Amends existing law to provide that certain persons may provide instruction on Idaho law regarding firearms and the use of deadly force.

LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO Sixty-eighth Legislature Second Regular Session - 2026 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES HOUSE BILL NO. 573 BY STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE AN ACT1 RELATING TO ENHANCED LICENSES TO CARRY CONCEALED WEAPONS; AMENDING SECTION2 18-3302K, IDAHO CODE, TO PROVIDE THAT CERTAIN PERSONS MAY PROVIDE IN-3 STRUCTION ON IDAHO LAW REGARDING FIREARMS AND THE USE OF DEADLY FORCE4 AND TO MAKE A TECHNICAL CORRECTION; AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY AND PRO-5 VIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.6

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:7

SECTION 1. That Section 18-3302K, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby8 amended to read as follows:9 18-3302K. ISSUANCE OF ENHANCED LICENSES TO CARRY CONCEALED10 WEAPONS. (1) The sheriff of a county, on behalf of the state of Idaho, must,11 within ninety (90) days after the filing of an application by any person12 who is not disqualified from possessing or receiving a firearm under state13 or federal law and has otherwise complied with the requirements of this14 section, issue an enhanced license to the person to carry concealed weapons15 on his person. Licenses issued under this section shall be valid for five (5)16 years from the date of issue.17 (2) The sheriff must make license applications readily available at the18 office of the sheriff, at other public offices in his jurisdiction and on the19 website of the Idaho state police. The license application must be in a form20 to be prescribed by the director of the Idaho state police and must meet the21 following requirements:22 (a) The license application shall require the applicant's name, ad-23 dress, description, signature, date of birth, place of birth, military24 status, citizenship and the driver's license number or state identi-25 fication card number if used for identification in applying for the26 license. If the applicant is not a U.S. citizen, the application shall27 also require any alien or admission number issued to the applicant by28 U.S. immigration and customs enforcement, or any successor agency;29 (b) The license application may ask the applicant to disclose his30 social security number but must indicate that disclosure of the appli-31 cant's social security number is optional; and32 (c) The license application must contain a warning that substantially33 reads as follows:34 CAUTION: Federal law and state law on the possession of weapons and35 firearms differ. If you are prohibited by federal law from possess-36 ing a weapon or a firearm, you may be prosecuted in federal court. A37 state permit is not a defense to a federal prosecution.38 (3) Any person who is applying for original issuance of a license to39 carry concealed weapons must submit his fingerprints with the completed40

2 application. Within five (5) days after the filing of an application, the1 sheriff must forward the applicant's completed license application and2 fingerprints to the Idaho state police. The Idaho state police must con-3 duct a national fingerprint-based records check, an inquiry through the4 national instant criminal background check system, and a check of any ap-5 plicable state database, including a check for any mental health records6 for conditions or commitments that would disqualify a person from possess-7 ing a firearm under state or federal law, and must return the results to the8 sheriff within sixty (60) days. If the applicant is not a U.S. citizen, an9 immigration alien query must also be conducted through U.S. immigration and10 customs enforcement or any successor agency. The sheriff shall not issue a11 license before receiving and reviewing the results of the records check.12 (4) The sheriff must deny an enhanced license to carry a concealed13 weapon if the applicant is disqualified under any of the criteria listed in14 section 18-3302(11), Idaho Code, or does not meet all of the following qual-15 ifications:16 (a) Is over the age of twenty-one (21) years;17 (b) Has been a legal resident of the state of Idaho for at least six (6)18 consecutive months before filing an application under this section or19 holds a current license or permit to carry concealed weapons issued by20 his state of residence; and21 (c) Has successfully completed, within the twelve (12) months immedi-22 ately preceding filing an application, a qualifying handgun course as23 specified in this paragraph and taught by a certified instructor who is24 not prohibited from possessing firearms under state or federal law. A25 copy of the certificate of successful completion of the handgun course,26 in a form to be prescribed by the director of the Idaho state police and27 signed by the course instructor, must be submitted to the sheriff at the28 time of filing an application under this section. Certified instruc-29 tors of handgun courses when filing an application under this section30 shall not be required to submit such certificates but must submit a copy31 of their current instructor's credential. The sheriff must accept as a32 qualifying handgun course a personal protection course offered by the33 national rifle association or an equivalent, provided that all personal34 protection or equivalent courses must meet the following requirements:35 (i) The course instructor is certified by the national rifle as-36 sociation, or by another nationally recognized organization that37 customarily certifies firearms instructors, as an instructor in38 personal protection with handguns, or the course instructor is39 certified by the Idaho peace officers standards and training coun-40 cil as a firearms instructor;41 (ii) The course is at least eight (8) hours in duration;42 (iii) The course is taught face to face and not by electronic or43 other means; and44 (iv) The course includes instruction in:45 1. Idaho law relating to firearms and the use of deadly46 force, provided that such instruction is delivered by either47 any of the following whose name and credential must appear on48 the certificate:49

