Idaho Bills

Amends existing law to provide for the taking of examinations upon completion of eighty percent of education hours.

This legislation amends Idaho Code 54-5810 to clarify when cosmetology students may take their exam for cosmetology licensing. A cosmetology student will be allowed to take the licensing exam after 80% of their coursework is complete, thus allowing them to immediately enter the workforce upon graduation, so long as they pass the exam.

Amends existing law to revise a provision regarding the assessment of certain property.

Provides clarification and correction for calculating taxable values of fire protection districts and ambulance services districts not subject to urban renewable district revenue allocation areas.

Amends existing law to provide for the Idaho Board of Licensure of Professional Engineers and Professional Land Surveyors to determine and administer an appropriate open book jurisprudence exam for the licensing of surveyors.

This legislation reinstates a portion of the land surveyor open-book exam. The exam ensures that land surveyors have a basic understanding of Idaho-specific property law. This protects Idaho property owners from boundary disputes and litigation.

Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding the Public School Facilities Cooperative Funding Program.

This legislation amends the Public School Facilities Cooperative Funding Program statute for administrative clean up, updating the election and application requirements, and addresses repayment obligations should project savings occur

Adds to existing law to provide for a notice of safety-related rights for foster children.

This legislation establishes a Foster Child Safety provision in Idaho law to articulate safety-related rights for children placed in foster care under the supervision of the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. The bill affirms that children in foster care have rights to a safe and healthy placement environment, protection from abuse, timely medical assessments following abuse disclosures, access to basic necessities, court consideration of safety when determining visitation, and reasonable consideration of safety during placement transitions. The legislation also requires the Department to provide written notice of these rights to foster children and to post such notice in licensed foster homes. The bill clarifies that implementation occurs within existing juvenile court and departmental processes, creates no new private cause of action, and does not expand state authority beyond existing law. The legislation is intended to promote consistent recognition of safety protections for children in foster care while maintaining existing court and departmental authority.

Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding virtual public education in Idaho.

This legislation updates and aligns provisions governing virtual education programs operated by school districts and public charter schools.

Adds to existing law to establish provisions regarding directed blood product transfusion.

The purpose of this legislation is to ensure patients in Idaho can provide their own or a directed donor's blood for transfusions via a federally compliant blood establishment, protecting patient autonomy while allowing exceptions for safety, time, or emergencies. It shields providers from liability except in cases of gross negligence, aligns with federal law, and takes effect as an emergency measure on July 1, 2026.

Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding limitations on the regulation of and limiting the tax duties of short-term rentals.

This legislation clarifies existing Idaho statute protecting the private property rights of Idaho homeowners by ensuring the right to rent their property is maintained. This legislation protects property owners by allowing local governments to regulate short-term rentals only in cases where it is in the interest of public health and safety.

Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding solid waste disposal contracts in counties.

This legislation clarifies current statute to ensure that persons may contract with non-franchised solid waste providers for temporary waste collection containers.

Relates to the appropriation to the State Tax Commission for fiscal years 2026 and 2027.

RS33642 / H0871 This appropriation to the State Tax Commission provides enhancements to the FY 2027 budget that includes appropriation for property tax education, system automation for Gentax, personnel costs from dedicated funds for the chief operating officer, FAST tax collection services, seasonal tax employees, replacement items, and IT hardware. Additionally, this bill provides supplemental funding for the FY 2026 budget for federal tax conformity implementation.

Adds to existing law to provide for department oversight for residential care facilities, licensing requirements, facility documentation requirements, and the youth bill of rights.

This legislation amends Chapter 12, Title 39, Idaho Code, by the addition of a new Section 39-1210A to establish provisions regarding the department’s quality of care oversight including inspection and interview requirements for children in residential care. This bill further amends Chapter 12, Title 39 of Idaho Code by adding Section 39-1210B to establish provisions regarding individualized service planning and documentation requirements for residential care facilities. This bill also amends Chapter 12, Title 39 by adding a new Section 39-1225 to establish provisions of a youth bill of rights in licensed children’s residential facilities and establishing a new Section 39-1226 to establish provisions regarding critical incident reporting.

Amends and adds to existing law to establish provisions regarding submission by a covered entity for fingerprint screening.

This legislation amends Section 67-008 to include finger printing services for private entities that serve vulnerable populations. This change in legislation falls in line with current practices.

States findings of the Legislature and requests federal action.

This Memorial requests Congress to support legislation to codify the United States Supreme Court decision in Sackett v Environmental Protection Agency, et al., 598 U.S. 651 (2023), concerning Waters of the United States (WOTUS). The decision found that the EPA and US Corps of Engineers exceeded their legal authority and the Court established a new standard for determining what is included in WOTUS and what is subject to federal jurisdiction. The Memorial also requests the EPA and USCOE follow the Court decision.

Amends existing law regarding irrigation conduits and rights-of-way.

This legislation clarifies that, when work is done within an irrigation easement, the ditch owner is not required to provide advance notice to, or obtain written permission from, the underlying landowner.

States findings of the Legislature and calls on Congress to pass and fully fund legislation that fulfills the 40% federal funding commitment in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

The purpose of this resolution is to call upon Congress to honor its long-standing statutory commitment to fund the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) at the promised forty percent level. For decades, the federal government has failed to meet this obligation, resulting in an ongoing unfunded mandate that effectively shifts federal costs to states, local school districts, and property taxpayers. Fully funding IDEA would restore federal accountability for a federally mandated program, relieve ongoing pressure on state and local education budgets, reduce reliance on property taxes to backfill federal funding shortfalls, and strengthen educational outcomes. It would allow existing resources to be used more effectively to serve students with disabilities and their families.

