Idaho Bills

States findings of the Legislature and calls on Congress to pass a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United States.

This memorial affirms the Idaho Legislature's commitment to the principles of limited government, fiscal responsibility, and accountability to the people in light of the nation's persistent deficit spending and a national debt exceeding $38 trillion. Recognizing that long-term fiscal instability threatens future generations of Americans, the Legislature calls on the Idaho federal delegation to lead and for Congress to exercise its constitutional authority under Article V to propose a Balanced Budget Amendment through the established and time-tested amendment process initiated by Congress and ratified by the states.

Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding career technical education certificates.

This legislation seeks to improve the recruitment and retention of industry professionals within Career Technical Education (CTE) programs by setting a reasonable threshold of experience required when a professional is seeking a certificate to teach a specific CTE context area. By eliminating the minimum hours of professional experience required, this legislation allows the State Board of Career Technical Education to establish minimum requirements for CTE programs by specific content area, rather than a blanket requirement for all programs. This will further allow the board to engage with industry stakeholders to adjust the requirements to be responsive to industry demand and needs. Finally, because minimum professional experience currently exists in both statute and administrative rules, eliminating those requirements in statue will prevent further confusion as to how the requirements are meant to work together. Moving forward, the board will promulgate rules for requirements by content area, which will then be reviewed and approve by the Legislature.

States findings of the Legislature and establishes an interim committee to study the crime of sextortion and to make recommendations to the Legislature.

The proposed concurrent resolution would establish a legislative interim committee to study the crime of sextortion, its impact on victims, and strategies for prevention and response. The interim committee would examine how sextortion is carried out, its effects, particularly on minors, and review existing statutes to determine whether changes are needed to protect our youth. The Legislative Council would determine the interim committee's membership, including legislators from both parties and representatives from relevant agencies such as the Attorney General’s Office, the Idaho Department of Education, and the Idaho Crisis and Suicide Hotline. The interim committee would also be authorized to gather input from stakeholders and affected individuals and would report its findings, recommendations, and any proposed legislation to the First Regular Session of the Sixty-ninth Idaho Legislature.

Amends existing law to eliminate proration of the homestead property tax exemption.

RS33557 / H0843 This legislation amends Section 63-602G, Idaho Code, relating to the homeowner’s property tax exemption. The bill removes provisions requiring the exemption to be prorated when the eligibility status of a property changes during the tax year. Under current law, when a property becomes eligible or ineligible for the homestead exemption during the year, the exemption amount may be prorated based on the number of days the property qualified for the exemption. This process has been inconsistently applied and has been difficult to administer in practice. This legislation provides that the full exemption amount shall apply as of January 1 of the tax year in which a complete application is submitted and approved and eliminates the requirement that the exemption be prorated. The bill maintains the existing requirement that applications must be submitted by the last business day of the year to receive the exemption for the current tax year. Applications received after the second Monday in July will continue to be granted as tax cancellations rather than adjustments to the property roll.

Amends and adds to existing law to provide when wastewater corporations may be a public utility.

RS33719 / S1397 This legislation will amend Title 61 The Public Utilities Act and authorize the Idaho Public Utilities Commission to regulate privately owned wastewater (sewer) utilities essentially the same as it regulates privately owned water utilities. Privately owned sewer utilities are natural monopolies (operated for profit) of an essential public service. This legislation will ensure privately owned sewer utility services are provided in a safe and reliable manner and set reasonable rates, and non-discriminatory service rules that are “just and reasonable” to ensure the ongoing viability of the public service and protect Idaho consumers from unfair rates, charges, and business practices.

Repeals existing law relating to the Idaho Anti-Camcorder Piracy Act, the Tape Piracy Act, and the Motion Picture Fair Bidding Act.

This legislation repeals Chapter 69, Chapter 76, and Chapter 77 of Title 18, Idaho Code, which address the Idaho Anti-Camcorder Piracy Act, the Tape Piracy Act, and the Motion Picture Fair Bidding Act. These provisions are outdated and no longer necessary for effective enforcement. Repealing these chapters removes obsolete statutes from Idaho Code and improves statutory clarity without impacting public safety.

Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding the Idaho Digital Learning Academy.

RS33808 / H0940 This legislation establishes updated policy governing the operation of the Idaho Digital Learning Alliance (IDLA) and clarifies its role as a supplemental provider of online courses for Idaho public school students. The bill reaffirms IDLA’s core mission of filling instructional gaps by offering courses for remediation, courses that may not otherwise be available in small or rural school districts, courses required for graduation, and overload courses. The legislation eliminates certain program offerings that fall outside this core mission, including custom section arrangements that allow for duplicate funding, participation by virtual schools, driver’s education courses, and programs serving kindergarten through fifth grade students. The bill further directs that IDLA services be focused on students in grades six through twelve. Additionally, the bill establishes minimum fees for courses required for graduation and for elective courses, and sets a cap of $445 in state funding per course. While the legislation limits certain categories of users eligible for state-supported enrollment, it preserves the ability for any approved IDLA user to enroll in courses by paying the full course fee.

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

RS33729 / S1401 This appropriation to the Department of Health and Welfare for the Division of Public Health Services provides enhancements to the FY 2027 maintenance budget that include appropriations for the Idaho Home Visiting Program; the restoration of the Immunization Assessment Fund; Fee for Service Laboratory Testing; ARPA Funded Multi-Year Grants; HIV Prevention and Surveillance; Hepatitis Prevention and Surveillance; restore funding to the Suicide Prevention and Awareness Program; and reduces the budget to move the Idaho Home Visiting Program to the Division of Early Learning and Development.

Amends existing law to provide that cities with 25,000 residents or less may provide for election of councilmen by districts and that cities with greater than 25,000 residents shall provide for the election of councilmen by districts.

This legislation revises Idaho Code 50-707A, requiring that cities with populations greater than 25,000 conduct district wide elections for its city council elections.

Amends existing law to provide that procedures used in an execution shall not be subject to certain provisions of law.

This legislation amends parts of Title 19, Chapter 27, Idaho Code to extend legal protections from discovery or disclosure of certain persons and entities to carry out the death penalty by lethal injection to certain persons and entities to carry out the death penalty by firing squad. Death penalty by firing squad will become the primary method of execution beginning July 1, 2026.