Idaho Bills

Amends and adds to existing law to provide for suspension of driver's licenses when a person is 30 days or more delinquent in paying the penalty for a moving traffic infraction.

In 2018, the Idaho Legislature changed the enforcement procedures for unpaid traffic citations and for unpaid misdemeanor/felony traffic related incidents. The practice of suspending driving privileges for unpaid fines was eliminated. The courts were empowered to collect the unpaid fines through civil procedures. Since the implementation of this change, drivers have learned their unsafe driving practices had fewer consequences. Additionally, the amount of unpaid traffic fines increased from approximately $1 million to $24 million ($3 million /year). The Idaho courts estimate there are over 125,000 drivers with unpaid traffic fines. This legislation will empower the courts and the Idaho DMV to suspend driving privileges when traffic related fines are not paid after appropriate notice.

Adds to existing law to provide for an action to enforce state law.

Some of Idaho laws governing the actions public officials, public employees, and state and local governmental entities include an enforcement mechanism for ensuring that Idaho laws are followed. Many such laws, however, do not include any specific enforcement mechanism. In the event that public officials’ oath of office, whereby they promise to uphold the laws of the State of Idaho, is insufficient to ensure that Idaho’s laws are followed, this legislation provides a mechanism by which the Idaho Attorney General can go to court and force a public official, public employee, or state or local governmental entity to follow the law.

Adds to existing law to establish provisions regarding artifical intelligence medical services.

RS33690 / H0945 This legislation establishes the AI Medical Services Act, creating a state licensure framework for artificial intelligence systems that deliver clinical health care services to patients. The bill establishes the Board of Autonomous Medical Practice within the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses to license and oversee Artificial Intelligence Augmented and Autonomous Service Providers (AAASPs), including the use of a regulatory sandbox to evaluate safety and performance. The act provides transparency, consumer protections, clinical integrity standards, and enforcement authority. By creating a clear regulatory pathway for AI-enabled clinical services that would otherwise remain legally uncertain or effectively unavailable, the legislation expands access to care while supporting medical innovation.

Adds to existing law to establish the Pediatric Secretive Transitions Parental Rights Act.

In 2023 the Idaho legislature passed H71 banning pediatric gender mutilation. This legislation, the "Pediatric Transitions Parental Rights Act" seeks to expand upon those protections and reinforce the fundamental right of parents and guardians to oversee the medical and social upbringing of their children. The bill prohibits "covered entities"—including healthcare providers, educational institutions, and mandated reporters of child abuse – from facilitating a minor’s medical sex transition or "social transition" (the adoption of new names, pronouns, or appearances) without the express written informed consent of the child’s parent or guardian. It prevents these entities from withholding information from parents regarding a child’s expressed interest in or desire for such transitions. The act establishes a civil cause of action for aggrieved parents, providing for statutory damages and authorizes the Attorney General to investigate violations, seek writs of mandamus, and levy civil penalties

Adds to existing law to establish provisions regarding the Governor's authority regarding active duty combat service of the organized milita.

The legislation embodies the intent of our founding fathers and follows the principles and provisions contained in the United States Constitution, specifically Article 1, Section 8. Congress has the executive power to declare war under our United States Constitution. The federal executive branch has exceeded its constitutional authority by calling up the state components of the National Guard in what are really warfighting operations, without a congressional declaration of war. The men and women in the Idaho National Guard must not be called into active-duty combat operations on foreign soil unless there has been a congressional declaration of war. This legislation does not impact the Governor's ability to mobilize the Idaho Guard as outlined in Article 4, Section 4 of the Idaho Constitution. It also does not limit the United States ability to call up the Idaho National Guard for training missions as provided in Title 10, United States Code. This legislation prohibits mobilization of the Idaho National Guard for combat actions unless there has been a corresponding congressional declaration or war.

Amends, repeals, and adds to existing law to provide for campaign finance transparency.

Idaho’s campaign finance laws, commonly referred to as the “Sunshine Laws,” were enacted in 1974 through a citizen initiative to increase transparency of money spent on political campaigns and lobbying activities. This legislation revises and reorganizes campaign finance statutes from their 1974 version by moving the provisions from Title 67, Chapter 66, State Government and State Affairs, to Title 74, Chapter 3, Transparent and Ethical Government. This drastically improves reporting clarity and strengthens enforcement in response to increased financial activity and evolving campaign practices. This legislation also expands transparency requirements related to the ballot initiative process, referendum campaigns, and independent expenditures. These provisions provide clearer disclosure of funding sources, reporting of activity, communications intended to influence voters outside of candidate campaigns, and prohibit foreign contributions for ballot measures. In addition, the legislation adds one additional pre-primary and one pre-general campaign finance report, updates contribution and expenditure limitations, and establishes a revised fine structure for reporting violations that balances appropriate penalties for small campaign violations as compared to larger campaign violations. Overall, the legislation modernizes and strengthens disclosure requirements and ensures campaign finance laws are transparent and enforceable.

Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding the election of commissioners in certain single countywide highway districts.

