states for our stability. Our finances are secure. Revenue is exceeding Economic Growth is outpacing the old growth of government. More people are at work today than at any time. Wages are rising, along with employer demand and more skilled workers. Meeting that demand is our most serious challenges. I know you share my commitment to fighting idahobased Solutions Rather than waiting for the National Governments dysfunction. I can testify to you today that our citizens are energized and engaged in growing our economy. Caring for our families and neighbors, but most importantly preparing our youth for a more rapidly changing world. Asdom as the future is seen full or uncertain as it is today. Or that leading State Government. It is beyond any State Government the bring our National Government into order. A study framework of opportunity that that the people of idaho confidently pursue their dreams and freely express their virtue. That is why a large share of the recommendation you have before you continues to address our for Sustainable Education and training systems, extending through kindergarten and career for every idaho citizen. My recommendations are about more than fulfilling our shared commitments and implementing task force recommendations. They are even more providing the Skilled Workforce than our providers need. For the next generation and for theirfoundation retirement, refinement, and for a global marketplace. Allow me to briefly outline the crucial parts of this next round of investment. My significant recommendation is for an ongoing allocation of 58 million. Along with the 75 million we invested during the past two this will keep us on track in reaching our fiveyear for retracting and retaining more of the best and brightest educators. Im calling for an ongoing investment for leadership training. And another 2. 5 million per year to train School Administrators on idaho teacher evaluation frameworks. As we work to improve the competitiveness, it is critical we have a solid basis for rewarding exploits. Working beyond the recent challenges, this training will help ensure the administrators professionally, thoroughly, and meaningfully assess effectiveness. Another of my budget recommendations is 15 million to help School Districts cover the higher cost of insurance premiums for their employees. Building those costs from discretionary funds that we only recently reinstalled in the wake of the gratis great recession. Our task force calls for an investing of 60 million per year in Classroom Technology statewide. Now im asking for 10 million per year more starting in fiscal r 2018, achieving our main achieving our funding goals more manageable. Is an ongoing 6 million request for improving Teacher Development and the opportunities therein. The idea is to ensure teachers regularly share lesson plans and instructional resources, collaborate from each other collaborate with each other and what works best in the classroom. Funding recommendation includes 5 million and career counseling. Rising enrollment rate, this is helping more. Tudents and educators im also urging you to continue supporting the stem action and its groundbreaking Computer Science initiative. Aey are already having Significant Impact on thousands of educators, and tens of thousands of students. But the demand to expand their reach to ensure that every idaho student and teacher gets a chance to embrace the stem field and the tremendous growth for Career Opportunities that they provide. Thank you, bob. Proficiency in science, technology, engineering and math form an increasingly essential link between cave 12 jeff between k12 and readiness. Between k12 and readiness. Sometimes the challenges and pursuingf life their own Career Opportunities, including good intentions to complete a College Degree within a traditional four or five year span. My budget recommendation once for 2018 includes funding for an adult scholarship. It will provide an incentive with some College Credits who have been away for at least three years to return to the isssroom and finish up. It an important part of our strategy of reaching the ambitious and worthy goal that ensuring that at least 60 of idaho wins between the ages of have collegefor degree or certification by 2020. I am recommending the transfer of 35 million to the permanent building plan. Facilitieseducation throughout the state. Includes 10 million for the career Material Science Center at boise state university. Includes 10 million to the university of idaho to build a fund for agricultural food and environment. It includes 10 million for lewis and Clark State College to construct Technical Education buildings. Million toward rewarding the gale life science building. Let me call your intention call your attention now and encourage your support to make post secondary education more affordable for students, more competitive for businesses, and more attractive and responsive. Of theaking, of course, campaign to turn Eastern IdahoTechnical College into a fullfledged Community College. Establishing a college of Eastern Idaho will spur Economic Growth and place a comprehensive statewide system of affordable options, along with the Northern IdahoCommunity College and the college of western idaho. This body has already set aside 5 million for startup costs. Now the people must decide if the polls in may decide at the polls in may whether to invest