Idaho Bills

Amends existing law to authorize the Idaho Legislature to review court rules in certain instances.

This bill authorizes the Idaho Legislature to review any court rules and sets up a process to identify any conflicts between a court rule and Idaho Code.

Amends existing law to provide for the municipal use of geothermal water.

This legislation updates the Reasonably Anticipated Future Needs (RAFN) statutes to include municipal geothermal systems as an allowable municipal purpose. The legislation codifies geothermal system best practices focused on non-consumptive use and reinjection to preserve the water while maximizing access to the heat resource. This will allow municipal geothermal systems to have better flexibility in obtaining and holding water rights needed to serve their community’s heating needs.

Amends existing law to establish provisions regarding temporary rules and to revise provisions regarding temporary rules.

The legislature recognizes there are times when the use of temporary rules is needed to bridge the gap until pending rules can be considered during the legislative session. This proposed legislation would place some process parameters, additional guidelines, and reporting requirements when temporary rules are employed to meet that need.

Amends, repeals, and adds to existing law to establish provisions regarding background checks conducted by the Department of Health and Welfare.

This bill is brought to satisfy the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) so that Department of Health and Welfare (DHW) can continue to conduct background checks. For DHW to conduct background checks with the FBI: 1) a statute must exist as a result of legislative enactment; 2) require fingerprinting of applicants; 3) expressly or implicitly authorize the use of FBI records for screening of applicants; 4) to avoid overbreadth, identify the specific categories of licenses or employees falling with in the law’s purview; 5) not be against (federal) public policy; and 6) not authorize receipt use of confidential criminal history information to a private entity.

Adds to existing law to provide for timely electrical, plumbing, and HVAC inspections and the option for third-party inspections in certain situations.

This legislation establishes minimum timeliness and accountability standards for electrical, plumbing, and mechanical inspections conducted by the state or local governments. The bill authorizes permit holders to obtain a qualified third-party inspection and receive a refund of inspection fees when a requested inspection is not completed within forty-eight (48) business hours. The bill also requires a partial refund of inspection fees when an inspection fails and the inspecting authority does not provide the reason for failure within three (3) business days. These provisions are intended to promote timely inspections and improve communication while maintaining existing inspection qualifications and standards.

Amends and repeals existing law to establish public safety officer catastrophic injury or death in the line of duty benefits.

This establishes consistent catastrophic benefits for public safety officers who are either killed or severely injured in the line of duty. It provides a surviving spouse with an ongoing annual pension of at least $75,000 and a one-time $500,000 pension payment. If there is no surviving spouse, any dependent children would be eligible for only the singular $500,000 pension payment dispersed evenly amongst them.

Amends existing law to establish provisions regarding public university president searches and to revise provisions regarding certain records.

This legislation adds a new section of code to Title 33 defining the process for all president searches for the state institutions of higher education. This would codify the existing practice that has been utilized by the State Board of Education. This legislation amends Idaho Code 74-106 to make only the name of the sole finalist publicly available. for 10 days prior to the final decision being made by the hiring authority.

Amends existing law to provide for additional training requirements for foster parents.

The purpose of this legislation is to ensure that foster parent applicants complete a defined set of pre-licensure training requirements prior to receiving a foster care license. While training is currently offered by the Department of Health and Welfare, this act places those expectations in statute by identifying required training topics, establishing a maximum of ten hours of pre-licensure training, an requiring a basic assessment to confirm completion. By codifying these requirements, the legislature provides clarity and uniformity in foster parent licensure standards and ensures that all licensed foster parents have completed foundational training relevant to the care and safety of children placed in foster care.

States findings of the Legislature and provides for an advisory question regarding the state gun of Idaho to be placed on the ballot before the voters.

RS33738 / H0932 This legislation directs the Secretary of the State to place an advisory question on the 2026 general election ballot asking Idahoans to designate which gun they would like to have as the official Idaho State Gun. This is a non-binding measure and the legislature would have to take action at a future legislative session to officially designate a gun as the Idaho State Gun.

Amends existing law to revise the definition of “daycare.”

This legislation closes a gap in Idaho law by extending existing sex offender residency restrictions to daycares that are zoned, permitted, or approved by a city or county. Current law applies only to state-licensed daycares, even though some daycares operate legally without a license. This change ensures consistent protections for children without expanding licensing requirements or regulating home daycares.

