Idaho Bills
817 bills · 2026 Regular Session
Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding enhanced short-term plans
RS33454 / H0844 For millions of Americans, short-term, limited-duration insurance plans provide a flexible and affordable pathway to health coverage. Although these plans are primarily regulated by states, they are defined in federal regulations. Previously, they could offer coverage for up to 364 days and be renewed for a total duration of up to 36 months before the prior presidential administration imposed severe restrictions. To expand access to affordable coverage, the current presidential administration has indicated it will not enforce the narrowed federal definition and ultimately seeks to restore prior flexibilities. This legislation builds on that opportunity by expanding the definition of short-term plans in the Gem State, increasing Idahoans’ access to affordable coverage while preserving the deregulated features that make these plans affordable.
Josh Tanner · HD-014B
Relates to the maintenance appropriations to the Department of Health and Welfare and the State Independent Living Council for fiscal year 2027.
RS33505 / S1375 This is the FY 2027 Maintenance Appropriation for Health and Human Services. This bill includes appropriations to Idaho Department of Health and Welfare and the State Independent Living Council. The appropriation includes standard adjustments for personnel benefit costs, contract inflation, statewide cost allocation, and a base reduction of up to 5%.
Carl Bjerke · SD-005
10 – 25
Amends existing law to remove outdated language regarding time zones.
To ensure that state laws are streamlined, up-to-date, and essential for the citizens of Idaho, while best serving public health, safety, and welfare, the Legislature approved the Idaho Code Cleanup Act, H14 in the 2025 Legislative session. Submitted sections of Idaho Code were reviewed for repeal consideration by the DOGE Task Force on the criteria of obsolete, outdated, and unnecessary. This bill updates a time zone references in Section 20-524A, Idaho Code by removing the word standard from "mountain standard time."
Todd Lakey · SD-023
68 – 0
Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding the Model School Facility Council.
RS33803 / S1439 This legislation amends 33-917 of Idaho Code, pushing the model school facility plan deadline from 2026 to 2027. This ensures proper time to meet the objectives of said plan, which include outlining plans for school facility construction, potential variability of school properties, and consulting experts on proper use of funds from the modernization facilities fund.
Kevin Cook · SD-032
68 – 0
Repeals existing law to remove outdated or unnecessary provisions.
To ensure that state laws are streamlined, up-to-date, and essential for the citizens of Idaho, while best serving the public health, safety, and welfare, the Legislature approved the Idaho Code Cleanup Act, H14 in the 2025 legislative session. Submitted sections of Idaho Code were reviewed for repeal consideration by the DOGE Task Force on the criteria of obsolete, outdated, and unnecessary. This bill repeals 22 Sections of Idaho Code in Title 42 pertaining to the Idaho Department of Water Resources. Sections include references to groundwater recharge negotiations with the Federal Bureau of Reclamation, the Salmon Falls Creek Water Compact, the Columbia Interstate Compact, and the Water Conservation and Development Trust Account. The Salmon Falls Creek Water Compact was never adopted and the Columbia Interstate Compact was repealed in 1975. The Water Conservation and Development Trust Account has been inactive since at least 1994.
Dustin Manwaring · HD-029A
Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding requirements for open public meetings to permit recording of such meetings.
This legislation amends Idaho Code Section 74-203, to revise provisions regarding requirements for open public meetings. The bill adds a section to current law that no person attending the meeting shall be prevented or prohibited from recording such meetings by audio, video, or photographs by electronic or digital means. The governing body may take measures, however, to ensure the orderly conduct of its meetings.
Lori McCann · HD-006A
Amends existing law by removing outdated or unnecessary provisions related to the Petroleum Clean Water Trust Fund.
To ensure that state laws are streamlined, up-to-date, and essential for the citizens of Idaho, while best serving public health, safety, and welfare, the Legislature approved the Idaho Code Cleanup Act, H14 in the 2025 Legislative session. Submitted sections of Idaho Code were reviewed for repeal consideration by the DOGE Task Force on the criteria of obsolete, outdated, and unnecessary. This bill repeals or updates seven sections of Chapter 49, Title 41, Idaho Code, pertaining to the Petroleum Clean Water Trust Fund Act. This includes sections for the initial appointment criteria, references to fee transfers for money earned prior to August 3, 1995, and other obsolete language.