3 (A) An active, senior or emeritus member of the Idaho1 state bar; or2 (B) A law enforcement officer, active or retired, who3 currently possesses or possessed at the time of his re-4 tirement an intermediate or higher Idaho peace offi-5 cers standards and training certificate; or6 (C) An instructor certified by the national rifle7 association, or equivalent, who has instructed an ap-8 proved course for enhanced concealed carry for at least9 eight (8) years;10 2. The basic concepts of the safe and responsible use of11 handguns;12 3. Self-defense principles; and13 4. Live fire training, including the firing of at least14 ninety-eight (98) rounds by the student.15 An instructor must provide a copy of the syllabus and a written descrip-16 tion of the course of fire used in a qualifying handgun course that in-17 cludes the name of the individual instructing the legal portion of the18 course to the sheriff upon request.19 (5) A license to carry concealed weapons must be in a form substantially20 similar to that of the Idaho driver's license and must meet the following21 specifications:22 (a) The license must provide the licensee's name, address, date of23 birth and the driver's license number or state identification card num-24 ber if used for identification in applying for the license;25 (b) The license must bear the licensee's signature and picture;26 (c) The license must provide the date of issuance and the date on which27 the license expires; and28 (d) The license must be clearly distinguishable from a license issued29 pursuant to section 18-3302, Idaho Code, and must be marked "Idaho en-30 hanced concealed weapons license" on its face.31 (6) Upon issuing a license under the provisions of this section, the32 sheriff must notify the Idaho state police within three (3) days on a form or33 in a manner prescribed by the Idaho state police. Information relating to an34 applicant or licensee received or maintained pursuant to this section by the35 sheriff or Idaho state police is confidential and exempt from disclosure un-36 der section 74-105, Idaho Code.37 (7) The fee for original issuance of an enhanced license shall be twenty38 dollars ($20.00), which the sheriff must retain for the purpose of perform-39 ing the duties required in this section. The sheriff may collect the actual40 cost of any additional fees necessary to cover the processing costs lawfully41 required by any state or federal agency or department, as well as the actual42 cost of materials for the license lawfully required by any state agency or43 department, which costs must be paid to the state. The sheriff must provide44 the applicant with a copy of the results of the fingerprint-based records45 check upon request of the applicant.46 (8) The fee for renewal of the enhanced license shall be fifteen dollars47 ($15.00), which the sheriff must retain for the purpose of performing duties48 required in this section. The sheriff may collect the actual cost of any ad-49 ditional fees necessary to cover the processing costs lawfully required by50

