Idaho Bills

Amends and adds to existing law to remove a provision regarding violations of the open meetings law by county officers, to authorize investigations and actions against city officers by the attorney general, and to provide for duties of the attorney general.

The Attorney General has concurrent jurisdiction to investigate and, if necessary, prosecute elected county officials for state crimes committed when acting in their official capacity. This legislation expands the Attorney General's jurisdiction to include elected city officials. The purpose of this legislation is to take advantage of the expertise the Attorney General's Office has developed for investigating and prosecuting cases involving public corruption.

Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding disposition of remains in prearranged funeral plans.

This bill makes it possible for a guardian of a ward who has passed on to continue implementing funeral arrangements. If arrangements are in place the guardian may insure that their wishes are followed. This is a change from current law where a guardian is done at the death of the ward.

Amends existing law to establish additional procedures to file petitions for the dissolution of recreation districts.

This legislation provides for an alternate first step for a recreation district to be dissolved by allowing a majority of the district’s board to submit a petition to the county. Currently, the only path is to file a petition signed by at least 20% of the qualified electors in the district. In either route, the dissolution would still go before the voters.

Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding Latah County boundaries and Shoshone County boundaries.

This RS corrects and amends Idaho Code Sections 31-131, and 31-142, as a result of two small scrivener errors made by the County surveyor in the legal descriptions of the amended Latah County and Shoshone County boundary lines that were adjusted in 2024.

Amends existing law to remove certain provisions for verification of lawful presence to receive public benefits.

This legislation addresses benefits currently available to illegal aliens who come to Idaho. This bill leaves in place access to emergency medical services for illegal aliens currently authorized by the Idaho Code. The bill removes non-emergency health care benefits and some social benefits. The purpose of this legislation is to cause Idaho to not be a magnet that draws illegal aliens to Idaho.

Adds to existing law to provide that gold and silver coin and specie shall be legal tender and to provide that no person or entity may compel another person or entity to tender or accept gold or silver coin or specie.

This legislation declares gold and silver coin shall be legal tender in the State of Idaho. No person or entity may compel another person or entity to tender or accept gold or silver coin unless agreed upon both parties.

Amends, repeals, and adds to existing law to provide for reports to the Legislature to be submitted electronically and to remove obsolete provisions regarding reporting requirements.

This legislation enhances transparency, streamlines the reporting process, and reduces administrative burdens on both reporting entities and the Legislature. It will improve the efficiency and accessibility of reports submitted to the Idaho Legislature by establishing a system where any agency currently required by Idaho Code to submit a report to the Legislature or its committees shall also submit the report electronically to the Legislative Services Office (LSO). It directs LSO to maintain an online system for electronic report submissions and sets a default deadline of December 15 for reports that do not otherwise have a specified due date. Additionally, the bill eliminates outdated statutory reporting requirements by amending or repealing specific provisions in Idaho Code that mandate legislative reports no longer deemed necessary.

Amends existing law to increase the food tax credit and to provide an alternative tax credit for the actual amount paid by taxpayers on food purchases.

Currently the grocery tax credit is $120.00 per person or $140.00 for individuals 65 and older. This legislation willincreasethegrocerytaxcreditforallindividualsto$155.00startinginthefiscalyearof2026. Additionally, this legislation will give Idaho income tax filers the option to take the $155 tax credit per person, or to receive a full refund of all taxes paid on groceries up to $250.00 per person by itemizing their grocery expenses on their annual income tax returns.

Relates to the appropriation to the Department of Health and Welfare for fiscal years 2025 and 2026.