This legislation changes the process by which highway district commissioners are elected in a countywide highway district to match the process by which county officials are elected. Specifically, it would match the process by which county commissioners are elected. Like county commissioners, countywide highway district commissioners will need to reside within the district they represent and will be elected countywide. Also, like county commissioners, they will file for nomination in the even-year May primary, and then the primary winners will run for election in the even-year general election. The process by which county commissioners are elected is well-understood and ensures that countywide commissioners are elected on the broadest possible basis.

Adds to existing law to establish provisions regarding maternity price transparency and disclosure.

The purpose of this legislation is to increase transparency for maternity care costs in Idaho hospitals. It requires hospitals that provide labor and delivery services to clearly display comprehensive, consumer-friendly pricing for uncomplicated vaginal and cesarean births, including standard services and common additional charges, on a single, easily accessible page within their price estimator tool.

Amends existing law to provide for the Legislative Services Office to conduct revenue analysis.

RS32935 / H0948 This legislation directs the legislative services office to make an annual revenue estimate as part of the budgeting process. It allows them to seek input from outside organizations as part of the development of the estimate.

Adds to existing law to require public schools to offer daily recess to students in kindergarten through grade 5 and to encourage public schools to offer unstructured activity breaks for students in grades 6 through 8.

This legislation adds a new section of code to require public schools to provide daily recess for students in kindergarten through grade five and encourage schools to provide unstructured activity breaks for students in grades six through eight. This aligns with extensive evidence that recess is not a luxury but a necessary component of healthy child development including boosting learning, behavior, health and happiness

States findings of the House of Representatives and provides that all temporary and pending rules of the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, the Idaho Department of Lands, the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses, the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation, and the Idaho Department of Water Resources have been reviewed and approved by the House Resources and Conservation Committee, with exceptions.

RS33826 / HR033 The House Resources and Conservation Committee has considered the pending Administrative Rules for the following State Agencies: Idaho Dept. of Fish and Game, Idaho Dept. of Lands, Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses, Idaho Dept. of Parks and Recreation, and the Idaho Dept. of Water Resources, and this proposed legislation reflects the results of those considerations.

Relates to the appropriation to the Department of Health and Welfare for fiscal year 2027.

RS33815 / S1432 This appropriation bill to the Department of Health and Welfare for the Divisions of Indirect Support, Licensing and Certification, and Independent Councils (collectively known as "Other Programs") provides enhancements to the FY 2027 maintenance budget that include a fund shift for the Background Check Unit (enhancement #11), funding for replacement items (enhancement #58), OITS modernization and consolidation, and the fiscal impact of S1314 (enhancement #27). This bill also includes partial restoration of funding for the Domestic Violence Council (enhancement #30).

Adds to existing law to establish the Idaho Personnel Reduction Act and to provide for the reporting of state employee travel expenses.

This legislation deals with state budget issues. First, it makes state government more efficient by requiring state agencies to identify all employee positions that have been vacant for at least 180 days or more and reducing the agency budget request accordingly. For positions vacant for 180 to 364 days, agencies must either eliminate the position and reduce the agency budget request accordingly, or fund and fill the position using existing funds. This will reduce the size of government agencies to a level at which they have already demonstrated the ability to operate. Second, it requires state agencies to report on employee travel for the previous fiscal year when each state agency submits its annual budget request to the Governor and Legislature. Third, the legislation transfers to the legislative branch one third of the positions eliminated in the executive branch including associated fringe benefits.

Amends and adds to existing law to provide for a school of origin and school of origin hearing.

This legislation amends the Child Protective Act to prioritize educational stability for children removed from their homes. Recognizing that foster care placement is a time of significant upheaval, the bill establishes a legal presumption that remaining in the same school is in a child’s best interest, encouraging continuity of daily structure and trusted relationships. This legislation upholds parental rights by ensuring a fair hearing process is available in which the Department bears the burden of proof as to why a school change is necessary and reasonable accommodations for continuity cannot be made. This legislation does not inhibit the Department from removing the child from school immediately in emergency situations.

States findings of the Legislature and provides that all pending rules of the Idaho State Tax Commission have been reviewed and approved by the Senate Local Government and Taxation Committee.

This resolution states that all pending administrative rules of the Idaho State Tax Commission have been reviewed and approved by the Senate Local Government and Taxation Committee.

Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding cooperative and group discount purchasing.

RS33798 / S1436 This legislation clarifies that shared contracts or contracts resulting from group discount purchasing and cooperative purchasing agreements were originally intended by the legislature to include, as needed, state-specific modifications to the underlying contract. This legislation is necessary to avoid confusion and clarify legislative intent regarding state-specific modifications.

States findings of the House of Representatives and provides that all pending rules of the Idaho Department of Commerce and the Division of Veterans Services have been reviewed and approved by the House Commerce and Human Resources Committee.

This resolution states all pending administrative rules of the Idaho Department of Commerce and the Idaho Division of Veterans Services have been reviewed and adopted by the House Commerce and Human Resources committee.