Idaho Bills

Amends and repeals existing law to provide for local school boards to require internet filtering and to remove provisions regarding digital and online library resources and wireless technology standards.

There are currently three sections of code that require local school districts and charter schools to have internet filtering policies: 33-132, 33-137, and 33-1025. This legislation follows the intent of the Idaho Code Cleanup Act by consolidating the three sections into one section, 33-132 and repealing 33-137 and 33-1025. Additionally, it amends 33-2508 to correct a code reference to the new consolidated section 33-132.

Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding the Public School Facilities Cooperative Fund and the School District Facilities Fund.

This legislation makes the first significant changes to provisions governing the usage of the Public School Facilities Cooperative Fund since its creation in HB 743 (2006), nearly 20 years ago. By providing a state backstop for remediating unsafe school facilities, should local efforts fail, this legislation helped to end a long-running school facilities lawsuit in the Legislature’s favor. Since 2006, the fund has been used only once, to address an unsafe school facility in the Plummer-Worley School District. The primary reason it has been little-used is the provision requiring the state to appoint a District Supervisor over the school district while the state-funded project is being completed. This legislation removes the requirement for the state to appoint a District Supervisor for smaller projects, which are more commonly needed at smaller schools in rural Idaho. This is important because rural Idaho school districts, which often have large, untaxable tracts of federally owned land within their boundaries, sometimes do not have enough bonding capacity to replace an entire building. For this reason, the legislation expands the use of this fund to allow school districts to access it for a project for which their authorized bond is inadequate to complete the project. This legislation also changes the mechanism by which most of the costs are repaid by school districts into the fund. The law currently provides for a state-imposed plant facilities levy, which runs for the shorter of 20 years or the full repayment of the school district’s share of the project costs. Under this legislation, the school’s share of the costs would instead be repaid from the school district’s Public Schools Facilities Fund distributions, after the usage of such funds for any bonds already issued prior to July 1, 2025.

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 Indirect Support Services provides enhancements to the FY 2026 maintenance budget that include funding for a SQL server replacement, replacementitemsandOITSrecommendedhardwarereplacements. Thisbillalsoincludessectionsoflanguage directing the department to provide a report on state vehicle inventory, to provide a report on the administrative burdenoffederalgrants, languageprovidingguidanceonfederalfundinglimitations, andprovidingconditions, limitations, and restrictions. Additionally, this bill includes language related to the Division of Licensing and Certification. ThislanguagedirectsthedepartmenttoprovideareportontransitioningtheDivisionofLicensing andCertificationtotheDivisionofOccupationalandProfessionalLicenses(DOPL),aswellaslanguagerelated to transfer limitation exemptions for FY 2025 and FY 2026. This bill does not include enhancement 16, Cloud Server Capacity and Support. This bill also does not provide funding for the purchase of 60 replacement vehicles, as requested by the department. This appropriation represents a $1,105,600 reduction from the agency submitted budget request. Overall, the total FY 2026 budget for Indirect Support Services is 5.9% less than the FY 2025 Original Appropriation, representing a reduction of $3,311,200. This 5.9% reduction from FY 2025 was due to the amount of onetime appropriation in FY 2025 that was not repeated in the FY 2026 budget, as well as from the amount for requested replacement items that were not included in this bill.

Adds to existing law to provide that the director of the Department of Health and Welfare shall seek a waiver to exclude candy and soda from supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits.

This legislation would require the Idaho Department of Health & Welfare to request a waiver from the federal government to be able to exclude candy and soda from SNAP eligible foods. Food stamps are currently fueling the junk food epidemic, with soda ranking as the number one commodity bought with food stamps. Taxpayers are funding a growing health crisis, including childhood obesity. Banning soda and candy from food stamps would prioritize health and nutrition while also reducing taxpayer’s out-of-control Medicaid costs. Make Idaho Healthy Again!

Adds to existing law to provide that ivermectin may be sold or purchased without a prescription or consultation with a health care professional.

