Adds to and repeals existing law to establish provisions regarding place of trial for certain civil actions.

LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO Sixty-eighth Legislature Second Regular Session - 2026 IN THE SENATE SENATE BILL NO. 1369 BY JUDICIARY AND RULES COMMITTEE AN ACT1 RELATING TO PLACE OF TRIAL OF CIVIL ACTIONS; REPEALING SECTION 5-404, IDAHO2 CODE, RELATING TO OTHER ACTIONS, VENUE, AND CERTAIN EXCEPTIONS; AMEND-3 ING CHAPTER 4, TITLE 5, IDAHO CODE, BY THE ADDITION OF A NEW SECTION4 5-404, IDAHO CODE, TO ESTABLISH PROVISIONS REGARDING OTHER ACTIONS,5 VENUE, AND CERTAIN EXCEPTIONS; AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY AND PROVIDING6 AN EFFECTIVE DATE.7

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:8

SECTION 1. That Section 5-404, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby9 repealed.10

SECTION 2. That Chapter 4, Title 5, Idaho Code, be, and the same is11 hereby amended by the addition thereto of a NEW SECTION, to be known and des-12 ignated as Section 5-404, Idaho Code, and to read as follows:13 5-404. OTHER ACTIONS -- VENUE -- EXCEPTIONS. (1) Except as otherwise14 provided by this chapter or other provisions of law, a plaintiff shall bring15 an action in the county in which:16 (a) The cause of action arises; or17 (b) Any defendant resides at the commencement of the action.18 (2) If none of the defendants reside in the state of Idaho at the time of19 the cause of the action, or prior to the filing of the complaint, the action20 may be brought in any county, which the plaintiff may designate in the com-21 plaint.22 (3) Actions against life or fire insurance companies may be filed in the23 county where the death occurred or the loss was sustained.24 (4) Actions against any corporation organized under the laws of the25 state of Idaho shall be filed in any county where the defendant has its prin-26 cipal place of business or in the county in which the cause of action arose.27 (5) Nothing in this chapter shall limit the power of the court to change28 the place of trial, as otherwise provided by law.29

SECTION 3. An emergency existing therefor, which emergency is hereby30 declared to exist, this act shall be in full force and effect on and after31 July 1, 2026.32