Governor Brad Little vetoed House Bill 978 on Apr. 10, restoring funding that had been cut from Idaho’s graduate medical education program. The bill would have removed support for eight current medical residents during their three-year residency commitments.
The decision is significant because it affects the training of new doctors in Idaho, which state leaders say is important for improving access and affordability in healthcare. The governor’s office said the move aligns with ongoing efforts to address physician shortages across the state.
Little said his action supports ongoing programs aimed at expanding Idaho’s healthcare workforce: “Governor Little’s ENDURING IDAHO plan added nearly $1 million for the Graduate Medical Residency program to support programs already in place that grow Idaho’s healthcare workforce. This is on top of the tens of millions of dollars Idaho will invest to address the physician shortage in the coming years, thanks to the One Big Beautiful Bill.”
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The full text of Governor Little’s veto letter can be found online.