This bill allows Ivermectin suitable for human use to be sold over the counter in Idaho without a prescription or consultationwithahealthcareprofessional. Ivermectinhasalonghistoryofsafeuse,andremovingprescription requirements enhances health care freedom, reduces burdens on providers, and ensures Idahoans can access it without unnecessary restrictions.

Amends and adds to existing law to establish provisions regarding the crime of aggravated lewd conduct with a minor child under sixteen, to establish provisions regarding the crime of aggravated lewd conduct with a minor child twelve or under, and to provide a punishment for the crime of aggravated lewd conduct with a minor child twelve or under.

The State of Idaho is one of the least harsh in the nation for sentencing of convicted child molesters. This legislation amends Idaho Code 18-1508 regarding the crimes of lewd conduct with a minor child under the age of sixteen (16). It allows for a jury or judge to impose the death penalty on a person convicted of certain sexual crimes against children when certain statutory aggravating circumstances are proved. This legislation details the special sentencing proceeding, evidence presentation, and jury instructions. It specifies the statutory aggravating circumstances that must be proven for a death penalty sentence. Additionally, it addresses the notice of intent, by the prosecutor, to seek the death penalty and minimum periods of confinement.

Adds to existing law to provide that the Department of Health and Welfare shall not prohibit licensed or registered health care providers from providing services covered by the state Medicaid program.

Relates to the appropriation to the Military Division for fiscal years 2025 and 2026.

This appropriation to the Military Division provides enhancements to the FY 2026 maintenance budget that include a public safety communications network administrator, ITS billing adjustment, replacement items, IT hardware, and funding for hazardous materials regional response. For FY 2025, the bill also provides an additional appropriation of $540,000 to the division for Public Safety Communications support, and an additional $759,200 for IT maintenance and licensing. A cash transfer of $34,200 is provided from the General Fund to the Hazardous Substance Emergency Response Fund to reimburse costs for cleanup of hazardous materials incidents. A cash transfer of $8,600,000 is provided from the State Emergency Relief Fund to the division's Miscellaneous Revenue Fund.

Amends existing law to revise a provision regarding course instruction for an enhanced license to carry a concealed weapon.

Purpose is to maintain the ability of retired law enforcement officers to continue to instruct after they are no longer employed by a department. Currently after instructors retire, they are not legally able to continue teaching firearm safety and instruction on enhanced concealed carry certifications.

Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding temporary license plates and certain exempt vehicle license plates.

Relates to the maintenance appropriation to the Judicial Branch for fiscal year 2026.

This is the FY 2026 Maintenance Appropriation for the Judicial Branch. This bill includes appropriations to Court Operations, Guardian ad Litem, and the Judicial Council. The appropriation includes standard adjustments for personnel benefit costs, statewide cost allocation, and change in employee compensation.

Adds to existing law to require state websites to contain certain rule and policy documents and a certain statement.

Proposes an amendment to the state constitution to provide that only the Legislature shall have power and authority to legalize the growing, producing, manufacturing, transporting, selling, delivering, dispensing, administering, prescribing, distributing, possessing, or using of marijuana, narcotics, or other psychoactive substances.

A primary legislative responsibility as stated in the Idaho Constitution is that the “first concern of all good governmentisthevirtueandsobrietyofthepeople,andthepurityofthehome.”Italsostatesthatthe“legislature shouldfurtherallwiseandwelldirectedeffortsforthepromotionoftemperanceandmorality."Thelegalization and normalization of unlawful drugs is in direct conflict with the Constitutional mandate. Such legalization is detrimental to the community, to the environment, to the economy and to the health of individuals and families. Therefore, a constitutional amendment addressing these findings is hereby declared to be reasonable and necessary.

Amends existing law to clarify that an Idaho state-issued driver's license or identification card is required to apply for the homestead property tax exemption.

H449 in 2024 provided mechanisms to discover if a taxpayer was claiming multiple homeowners exemptions. This proposed legislation clarifies that identification forms provided for this purpose need to be from Idaho – with limited exceptions.

Amends existing law to remove a provision that limits public comment at school board meetings to items listed on the meeting agenda.

This legislation clarifies Idaho Code 33-510 regarding public comment at School Board meetings. Public comment at School Board meetings should not be limited to agenda items only.