Little focuses on cybersecurity when he gives his budget pitch to JFAC
There wasn’t much to Lt. Gov. Brad Little’s budget request for his office, which has three employees – himself, his chief of staff, and an administrative assistant. When Little appeared before JFAC for his budget hearing this morning, he recalled interning for the joint budget committee as a college student, and learning the role of the panel and its impact. “It’s the people that work on this committee and the staff that have put Idaho in the great position it’s in,” Little said.
Rather than address his meager budget request – the only line item is $2,300 for IT and telecommunications equipment, including replacing a phone system – Little pointed to a budget request that’s in the governor’s office, to create new Office of Information Technology, transferring and expanding functions that now are under state Department of Administration. Little chaired the governor’s cybersecurity task force that recommended the new office and the creation of a new Director of Information Security position to detect, identify and head off cyber threats to the state.
“This is the committee that looks at things from a holistic standpoint,” Little said. “I just wanted you to be aware of how important I think it is.”
Sen. Shawn Keough, R-Sandpoint, JFAC co-chair, said, “Appreciate you sharing with us your passion for cybersecurity and your leadership and your ongoing support for efforts in that area.”