in their own future by advancing plans to provide better opportunities for students and family for those looking to improve their Career Readiness or businesses looking to locate and expand. After seeing the difference of the college of western idaho has how they haveeing met pentup demands for new andational opportunities, seeing the overwhelming positive response from employers, the college of Eastern Idaho campaign has my full and enthusiastic support. [applause] for those of you in canyon county, i also supported urge your positive consideration of the college of western idahos napa campus and building new campus here in boise. Bursting at the seams with the enrollment of 20,000 students just eight years after opening with 1200 students. Employers who provide jobs and tax revenue are relying on your help to meet that need. My other Higher Education priorities continue to work to reflect career emphasis. Onocus on work for workforce development, that support such in demand career fields as energy, Computer Science and health care professionals. A 2. 4 Million Dollar request to expand the Residency Program and the medical education that is needed to address our chronic storage positions and other health care providers, especially in idahos more rural areas. [applause] of you know idaho ranks at the bottom nationally in the number of dr. Yours and resident per capita. A significant percentage of our positions are approaching retirement age. We also know there is a better than average chance that when they do their residencies in idaho, they will stay in idaho. Im grateful for the work of the state whole or group for increasing residencies and implementing other solutions to idaho. That include significantly relet rich in significantly leveraging my request for funds. Historical development for making health care more accessible for all idaho wins is the college medicine. Idahos for schools being developed on the idaho state university. That already had secured 78 new residency positions for eventual graduates at hospitals throughout the region, with more on the way. I hope you will embrace the opportunity and welcoming this new Important Institution to idaho. [applause] i also want to offer my congratulations to community leaders. Opens twin falls a month ago. Providing accessible and alternatives to jail and emergency room visits for those struggling with Mental Health and Substance Abuse issues. They are providing significant savings on Law Enforcement responses and hospital costs have already become critical parts of the local system of care. My budget recommendation toludes 1. 5 ilion dollars cover the remaining costs of standing up to twin falls and boise facilities. These are investments that can save our communities millions of dollars per year on the cost of Emergency Services that mean less stress on local taxpayers. Continuing to continue improving our statewide Mental Health system, im also esting money to build that would cover the cost of remodeling a unit at State Hospital south in blackfoot as a secure Mental Health facility. Lets talk for a minute about spending priorities. It is no surprise we want tax relief. For some it is a top priority. I would remind you we have citizenshe burden of on taxes. You will soon have legislation before you to reduce tax pay to raise by 6. 3 this year. That is 46 million in tax relief. And 115 million over the next three years. [applause] im as committed as ever to lilly king the size of our government. Make many of the efficiencies part of our standard operations. I also understand the cost of failing to invest in our future. Entertain anything that undermines our commitment, meaning the essential State Government functions. List istop of that improving Career Readiness in ohio. From Stem Education to advanced research we have a Strong Partner in the National Idaho level. Great to hear recently that a 1. 6 billion stateoftheart facility for the navys Nuclear Warships will soon be built there. To strengthenking the capabilities of our colleges and universities by collaborating on one of our most complex challenges, addressing the growing threat of cyber likeks, like the one i can like the one against the fish and game website. I ask you to take its findings seriously. Make no mistake, we got off lucky last time. Cybercrime and ciber were fair are real and growing threats. The next hack could target Critical Infrastructure like our electrical grid, military equipment, or even our own personal vehicles. A world leader in Cyber Security and our partnerships are visiting three universities to be on the cutting edge of addressing a global challenge. We can do more to protect ourselves and the future. Im encouraging the legislature to an even more substantial step in leadership and Cyber Security, supercomputing and new nuclear technology. The state board of education and toional lab are working build two worldclass Research Facilities near the center for advanced energy studies. Those payments would continue for decades long after the off, providing another continuing revenue stream for Higher Education. This initiative will pay dividends far beyond our budget. It will address our workforce needed by a growing talent and perhaps most important it will enable some of idahos best and rightist to find highpaying Career Opportunities right here at home. [applause] folks, we all aspire to be selfreliant. For