Heather Scott · HD-002A
64 – 0
Adds to existing law to establish the Litigation Financing Transparency, National Security, and Consumer Protection Act.
RS33799 / H0946 In other states the practice of third party litigation financing has become a problem, as lenders essentially buy a stake in the litigation that is contingent on the outcome of a lawsuit. In most cases those lenders gain a right to control or influence the litigation as a way to secure their investment. That can cause the actual party to the lawsuit to lose control of the litigation on their own case, essentially selling it to the lender. This legislation provides transparency so that lending arrangements are open to the court and to the litigants. It provides consumer protections to assure that these lawsuit lenders don’t displace the actual parties in the decision making on their own litigation and prevents exploitation and undue influence over legal proceedings. Finally, it prevents foreign adversaries and other foreign persons of concern from interfering in the Idaho judicial system by becoming lawsuit lenders.
Jordan Redman · HD-003B
Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding vacancies on cemetery maintenance boards.
The purpose of this bill is to preserve and maintain governance of a cemetery maintenance district should vacancies on its board of directors be insufficient to reach a quorum, thus preventing the district from functioning as a governing body. The county in which a majority of the cemetery district resides will be responsible for making appointments via a prescribed process.
Steve Berch · HD-015A
33 – 0
Amends existing law to revise a provision regarding reckless driving.
This legislation amends section 49-1401, Idaho Code, regarding reckless driving offenses in construction or school zones.
Mike Pohanka · HD-026A
34 – 0
Relates to the appropriation to the Department of Water Resources for fiscal year 2027.
RS33812 / S1431 This bill provides additional funds to the Department of Water Resources to the FY 2027. It includes funding for aquifer monitoring and measuring and restores funding that was removed from the maintenance appropriation as part of the ongoing 5% Base Reduction. These restorations include funding for stream gaging and personnel costs related two positions within the North Idaho Adjudication and Bear River Basin Adjudication programs. This budget also includes language allowing the reappropriation of federal funds to pay for projects are they are completed and language directing the use the treatment of filing fees collected during the adjudication process.
Kevin Cook · SD-032
48 – 18
Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding the detention or involuntary admission of developmentally disabled or mentally ill persons.
The purpose of this legislation is to provide a mechanism to institute involuntary commitment proceedings, pursuant to Idaho Code §§66-326, 66-329, and 66-406, for defendants who, by way of mental illness or developmental disability, are determined to be incompetent and unable to be restored to competence in order to stand trial, when the appropriate conditions have been met. This change will allow county prosecutors to pursue civil commitment of defendants who meet the other existing criteria, consistent with the requirements of Idaho Code §18-212(4). Additionally, it will change the definition of mental illness to include neurocognitive disorders, allowing for involuntary commitments of those suffering from neurocognitive disorders, when they meet the other requirements under the statute. This would be in addition to the crisis holds described in Idaho Code §§56-2104 and 56-2105. This recognizes that resources for finding permanent placements for people suffering from neurocognitive disorders vary greatly throughout the state and provides for a viable alternative to keep the patient and the community safe while more permanent placement options are explored, particularly in rural communities with smaller hospitals or fewer medical professionals.
Brandon Mitchell · HD-006B
Relates to the appropriation to the Idaho State Police for fiscal year 2027.
RS33868 / H0974 This is an appropriation bill for the Idaho State Police for FY 2027, for the purposes of implementing a new pay plan for commissioned officers. This bill serves as a trailer appropriation for H793, S1325, and H967, all of 2026. H793 amended the revenue distribution of the beer excise tax pursuant to Section 23-1008, Idaho Code, directing moneys that were previously distributed to the Permanent Building Fund, to the Idaho State Police, with 60% of those contributions going to the Idaho Law Enforcement (Project Choice) Fund, and the other 40% directed to the Alcohol Beverage Control Fund. This is projected to generate approximately $1 million annually for Project Choice. S1325 created a new white and black license plate. Proceeds from the sale of this plate are directed to the Idaho Law Enforcement (Project Choice) Fund, pursuant to Section 49-417G, Idaho Code, and are projected to generate an additional $1.5 million annually. H967 amended the liquor account distributions to direct an additional $4 million annually to the Law Enforcement (Project Choice) Fund, pursuant to Section 23-404, Idaho Code. Idaho State Police estimates that those policy changes will generate a cumulative of $6,500,000 annually for the Idaho Law Enforcement (Project Choice) Fund. The federal funds included in this appropriation will be directed towards personnel costs for the Commercial Vehicle Safety team within the Patrol Program. These positions are federally funded from the federal Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program, and this federal fund appropriation would align those employees with the implemented pay plan structure.