Amends, repeals, and adds to existing law to establish the Uniform Guardianship, Conservatorship, and Other Protective Arrangements Act.

This bill is an update of current Idaho Code sections that address guardianship and conservatorship for adults and minors. These are found in the Uniform Probate Code (Title 15, Chapter 5) and in The Care and Treatment of Individuals with Developmental Disabilities (Title 66, Chapter 4). This legislation is the result of over five (5) years of intense study of issues related to guardianship and conservatorship by legal experts, community groups, and others. This bill adds further protections on multiple levels for those involved in the guardianship and conservatorship processes. It provides clarity in areas where questions have arisen in the current Code. It provides multiple detailed alternatives to formal guardianship and conservatorship court proceedings, including Protective Arrangements and Supported Decision Making. It retains multiple Idaho procedures that are working well. It requires detailed information at the beginning of a guardianship or conservatorship process under the Code. It protects the constitutional rights of persons subject to the Code or those affected by proceedings under the Code, including more stringent notice provisions and required written statements of rights both at service of the petition and before hearings. It sets higher standards of evidence (usually “clear and convincing”). It also moves the conservatorship and guardianship provisions for persons with developmental disabilities into the Probate Code. This gives the additional protections in the Probate Code while retaining all the existing protections for individuals with developmental disabilities. The bill also organizes the Code into a more logical set of chapters.

States findings of the Legislature and calls on the federal government to protect Idaho citizens who file depredation claims.

Grazing leases or permits on federal land are a valuable property right and can be critical to the success of Idaho ranchers. A rancher should not have their grazing lease or permit be adversely impacted because they submitted a depredation claim regarding their livestock. This Memorial calls upon the federal government to adopt rules to ensure that depredation claims cannot be used as a basis for modifying or revising a federal grazing permit or lease.

Relates to the maintenance appropriation to General Government for fiscal year 2027.

RS33529 / H0867 This is the FY 2027 Maintenance Appropriation for General Government. This bill includes appropriations to the Department of Administration, Capitol Commission, Board of Tax Appeals, State Tax Commission, Commission on the Arts, Commission on Aging, Division of Financial Management, Division of Human Resources, Office of Drug Policy, STEM Action Center, Wolf Depredation Control Board, Military Division, PERSI, Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Office of Information Technology Services, Office of Energy and Mineral Resources, State Liquor Division, Workforce Development Council, and Office of Species Conservation. The appropriation includes standard adjustments for personnel benefit costs, contract inflation, statewide cost allocation, and a base reduction of approximately 5% for most agencies.

Relates to the maintenance appropriation to Natural Resources for fiscal year 2027.

This is the FY 2027 Maintenance Appropriation for Natural Resources. This bill includes appropriations to the Department of Environmental Quality, Department of Fish and Game, the Board of Land Commissioners, the Department of Parks and Recreation and the Department of Water Resources. The appropriation includes standard adjustments for personnel benefit costs, statewide cost allocation, and a base reduction of up to 5%.

Relates to the maintenance appropriation to the Legislative Branch for fiscal year 2027.

RS33519 / H0848 This is the FY 2027 Maintenance Appropriation for the Legislative Branch. This bill includes appropriations to Legislative Services Office and the Office of Performance Evaluations. The appropriation includes standard adjustments for personnel benefit costs, contract inflation, statewide cost allocation, and a base reduction of up to 5%.

States findings of the Legislature and supports retention of public lands in Idaho.

This Joint Memorial recognizes the importance of Idaho's public lands with its unique and varied landscapes. It acknowledges that access to those public lands is the cornerstone of Idaho's identity and essential to our way of life. Selling or transferring public lands would jeopardize that access and tradition, while placing unpredictable financial burdens on local and state governments, and Idaho taxpayers. This Joint Memorial encourages Idaho's congressional delegation to continue its efforts to oppose any attempts to sell or transfer Idaho's public lands and to introduce or co-sponsor legislation such as the Public Lands in Public Hands Act.

Amends, repeals, and adds to existing law to merge the Office of Species Conservation and the Office of Energy and Mineral Resources.

This legislation provides for the merging of the Idaho Governor’s Office of Energy and Mineral Resources with the Office of Species Conservation. A merged office will leverage administrative capacity and reduce bureaucratic redundancy.

Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding leaves of absence from regular duties for military duty.

This bill proposes revising provisions regarding leave for military personnel. The revisions proposed would conform with the recent changes from the office of personnel management’s pay administration guidance for similarly situated federal employees, changing the existing hours of leave in Idaho from 120 to 160 hours and removing the current contradicting terminology. The revisions proposed support military personnel by extending additional leave hours in support of their service.

Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding the Public School Digital Content and Curriculum Fund.

Historically, digital curriculum funding to local public-school districts has been on a "first come, first serve" basis. This legislation provides funding for LEA's based on need.

Adds to existing law to establish provisions regarding slow moving vehicles.

This legislation clarifies operators of slow-moving vehicles, construction equipment, and farm equipment need to turn off the road only when a safe or size appropriate exit location becomes available.