4 any state or federal agency or department, as well as the actual cost of ma-1 terials for the license lawfully required by any state agency or department,2 which costs must be paid to the state.3 (9) Every license that is not, as provided by law, suspended, revoked or4 disqualified in this state shall be renewable at any time during the ninety5 (90) day period before its expiration or within ninety (90) days after the6 expiration date. The sheriff must mail renewal notices ninety (90) days7 prior to the expiration date of the license. The sheriff shall require the8 licensee applying for renewal to complete an application. The sheriff must9 submit the application to the Idaho state police. The Idaho state police10 must conduct the same records checks as required for an initial license11 under subsection (3) of this section and must return the results to the sher-12 iff within thirty (30) days. The sheriff shall not issue a renewal before13 receiving and reviewing the results of the records check and must deny a14 license if the applicant is disqualified under any of the criteria provided15 in this section. A renewal license shall be valid for a period of five (5)16 years. A license so renewed shall take effect on the expiration date of17 the prior license. A licensee renewing ninety-one (91) days to one hundred18 eighty (180) days after the expiration date of the license must pay a late re-19 newal penalty of ten dollars ($10.00) in addition to the renewal fee, except20 that any licensee serving on active duty in the armed forces of the United21 States during the renewal period shall not be required to pay a late renewal22 penalty upon renewing ninety-one (91) days to one hundred eighty (180) days23 after the expiration date of the license. After one hundred eighty-one (181)24 days, the licensee shall be required to submit an initial application for25 an enhanced license and pay the fees prescribed in subsection (7) of this26 section. The renewal fee and any penalty shall be paid to the sheriff for the27 purpose of enforcing the provisions of this chapter. Upon renewing a license28 under the provisions of this section, the sheriff must notify the Idaho state29 police within five (5) days on a form or in a manner prescribed by the Idaho30 state police.31 (10) No city, county or other political subdivision of this state shall32 modify or add to the requirements of this section, nor shall a city, county33 or political subdivision ask the applicant to voluntarily submit any infor-34 mation not required in this section. A civil action may be brought to enjoin35 a wrongful refusal to issue a license or a wrongful modification of the re-36 quirements of this section. The civil action may be brought in the county in37 which the application was made or in Ada county at the discretion of the peti-38 tioner. Any person who prevails against a public agency in any action in the39 courts for a violation of this section must be awarded costs, including rea-40 sonable attorney's fees, incurred in connection with the legal action.41 (11) A county sheriff, deputy sheriff or county employee who issues a42 license to carry a concealed weapon under this section shall not incur any43 civil or criminal liability as the result of the performance of his or her du-44 ties in compliance with this section.45 (12) The sheriff shall have the power to revoke a license issued pur-46 suant to this section subsequent to a hearing in accordance with the provi-47 sions of chapter 52, title 67, Idaho Code, for any of the following reasons,48 provided that the sheriff must notify the Idaho state police within three (3)49

5 days on a form or in a manner prescribed by the Idaho state police of any such1 revocation:2 (a) Fraud or intentional misrepresentation in the obtaining of a li-3 cense;4 (b) Misuse of a license, including lending or giving a license to an-5 other person, duplicating a license or using a license with the intent6 to unlawfully cause harm to a person or property;7 (c) The doing of an act or existence of a condition that would have been8 grounds for the denial of the license by the sheriff;9 (d) The violation of any of the provisions of this section; or10 (e) The applicant is adjudicated guilty of or receives a withheld judg-11 ment for a crime that would have disqualified him from initially receiv-12 ing a license.13 (13) An applicant who provides information on the application for an14 enhanced license to carry a concealed weapon knowing the same to be untrue15 shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.16 (14) The attorney general must contact the appropriate officials in17 other states for the purpose of establishing, to the extent possible, recog-18 nition and reciprocity of the enhanced license to carry a concealed weapon19 by other states, whether by formal agreement or otherwise. The Idaho state20 police or the attorney general must keep a copy and maintain a record of all21 such agreements and reciprocity recognitions that must be made available to22 the public.23 (15) Any license issued pursuant to this section is valid throughout the24 state of Idaho and shall be considered an authorized state license.25 (16) The Idaho state police must maintain a computerized record system26 that is accessible to law enforcement agencies in any state for the purpose27 of verifying current enhanced licensee status. Information maintained in28 the record system shall be confidential and exempt from disclosure under29 section 74-105, Idaho Code, except that any law enforcement officer or law30 enforcement agency, whether inside or outside the state of Idaho, may access31 the record system for the purpose of verifying current enhanced licensee32 status.33

SECTION 2. An emergency existing therefor, which emergency is hereby34 declared to exist, this act shall be in full force and effect on and after35 July 1, 2026.36