it in our personal lives and in the operation of our State Government. They have been more damaging or more selfish to our selfdetermination than the Affordable Care act. Agreement to help tens of thousands of idahos that constitute for obamacare. Ubsidies just as clearly there is very little support for expanding medicaid. Ourould mean subordinating it wouldrdinating mean subordinating our priorities. Beyond continuing to seek elusive answers we have been looking at for years, we have the option to lead and see what the administration and congress will do with obama care. Instead while we wait, i would encourage you to seek ways to make idaho less dependent. That includes continuing to build a local partnership and marketplace innovations. This is not entirely an exercise taking and oversized can down the road. Immediated our futures are marked by hope and uncertainty. Economy moreat the striking them the upcoming change of leadership in washington dc. Few people know what to expect from the president elect and his cabinet, i am far more than anxious about the promise of a new day and the relationships between the federal government and the states. Dealing with obama should only be the start. This is uncharted territory. I look forward to the years ahead to receiving renewal receiving renewed national commitment. We have been frustrated by the increasing imposition of the federal government will. Regulatory bureaucracies and the clean water act, the endangered species, the sensibly to essentially notify the jurisdiction. President elect tron and his team will work to ensure meaningful ones are implemented to keep such agents as the fourth service, u. S. Ish and Wildlife Service in check. Their focus must be working more collaboratively with states to develop National Policies that are flexible enough to develop local needs and realities. I recently provided new administration with detailed advice on improving the federal approach, such as issues as protecting their habitat, and developing needed infrastructure like the electric transmission project in southern idaho. I trust my advice will not fall on deaf ears, because idaho has an exemplary record of managing and protecting our own natural resource. Our own citizens and communities have specific virtue to ensure that lands and resources are the longtermed economic and recreational opportunities they can provide. Statet advocating for the to take over 60 of the government. But we should continue to expand on the efforts we have made so far to realize active management. Our initiative to improve water sustainability is a great example of how idaho can be very well, caring for our own needs without punitive federal oversight. States need the opportunity to be full and equal partners in the decisions that affect land, water, wildlife, and other resources within our borders. States must be enabled to be the architect of our own destiny. Making use of those great opportunities where real collaboration with the state is encouraged. Billed under the 2014 farm invites idaho to increase the pace and scale of watershed restoration on federal force. Under agreements reached through the program, idaho is playing an active role in improving the health of our timberlands. That is reducing fuels and the threat of communities and watersheds to catastrophic wildfires while creating more jobs and economic benefits for citizens. I am recommending the allocation of 250,000 for Additional Forces to keep advancing that effort. Support, ther rangeland Fire Protection program has been growing in popularity and impact. There are eight groups organized throughout southern idaho. The Program Provides training and equipment for other todowners to offer that help stop the fires before they devastate the landscape. In the past year about 250 idaho ranches provided Fire Suppression resistance on more than 7. 7 million acres of federal, state, and private lands. Protect the land from which they draw their livelihood also serves to protect the stage grouse. The single biggest threat to their survival. Work,lism can and does but only when it involves willing partners. This has provided us with a window of opportunity to make broader and better collaboration between the federal and State Governments a reality. Expressed a desire for government that works, both here in boise but also in washington dc. They are tired of timid representation that seems more concerned with the election with the next election. They understand that individuals as well as states must have both the tools and the freedom to rise up and meet their own potential. From the new the recent national elections, people are so in charge. Media, not even the political parties. Im proud idahoans voted in support of real and substantial change in our government. Now it is up to us to put the lessons of 2016 to work for idaho. Now it is time to recognize the differences we have made in policy, personalities and priorities. Than ever we now have the opportunity and the responsibility of citizens to help secure idahos future. Good luck, thank you for your attention, your talent, and your willingness to serve. My doors always open and i look for to your conscientious and constructive work during this first regular section regular session. May god continue to bless idaho and the United States of america. Now the state of the stated dress from Maryland Governor larry hogan