Idaho Bills
8 bills · 2026 Regular Session
Amends and adds to existing law to establish provisions regarding social workers.
RS32997C3 / H0956 This legislation provides clarifying language as it pertains to the occupational duties of CPS social workers, provides for additional job training requirements with regard to interacting with and handling children diagnosed with autism, and provides a requirement for all potential hires applying for the position of social worker within IDHW to have a psychological evaluation performed.
Lucas Cayler · HD-011B
Amends and adds to existing law to provide for attendance at child protection hearings.
This legislation changes who is allowed in the court room during child protection hearings. Currently, the public is excluded from attending. This exclusion includes key figures who have an interest in the wellbeing of the child. A judge would need to find good cause to exclude those listed and make a written record of that finding. Those to be included: the department, parents, guardians, legal custodians, tribal representatives, assigned guardians ad litem, the assigned prosecuting attorney or deputy attorney general, elected state legislators, counsel for each of these entities.
Barbara Ehardt · HD-033A
54 – 13
Amends existing law to establish provisions regarding visitation and termination of parental rights.
This legislation updates Idaho’s child protection statutes to clarify the application of existing provisions when a child is in the custody of the state. Specifically, the bill clarifies that mandatory in-person visitation is not required when sexual or physical abuse has been substantiated. Additionally, it clarifies existing provisions that allow a court to consider termination of parental rights when the Department of Health and Welfare initiates proceedings.
Melissa Wintrow · SD-019
44 – 24
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.
Ben Toews · SD-004
Adds to existing law to provide for safety checks for children under one year of age.
Newborns and infants are completely dependent on their caretakers. It is the intent of the legislature to protect them against abuse and neglect. The purpose of this bill is to direct the Department of Health and Welfare to investigate and verify any report regarding a caretaker of a newborn who has one of the listed risk factors in this bill within 12 hours. If the report can be verified, this bill directs the Department to set the case to Priority 1 and complete a safety assessment regarding the child's living conditions as well as an assessment of the caretaker's stability.
Steve Tanner · HD-013B
49 – 18
Amends existing law to revise the definition of "neglected."
This legislation updates the definition of “neglect” as it pertains to a child. We are choosing to adopt language that more closely resembles the Federal definition of Neglect. The Federal definition requires harm to have occurred. Idaho’s current definition is incredibly vague. Parents and guardians have found themselves being accused of neglect for things as simple as not feeding their child on time or failing to have earlier bedtimes. It is the intent of this legislature to use the word “neglect” when there has been actual neglectful action or inaction by the parent or guardian.
Barbara Ehardt · HD-033A
Amends existing law to provide for a higher evidentiary standard and to require reliable evidence for reports.
Lucas Cayler · HD-011B
Adds to existing law to establish provisions regarding the Idaho Child Protection Central Registry.
Lucas Cayler · HD-011B