James Petzke · HD-021A
33 – 0
Adds to existing law to establish the Idaho Rural Health Transformation Fund and the Rural Health Transformation Committee.
RS33626 / H0862 This legislation creates a new chapter in Idaho Code, section 56-2501 and 56-2502, which establishes the Idaho Rural Health Transformation Fund account in the state treasury and establishes the Rural Health Transformation Committee. The legislative joint committee will serve to steward and provide oversight of the funds awarded to Idaho from the federal rural health transformation program grant.
Jordan Redman · HD-003B
Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding provider payment.
RS33677 / H0863 This bill is brought to increase transparency for taxpayers and support appropriation reductions for Medicaid rates paid to residential habilitation providers. Medicaid pays more than $176.5 million in General Funds to help people with disabilities live independently with residential habilitation and other home and community-based services. The Governor’s Recommendation calls for the Legislature to pursue policy changes to support the Department of Health and Welfare in achieving budget reductions for Medicaid, including an option to reduce rates for residential habilitation. In 2022, the Legislature appropriated funds (FY 2023 DU-7 KW Settlement – Svc. Enhance.) to increase payment rates for these services to implement a new service array and budget tool associated with the KW lawsuit. These funds are no longer appropriate since a court order halted implementation of the new services and budget tool. To support ongoing accountability for taxpayer dollars and ensure the Legislature has needed information to effectuate its appropriation responsibilities, this bill requires the department to report to this body how those funds are used.
Julie VanOrden · SD-030
19 – 15
Amends existing law to provide that certain substances involving mitragynine shall be Schedule I controlled substances.
RS33658 / H0864 This legislation amends Idaho's Uniform Controlled Substance Act to classify alkaloids found or derived from Mitragyna Speciosa (commonly known as kratom) as Schedule 1 controlled substances.
Mike Pohanka · HD-026A
Amends existing law to revise a provision regarding enforcement.
This legislation restores your Fourth Amendment rights while on the water.
Kyle Harris · HD-007A
33 – 0
Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding the distribution of moneys in the Liquor Account.
RS33824 / H0944 This legislation amends Section 23-404, Idaho Code, to revise the distribution of moneys in the Liquor Account. The bill also makes technical corrections to remove outdated language. The bill provides for an additional transfer of $5,000,000 annually to the Idaho Law Enforcement Fund. These funds are intended to support Project Choice and enhance the recruitment and retention of Idaho State Police troopers. The transfer is prioritized within the existing statutory distribution framework and is required to occur prior to distributions to the General Fund.
Joe Palmer · HD-020A
Adds to existing law to establish provisions prohibiting the use of foreign laws in Idaho courts.
The founders of our nation believed that the United States of America and its individual states should never be subservient to any foreign power, country or legal system and that no foreign power, country or legal system should be allowed to encroach upon our rights under the Constitution. Foreign laws or foreign legal doctrines can be a means of imposing an agenda on the American people by circumventing US and state constitutions. These foreign laws may not recognize our constitutional rights and liberties in US courts. The potential impact of using foreign laws and legal doctrines in US courts on the liberty of ordinary American citizens are as profound as they are despairing. The embrace of foreign legal systems, some of which are inherently hostile to our constitutional liberties, is a violation of the principles on which our nation was founded. This legislation will establish statutory law prohibiting the intrusion of discordant foreign laws or foreign legal doctrines to protect Idaho citizens and preserve constitutional rights and American values of liberty and freedom.
Mike Moyle · HD-010A
28 – 6
Adds to existing law to provide for the Idaho State Seal of Excellence in Civics Program.
