Idaho Bills
42 bills · 2021 Regular Session
Amends existing law to revise penalties regarding red traffic lights.
Amends existing law to revise the definition of highways to include certain public transportation and pedestrian infrastructure.
34 – 0
Amends existing law to provide that a highway district shall be financially responsible for certain urban renewal projects if it reaches an agreement with the urban renewal agency.
66 – 0
Adds to existing law to provide that privately owned, noncommercial vehicles do not have to stop at Idaho Transportation Department check stations, including ports of entry and weigh stations.
Amends existing law to provide an exception from stopping and inspection for certain private vehicles and horse trailers.
Amends existing law to provide for hands-free use of certain devices.
This legislation clarifies the intent of Idaho Code 49-1401A(2)(c) that the use of a global positioning or navigation system feature of a mobile electronic device by the operator of a motor vehicle is permissible provided it is hands-free use.
19 – 15
Adds to existing law to establish an interim committee to complete a study of driver authorization cards.
28 – 7
A proclamation commending the Ada County Highway District on its 50th anniversary.
Amends existing law to increase funding for state and local transportation through sales tax.
This legislation increases the sales tax distribution to transportation from 1% to 4.5%. It dedicates eighty million dollars ($80,000,000) of those funds annually to the Idaho Transportation Department (“ITD”) for large infrastructure projects on the state highway system. The excess of eighty million dollars ($80,000,000), if any, is dedicated to local units of government for roads and bridges as sales tax revenues increase. This legislation also partially addresses the long term transportation needs on the state and local transportation systems. The ITD amount allows for approximately one billion six hundred million dollars ($1,600,000,000) in bonding capacity over a twenty-year period. With respect to the local amounts, as the Idaho economy grows, the need for additional infrastructure investment on the local system will continue to grow with it.
29 – 6
Amends existing law to establish a state snowmobile avalanche fund.
To establish a statewide snowmobile avalanche fund to be funded from voluntary user fees - $1 from every purchase of a snowmobile use certificate. The avalanche fund will be used to support avalanche awareness education, avalanche forecasting, avalanche warning systems, and avalanche response throughout Idaho. This will promote the safety of winter sports recreation. Snowmobiling's economic impact to Idaho exceeds $197.5 million annually.
Adds to existing law to provide for a motor vehicle registration fee discount for active duty military members stationed outside of Idaho.
This legislation will give Idaho residents, while stationed out-of-state serving in the military, a 50% reduction on one vehicle registration per household.
67 – 0
Amends existing law to increase funding for state and local transportation through sales tax and adjustments to the Transportation Expansion and Congestion Mitigation program.
This legislation amends the Transportation Expansion and Congestion Mitigation (TECM) program found in Idaho Code Section 40-720 to provide for additional funds for Idaho’s roads and bridges. It increases the sales tax used already to bond for the TECM program from 1% to 4.5%, but not less than $67 million dollars. It also allows for local governments to participate in bonding.
Amends existing law to provide for certain on-track equipment on railroad tracks.
Under Idaho’s current Vehicle Code statutes, a motorist is responsible to stop so many feet away from a crossing when a "train" is approaching; "on-track equipment" is not mentioned. Modern on-track maintenance equipment has evolved into “train like” machines that present the same dangers as a train. This legislation adds the language “or other on-track equipment” into Idaho’s Vehicle Code statute anywhere it delineates a motorist’s responsibilities at a railroad crossing or when a “train” is present. This legislation is a simple bi-partisan rail safety effort supported by the railroad carriers, rail safety advocates, rail labor and railroad contractors. There has been no opposition because this is a public safety issue. Twenty-eight states have already passed this legislation and an additional seven states are in the process of passing it.
68 – 0
Amends existing law to allow for the placement of Purple Heart license plates on more than one vehicle or motorcycle owned by a qualifying person.
This legislation will allow a Purple Heart recipient to have more than two vehicles with Purple Heart license plates. Current law only allows a Purple Heart recipient to have two vehicles with Purple Heart plates.
35 – 0
Adds to existing law to establish an Idaho Air Travel Enhancement Program.
AirTransportationplaysanimportantroleintheworld, thenation, andIdaho. Likethehighwaysystem, Idaho's systemof126publicuseairportsisacriticalcomponentofthestate'stransportationsystem. Themostimportant single segment of air transportation, as far as effect on economic health of an area is concerned, is scheduled airline service. The Idaho Legislature created the Intrastate Commercial Air Service Committee through Senate Concurrent Resolution 125 in 2020. A study conducted by the Committee consisted of intrastate commercial air service options and how to develop a long-term, viable strategy for sustainable intrastate commercial air service in the state of Idaho. The study focused on the state of passenger air service throughout Idaho, assessed intrastate air service passenger demand, potential routes/airlines for intrastate commercial air service, and best practices to recruit new air service. WhilesignificantdemandhasbeenidentifiedfortravelbetweenBoiseandtheeightstudyairports, manyfactors affect the potential for scheduled commercial passenger air service, including the time for a market to mature, which varies greatly from market-to-market. The start up phase will need help offsetting the risk for an airline to start service using incentives. The Idaho Air Travel Enhancement Program Fund will provide incentives to develop and expand intrastate commercial air travel between communities located in Idaho.
18 – 16
Amends existing law to provide for driving authorization cards.
ThisbillwillimproveIdaho’sroadsafety,ensuremoredriversonIdahoroadsarecoveredbyinsurance,enhance driver education and training for all Idahoans, and generate additional state revenue for Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) programs. If enacted, the bill makes a Driving Authorization Card available to all persons residing in Idaho. It is also an alternative to the STAR Card, or REAL ID, and would be available to all persons over the age of 16 who can verify their identity and that they live in Idaho. The authorization would be comparable to Class D driving privileges and would have to be renewed annually at a cost of $25 per year. The Driving Authorization Card would be limited to driving purposes only, it would have a distinguishable appearance, and conspicuous words of limitation to ensure the card is not used for voting, to purchase firearms, or to exercise any other rights or privileges reserved to citizens.
Amends, repeals, and adds to existing law regarding driver's education programs and driver's permits.
To remove mandatory driver's education law in the State of Idaho and replace it with the following: Age 14- Apply for learner's permit (and pass written exam); record at least 50 hours of supervised driving by a licensed parent or guardian 21 years of age or older. Age 16- Apply for intermediate license (and pass state driving exam); includes Graduated Driver's License rules, which have been proven to be safer and more effective than driver's education classes. Age 17- No change to current law.