Relates to the appropriation to the Soil and Water Conservation Commission for fiscal years 2026 and 2027.

RS33748 / S1405 This appropriation provides enhancements to the FY 2027 maintenance budgets for the Soil and Water Conservation Commission. Enhancements to the Soil and Water Conservation Commission include onetime funding from dedicated funds to supplemental supplement existing payments for the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) and onetime funding for unspent grant funding for the CREP and Water Quality Program for Agriculture (WQPA). This legislation also includes a FY 2026 supplemental appropriation to provide onetime funding from dedicated funds for existing payments for the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP). This supplemental supports anticipated costs for the current year. Finally, this bill moves the Soil and Water Conservation Commission from the Department of Agriculture to the Department of Water Resources pursuant to House Bill 503 of 2026. Pursuant to Section 22-2718, Idaho Code, the Soil and Water Conservation Commission was established and created in the Department of Agriculture and was historically budgeted separately from the Department of Agriculture. House Bill 503 amended the code to move the commission under the Department of Water Resources. This move is accomplished by removing the entirety of the maintenance appropriation for the commission from the Department of Agriculture in section one of this bill and adding the appropriation to the Department of Water Resources in section two of this bill. The budget structure of the commission under the Department of Water Resources mirrors how it was previously structured under the Department of Agriculture, as it remains a distinctly budgeted division. DISCLAIMER: This statement of purpose and

Adds to existing law to establish provisions regarding cell-cultivated animal protein labeling, oversight, and penalties.

This legislation establishes labeling requirements for alternative animal protein products sold in Idaho to ensure consumers receive clear and accurate information about the food they purchase. It prohibits the use of traditional meat cut terminology on products not derived from harvested animals, supporting transparency, informed choice, and the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) focus on food integrity. The bill also protects the clarity of traditional agricultural products and is enforced through existing Idaho Department of Agriculture authority.

Adds to existing law to establish provisions regarding limitations on digital identification.

The purpose of this legislation is to ensure that digital identification is not required to access government services in Idaho. This legislation protects the right of Idahoans to use physical identification, prevents government from requiring access to personal electronic devices, and limits the collection and use of digital identification data. It also provides remedies when violations occur.

Relates to the appropriation to the Department of Lands for fiscal years 2026 and 2027.

RS33785 / S1427 This appropriation to the Department of Lands provides enhancements to the FY 2027 maintenance budget that includes enhancements to purchase fire radio equipment; a reduction of 1.25 FTP and personnel costs from the Department of Lands Fund - Abandoned Mines Account and the addition of 1.25 FTP and personnel costs to the Navigable Waterways Fund to align with statutorily allowed uses; construction of a vehicle storage structure; to purchase one UTV; the addition of 1.00 FTP and personnel costs to the Navigable Waterways Fund and reduction of 1.00 FTP and personnel costs from the Endowment Earning Administrative Fund to align funding for legal counsel with anticipated workload; onetime support for the Idaho Geological Survey; funding to partially restore the Base reduction found in Senate Bill 1363 for fire preparedness; replacement items including vehicles, seedling coolers, lawn tractors, and computerized equipment; and OITS hardware which includes computers, routers, servers, switches, wireless access points, and a firewall. This bill also includes two FY 2026 supplemental appropriations. The first supplemental includes one for a reduction of 1.25 FTP and personnel costs from the Department of Lands Fund - Abandoned Mines Account and the addition of 1.25 FTP and personnel costs to the Navigable Waterways Fund to align with statutorily allowed uses in the current year. This change is repeated in the FY 2027 enhancements to make the changes ongoing. The second supplemental includes a onetime budget restoration for fire preparedness in FY 2026.

Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding a sales and use tax rebate for certain developers of certain retail complexes.

The State Taxation Anticipated Revenue or STARs program allows developers to receive a rebate of sales taxes to be collected from retailers within a new complex for transportation improvements. The law currently has a minimum expenditure of $6 million and a maximum of $35 million for a qualified project. This legislation decreases the minimum project total to $5 million and the maximum to $100 million. This legislation also clarifies that approved projects can’t be modified at a later date.

