Idaho Bills

Amends existing law to revise conditions under which special license plate programs shall be discontinued.

Amends existing law to revise provisions relating to contracts for transportation service.

Amendments in this legislation reiterate that contracts for transportation services entered into by local education agencies (LEAs) must be in compliance with the applicable state and federal laws. The State Department of Education will be required to make available model RFPs and contracts, but the LEA retains full authority and responsibility for the final form and execution of the documents. The LEA will be responsible for submitting executed copies to the Superintendent of Public Instruction. The Department uses the executed copies as the basis for entering the LEAs or transportation contractor's data in the statewide record system called the Idaho Bus Utilization System (IBUS).

Adds to existing law to provide legislative intent on gender neutral language.

Thislegislationprovidesdirectiontobilldrafterstouselanguagethatisgenderneutralwhenwriting legislation and rules.

Adds to existing law to establish the Office of the Inspector General.

Inspectors General are used by various levels of government to serve as a mechanism to investigate concerns about fraud, waste, abuse or malfeasance prior to public court action. Here in Idaho, public employees and citizens have limited options for raising such concerns. They can be made to a supervisor (who may be part of the concern) or to a county prosecutor or to law enforcement, if criminal behavior is suspected. Idaho's recent history shows that having an entity to do an initial investigation could save the state time, money and help produce a better "product" for our citizens. This bill establishes an Office of the Inspector General. Appointed by the Board of Examiners, the Inspector General serves a 6-year term and requires Senate confirmation. He/she may be removed only with Senate concurrence. TheOfficeoftheInspectorGeneralwillnotdoprosecution,butmayrefercasestolawenforcement. It is envisioned as a receiver of complaints and concerns. This would assure citizens that their voices are heard and provide a path for agencies to identify issues and begin corrective action as soon as possible.

Amends and adds to existing law to provide for the regulation of dangerous or at-risk dogs.

Amends existing law to revise the maximum civil penalties for safety violations of pipeline facilities and gas transportation; to revise the factors to be considered in determining the amount of the civil penalty to be assessed or compromised and to revise the permitted use of the civil penalty or compromised amount.

Amends existing law to prohibit Fish and Game Commission members and Fish and Game employees from participating in any drawings for controlled hunt permits and from participating in any controlled hunts.

ThislegislationprovidestransparencytothecontrolledhuntapplicationanddrawprocessforIdaho Department of Fish and Game by establishing policy in statute preventing members of the IDFG Commission and IDFG employees from participating in the application draw for controlled hunts.

Adds to existing law to provide for the appointment and salaries of staff attorneys for judicial districts.

The intent of this legislation is to remove the personnel cost of staff attorneys, who work for the district judges at the county level, from the counties and place them officially as employees of the Idaho Supreme Court. The purpose is to remove pressure from the county's justice fund levy.

Amends existing law to provide that certain persons may petition for a compromise of the claim of a minor, to provide for the order of priority to make a petition, to authorize a court to pass over a person having priority under certain conditions, to provide requirements for a petition and to provide for approval of a compromise and payment.

This proposed legislation has been recommended by the Idaho Supreme Court's Guardianship and Conservatorship Committee. I.C. § 15-5-409a permits a minor's legal claim for money to be settled by the father or mother of the minor with whom the minor resides. In some cases, the minor's parents are deceased or unavailable, or the minor may not reside with them. In such cases, it may be difficult or impossible to settle the claim. This proposed legislation would allow other persons, such as a conservator, guardian, or other legal representative, to submit a proposed compromise of the claim to the court. A priority for who may settle the claim on behalf of the minor is specified. The proposed legislation also requires certain information to be provided to the court so that the court will be able to determine whether the compromise is reasonable and is in the best interest of the minor.

Adds to existing law to provide that sexual exploitation of a child by certain electronic means shall be a misdemeanor in certain instances and a felony in certain instances and that proceedings shall fall under the Juvenile Corrections Act.

Amends and adds to existing law to provide exceptions to certain prohibited activities associated with the Comprehensive State Water Plan; to provide that certain provisions of specified law shall not apply to prospecting and small-scale suction dredge mining and to preclude certain prohibition of prospecting and small-scale suction dredge mining; to revise provisions regarding exploration using certain suction dredges; and to provide that small-scale suction dredge mining shall be exempt from specified regulation.

Amends and adds to existing law to create the Idaho Gaming Agency and the Idaho Gaming Agency Commission in the Department of Self-Governing Agencies, to provide its powers and duties and to remove oversight from the state Lottery Commission and director over class III gaming on Indian reservations.