This appropriation to the Department of Health and Welfare for the Division of Public Health Services provides enhancementstotheFY2026maintenancebudgetandadjustmentstotheFY2025appropriation. ForFY2026, this bill includes funding for seven enhancements. Enhancements include the restoration of funding for several programs in the division that include Suicide Prevention, Drug Overdose Prevention, WIC Food Program, Alzheimer's and Dementia programs, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, and partial funding for the Hepatitis C and HIV Prevention programs; funding for the continuation of several ARPA programs; funding for the fourth year of communicable disease prevention grant funding; new funding for the Immunization Assessment Fund and changes $18.97 million of ongoing funding to onetime funding; additional appropriation for revenue generated in the Vital Records Bureau; new funding for the Home Visiting Program and changes $3.51 million of ongoing funding to onetime funding for the program; and funding for the Rural Nursing Loan Repayment Program for years 3-5 of the program. This bill includes eight sections of language providing guidance on federal funding limitations and directing the division to provide reports to the Legislature on federal grants including pass-through grants, drug overdose prevention programs, Alzheimer's and dementia programs, the Fit and Fall Proof Program, suicide prevention, and the Cancer Data Registry of Idaho. Finally, thisbillincludesfundingandatransferfortheRuralNursingLoanRepaymentProgramtoassistnurses working in rural areas for FY 2025. Thisbill doesnot include a requestfromthe agency to restorefundingforseveralprogramsincluding the Office of Accreditation, Refugee Health Screening, Populations with Diabetes, and for the Oral Health Workforce. Funding for the Governor's Initiative to provide medical education loan repayments under the Rural Physician Incentive Program (RPIP), which is for physicians providing care in federally desi

Amends existing law to provide for the rejection of certain applicants due to certain criminal histories.

This legislation will allow the Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Council the ability to certify individuals previously convicted of certain felonies. Currently anyone ever convicted of any felony shall not be certified by POST. This legislation will allow the POST Council to review and make decisions on certification on individuals not convicted of felonies listed in Idaho Code § 18-310 (2). This will change it from “shall not be certified” to “may not be certified” for other felonies.

Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding the deferral of property tax.

The purpose of this legislation is to clarify which costs associated with property taxes, such as interest, late charges, and penalties, may be included in the property tax deferral amounts. Currently there is a difference of interpretation between Idaho Code 63-714 which allows deferral of “any property tax due” and the way the program is presently administrated, which only allows deferral of the current year’s tax.

States findings of the Legislature, expresses concern and opposition towards the Lava Ridge wind energy project, and requests that the State of Idaho monitor the project and assist in applicable reviews.

In 2023, the 67th Idaho Legislature unanimously passed House Concurrent Resolution 004, opposing LS Energy’s application to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management for the lease of extensive acreage in Jerome, Minidoka, and Lincoln Counties. Despite tremendous opposition to the Lava Ridge Project, the proposal has been approved at a reduced- yet still substantial- acreage, with significant impacts on the Magic Valley. We were pleased to see on January 20, 2025, President Trump signing an executive order which specifically identified the Lava Ridge project and ordered the Department of Interior to place a temporary moratorium on all activities and rights of the developer under the Record of Decision issued by the Bureau of Land Management on December 5, 2024. On January 22, 2025, Governor Brad Little issued a similar Executive Order, 2025-01, asking all Idaho State Agencies to fully cooperate with the efforts to put an end to the Lava Ridge Proposal. Numerous citizens remain deeply concerned that the massive construction demands, wildlife disruptions, and infrastructure requirements far outweigh any short-term financial benefits. Furthermore, the long-term benefits of the power generated will primarily serve Nevada and California, leaving Idaho with the negative environmental impacts, including risks to the Snake River Aquifer. ThisresolutionspecificallycallsontheIdahoAttorneyGeneralandGovernorBradLittletocontinuetheefforts to formally protest and appeal the Bureau of Land Management’s approval.

Amends existing law to provide for property tax relief.

Thislegislationprovidesanadditional$100millionofpropertytaxrelieftoIdahoansstartingin2025andevery year there after. $50 million of property tax relief will be provided through the School Facilities Fund and $50 million in property tax relief will be provided in the Homeowner Property Tax Relief account. Both of these accounts were established in HB 292 of the 2023 legislative session.

Relates to the appropriation to the State Board of Education for community colleges for fiscal year 2026.

This appropriation to Community Colleges provides enhancements to the FY 2026 maintenance budget. Thisappropriationprovidesanadditional$1,679,800tothemaintenanceappropriationprovidedtoCommunity Colleges found in House Bill 341 that includes additional funding for the enrollment workload adjustment and requires the Office of the State Board of Education to develop an outcomes based funding model for the Community Colleges. Table 1 shows incremental adjustments to the budget found in the bill, of which the ongoing increase is $1,679,800. Table 2 shows the adjustments leading to the FY 2026 Total. The total budget for the Community Colleges is $69,219,700 and provides support to the College of Eastern Idaho, College of Southern Idaho, College of Western Idaho, and North Idaho College.