Amends existing law to provide that license plates do not automatically expire after 10 years and may continue to be used while still legible.

The purpose of this legislation is to amend Idaho Code §49-443 to eliminate the requirement to replace license plates every 10 years and no longer have a required replacement period as long as the plate remains readable and legible.

Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding agriculture license plates.

Regarding Idaho agriculture license plates, this legislation moves design responsibilities from Food Producers of Idaho to the Idaho Ag in the Classroom Board of Directors.

Adds to existing law to establish provisions regarding consumer protection of veterans benefits.

This legislation establishes Idaho specific consumer protection standards for paid assistance provided to veterans seeking help preparing claims for federal veterans’ benefits. The legislation protects veterans from deceptive or predatory practices while preserving their right to choose how they seek assistance. It sets uniform definitions, disclosure requirements, and conduct standards for non-accredited individuals or entities offering paid claims preparation services. Upfront fees are prohibited, compensation must be contingent on a successful outcome, and fees are limited to a reasonable, one-time amount. The legislation requires disclosure of free assistance options, written consent from the veteran, and protection of personal, financial, and health information. It prohibits misleading advertising, guarantees of benefit outcomes, direct solicitation of veterans, use of overseas call centers, and the use of medical professionals to influence claims outcomes. Overall, this legislation promotes transparency and accountability while aligning Idaho consumer protection standards with emerging federal reforms.

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

RS33845 / S1446 This bill restores Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) and peer support services for the remainder of FY 2026 and for FY 2027 through the following three funding sources: personnel and other internal savings in the Department of Health and Welfare FY 2026 appropriation, the Millennium Income Fund, and the State-Directed Opioid Settlement Fund. In addition, this bill restores peer support services for mental health courts for FY 2027. ACT and peer support services are restored in FY 2026 through an exemption from program transfer limitations for behavioral health programs, which allows transfers into the Basic Medicaid Plan Program and the Adult Mental Health Program from other programs within the department for all moneys appropriated to it for the period July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026. This action authorizes the Department of Health and Welfare to utilize onetime salary savings and other internal savings to restart and support these services for the remainder of FY 2026. This bill appropriates $4,619,000 onetime from the Millennium Income Fund, $5,558,000 onetime from the State-Directed Opioid Settlement Fund, and $20,525,000 from federal match funds to support ACT and peer support services in FY 2027. The total funds appropriated to the Department of Health and Welfare for this purpose is $30,702,000. Also included in this bill is a $250,000 onetime appropriation from the State-Directed Opioid Settlement Fund to the Judicial Branch in the Court Operations Division to provide peer support services for mental health courts for FY 2027. Section 4 of the bill directs the use of the State-Directed Opioid Settlement Fund to include Assertive Community Treatment and peer support services for FY 2027.

Amends and repeals existing law to remove provisions regarding sobriety and drug monitoring programs.

This legislation repeals an obsolete statutory program in the office of the attorney general. The legislature created a sobriety and drug monitoring program within the office of the attorney general in 2014. The program was to be administered by the attorney general’s office with counties choosing whether to participate. The original legislation provided no additional resources for the attorney general to operate the program. Today, twelve years later, the attorney general’s office can find no records indicating the program was ever fully implemented or that any county ever opted in to the program.

Adds to existing law to establish the Conversational AI Safety Act.

The purpose of this legislation is to establish safety standards for conversational artificial intelligence services, defined here as AI applications designed primarily to simulate human conversation. It requires operators to adopt protocols for responding to both adult and minor users. Where an operator has actual knowledge or reasonable certainty that a user is a minor, the bill mandates a persistent disclaimer of AI interaction. It also prohibits "gamification" intended to encourage excessive engagement and requires measures to prevent sexually explicit content. The bill also requires an operator to provide parental supervision tools.

Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding certain rate-regulated electric companies and gas companies.

This legislation refines the changes made in HB329 from the 2025 legislation session. It modifies the reporting and payment schedules of rate-regulated utilities affected by HB329 to match historical periods.

Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding the sale of cigars.

This legislation allows for an entrepreneur to create a business that provides a mobile cigar service for events. This type of business was not anticipated when the tobacco permitting statutes were originally written. Therefore, the department cannot currently issue a permit for this potential business.