BOISE, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — Idaho lawmakers completed their first week of the 2026 legislative session, with budget concerns dominating discussions at the statehouse.

Gov. Brad Little kicked off the session Monday with his State of the State address, outlining his priorities for the year. “We must commit ourselves to preserving our state as the place where opportunity thrives,” Little said.

The state faces a looming budget deficit, prompting difficult decisions about spending priorities. Little said he wants to preserve funding for K-12 education, Idaho Launch and water programs.

Proposed cuts target Medicaid, online education

The governor’s proposed cuts include Medicaid, online education and one-time reductions to certain state agency programs.

Lt. Gov. Scott Bedke explained the budget process ahead. “That process starts so the legislature in effect is saying thank you governor for your recommendations we got this,” Bedke said. “They will go back and forth. They are under the same constraint as the governor. We have to balance the budget in Idaho. Period.”

The Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee sets the state’s budget. During their Tuesday meeting, Finance Director Lori Wolff addressed the state’s financial position.

“This is a balanced budget. It reflects early action, disciplined spending decisions, and confidence in Idaho’s economic future,” Wolff said.

Legislative priorities emerge beyond budget

Bedke compared the current situation to past recessions, though he noted the state is not currently in a recession. He said lawmakers must ask tough questions about state spending.

“We went through everything the state did and we put them into categories. Is this nice or is this necessary,” Bedke said. “If it was necessary we kept it if it was just nice we didn’t keep it. If it was somewhere in the middle then we tried to prioritize what we would do.”

JFAC will continue hearing from departments and programs until they are ready to set the budget, which must be balanced and approved before the legislative session can end.

“When we get out of whack the balanced budget amendment kicks in immediately and so we never get too far our of water here,” Bedke said. “In fact it’s unconstitutional to get under water. Now we bump up against that line sometimes and I think you’re seeing that now.”

As lawmakers focus on the budget, other committees began working on their legislative priorities. Magic Valley lawmakers have proposed bills on issues including reckless driving and wearing masks during a crime.

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Whether studying in the library or waiting in line at the Crossroads, BYU-Idaho students now have a new way to discover who’s around them with the introduction of Proximity Live, an app that shows other users within a 50-foot radius.

The app was created and launched in Provo, Utah four months ago by entrepreneur Jake Gardanier and his cousin, Connor Hilton. The developers say the app was designed to help reduce feelings of social disconnection by encouraging in-person interactions through shared interests.

“Several times I’ve gone to parties and different events, and I’ve met people, but we just haven’t had similar interests or haven’t been into the same things, and it doesn’t go anywhere,” Gardanier said. “But [the app] shows your interests, it shows your hobbies and things that you like to do and it’s easier to meet friends that way.”

Users create a profile that includes interests, hobbies and photos, and can link other social media accounts. While using the app, users can only see and send friend requests to other users who are within close proximity, allowing conversations to begin only when users are physically nearby.

The creators say privacy was a priority during development. Proximity Live’s 50-foot radius is intentionally larger than many other proximity-based apps, and users have the option to turn off location visibility at any time. The app also allows users to report or block other users who make them uncomfortable.

Following the launch of the app in Provo, friends of Gardanier have reported positive experiences and meaningful new connections.

“They tell me that when they go to the library, they find someone on the app that they didn’t know and they actually see them there and they get to meet a new person,” Gardanier said.

The app has recently expanded to Rexburg, where student ambassadors are helping introduce it to the BYU-Idaho campus community. Bryce Fisher, a social work major at BYU-Idaho and an ambassador for Proximity Live in Rexburg, says he hopes the app can help break down social barriers among students.

“There’s kind of just walls that people have up usually just walking around campus and people don’t really talk. They just kind of put their earbuds in and go on about their day,” Fisher said. “And this app I think it’d be really good just to get people to talk and to have fun, make friends, even just network.”

Proximity Live is currently available for download on iOS devices. To learn more about the app, including future updates and events in Rexburg, users can visit Proximity Live’s Instagram page.