This legislation creates a State Seal of Excellence in Civics, which is a voluntary high school diploma endorsement recognizing Idaho students that have attained a high level of civics knowledge and engagement. This seal acknowledges that Idaho’s public schools have a responsibility to educate future citizens who possess civic knowledge, skills, and values that can sustain our constitutional republic. In order to attain this seal, students must meet requirements that demonstrate both civic knowledge— including earning high grades in U.S. history and U.S. government, and demonstrated mastery on the state Civics Test— and civic participation, including community service and structured extracurricular activities, such as speech and debate, boys’ or girls’ state, internships, or participation with Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC). Additionally, schools can earn designation as an Idaho School of Civics Excellence. The Idaho Department of Education will provide support for those school districts and public charter schools that participate in awarding this seal.
Michael Veile · HD-035A
33 – 0
Amends existing law to provide that the organizer of a limited liability company may use the street and mailing addresses of a company's commercial registered agent in certain circumstances.
This legislation allows individuals forming an at home LLC would be allowed to not publish the home address on the Secretary of State website if they have a commercial registered agent physical address instead. No other part of forming an LLC would be affected.
Shawn Dygert · HD-023B
33 – 0
Amends existing law to provide for punitive damages in cases of libel per se and slander per se.
RS33606 / H0851 Currently in Idaho, punitive damages can be avoided in an action for defamation against a newspaper, radio or television, if a retraction of the statement is made. This legislation seeks to ensure that punitive damages may be recovered regardless of a retraction. "Libel per se" or slander per se" is defined as a knowing and deliberate false statement or a statement in reckless disregard of the truth.
Vito Barbieri · HD-003A
Repeals existing law to remove obsolete provisions relating to securities lending agreements.
To ensure that state laws are streamlined, up-to-date, and essential for the citizens of Idaho, while best serving public health, safety, and welfare, the Legislature approved the Idaho Code Cleanup Act, H14 in the 2025 Legislative session. Submitted sections of Idaho Code were reviewed for repeal consideration by the DOGE Task Force on the criteria of obsolete, outdated, and unnecessary. This bill repeals Section 67-1210B, Idaho Code, that limited to the state's ability to invest in securities lending agreements. Securities lending was officially terminated in December 2015.
Heather Scott · HD-002A
34 – 0
Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding where a sex offender resides.
The purpose of this legislation is to clarify the definition of "residence" for purposes of sexual offender registration. The bill defines when an offender is considered to habitually live at a location, including objective time and frequency standards, and clarifies how residency applies to homeless offenders. These changes are intended to promote consistent enforcement, improve compliance, and enhance public safety by providing clearer guidance to offenders and law enforcement. This legislation also clarifies the exception allowing registered adult criminal sex offenders to reside within five hundred feet of a school or daycare when living in licensed or certified facilities providing incarceration, hospital, health, or convalescent care. The bill ensures consistent interpretation of the statute while maintaining existing public safety protections.
Judy Boyle · HD-009B
33 – 0
States findings of the Legislature and reaffirms Idaho's rights under the Bear River Compact.
RS33678 / HCR034 This resolution asserts Idaho’s water rights under the Amended Bear River Compact, which was signed by Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming, and ratified by Congress in 1980. It directs Idaho’s Bear River Commissioners to strictly interpret and enforce the irrigation reserve water elevation statutes for Bear Lake, and urges Idaho to invest in the equipment necessary to measure and quantify Bear River water. It also directs the Idaho Water Resources Board to: 1.) 1.) Prepare two reports relating to current Bear River water development, water supplies, addressing state water needs, and prioritizing future Bear River water projects; 2.) Prioritize and develop feasibility studies for identified Bear River water projects for new surface storage sites, off-stream storage, and aquifer recharge, using Idaho’s Bear River Compact water allocation, and without harming Bear Lake; 3.) Allocate funds from the $30 million transfer to the Water Management Account to support implementation; and 4.) Confer with legislative leadership prior to entering into any agreement with any power utility or the states of Utah or Wyoming on the use or management of the Bear River or Bear Lake.
Mike Moyle · HD-010A
67 – 2