Governor Brad Little signed an executive order Monday granting eligible Idaho state employees two additional paid days off to mark the nation’s 250th anniversary, creating an extended Independence Day holiday around the official state observance.

The Order

Executive Order 2026-06, signed June 22, designates Thursday, July 2 and Monday, July 6 as additional paid leave days for executive branch employees. Combined with the state-observed Independence Day on Friday, July 3, the order effectively gives qualifying workers a four-day holiday weekend surrounding the Fourth of July.

Agency directors remain responsible for maintaining essential government functions and public safety services throughout the extended period. State employees required to work on the designated leave days will be compensated in accordance with existing state laws and personnel policies.

America250 Milestone

The order is tied to America250, the national commemoration marking 250 years since the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. Little framed the milestone as a rare moment for reflection and civic celebration.

“America’s 250th anniversary is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to celebrate the enduring ideals of freedom, self-government, and opportunity that have made our nation the greatest in the world,” Little said.

The governor also pointed to the broader sweep of American history as a source of national identity: “America’s story is one of courage, perseverance, innovation, and faith in the promise of freedom.”

Public Celebrations Planned

Beyond the employee leave order, Idaho is planning several public observances tied to the anniversary. Admission to all Idaho state parks will be free on July 4, and a community celebration is scheduled on the Capitol steps and in Cecil Andrus Park in downtown Boise that same day.

The combination of free park access and a downtown Boise event reflects a broader state effort to mark the 250th anniversary as a public occasion rather than simply a federal holiday. No additional cost figures for the planned observances were included in the executive order.

What It Means for State Operations

The order applies specifically to eligible executive branch employees, meaning not every state worker will automatically receive the additional time off. Essential services — including public safety and agency operations that serve the public — will continue under direction from department heads. Workers in those roles who are called in during the leave period are entitled to compensation under standard state policy.

Governor Little, Idaho’s 33rd governor, has used executive orders in prior sessions to adjust state operations around significant civic events. The America250 order follows that pattern, extending a benefit to the state workforce while preserving the government’s core functions.

The extended Fourth of July break comes as Idahoans prepare for what the state is billing as a landmark national celebration. For more on other state government activities this summer, see coverage of Idaho Corrections’ protocols ahead of the July 1 firing squad rollout, another executive branch development set to take effect at the start of the holiday week.