Amends existing law to revise a definition and to remove a provision regarding applicability.

The purpose of this legislation is to remove current restrictions on the potential establishment of High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes on laned roadways in Idaho. Currently, the ability to designate HOV lanes is restricted to counties with less than twenty-five thousand (25,000) in population, and in which a resort city authorized to approve certain non-property taxes, pursuant to Idaho Code Section 50-1004, also resides. In general, the primary purpose of an HOV lane is to provide a tool that transportation planners can use to address traffic congestion where studies demonstrate an HOV lane would ease congestion better than other alternatives. Mosttrafficcongestionisoccurringinthestate’smostpopulouscounties–thosewithsubstantially more than twenty-five thousand (25,000) in population. This bill would remove the section of Idaho code that restricts the designation of HOV lanes to counties with twenty-five thousand (25,000) people or less, and in which a resort city resides.