Idaho Bills

Amends and adds to existing law to include the office of the president of the United States into the state primary election and to move the primary election date to the Tuesday following the first Monday in May.

RS33722 / S1398 The intent of this legislation is to provide consistency, fiscal responsibility, and increase turnout in our primary election process. It seeks to amend several sections of Idaho election code to hold all primary elections, including the presidential primary, on the first Tuesday following the first Monday in May. This aligns the dates of the primary elections and general elections to the same Tuesday in the month exactly six months apart from one another.

Adds to existing law to establish the Financial Accountability Stablecoin Transaction (FAST) Act to provide for the authorization and use of payment stablecoins.

RS33782 / S1423 This legislation establishes the Financial Accountability Stablecoin Transaction (FAST) Act in Title 67, Idaho Code, to allow the State of Idaho to modernize how it sends payments to vendors and contractors. Under current law, the state relies on traditional banking systems such as Automated Clearing House (ACH), which can take multiple days to settle payments and often carry unnecessary transaction costs. This bill provides an additional, optional payment rail that allows for near-instant settlement using fully reserved, federally regulated payment stablecoins. The bill aligns Idaho law with the federal GENIUS Act framework, ensuring that only qualified stablecoins meeting strict reserve, audit, and consumer protection standards are eligible for use. The Idaho Department of Finance will compile and maintain a list of approved providers based on these federal standards and risk criteria. Participation is entirely voluntary. Vendors and contractors may choose to receive payment through this method, but no one is required to use it. The state is not required to hold or retain digital assets and would only use this system as a transactional payment tool. This legislation is designed to improve payment speed, reduce transaction costs, and increase transparency and auditability in state financial operations. It also ensures Idaho remains aligned with broader financial modernization efforts already underway in both the federal government and the private banking sector.

Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding the dissolution of hospital districts.

The purpose of this bill is to bring consistency to state code governing petitions for dissolution of special taxing districts. Currently, the code on hospital districts is ambiguous, requiring signatures of electors "or owners of property" and "electors and taxpayers" within the district. This ambiguity would be resolved by defining qualified signatures only as "electors" and removing "property owners" and "taxpayers." This revision will make this code consistent with other statues regarding similar dissolution petitions that require only signatures of electors. The current language puts an undue burden on county clerks, as they would be required to verify petition signers as both electors and property owners. Conversely, clerks would be required to verify if signatures of non-electors qualified as property owners. These are time-consuming and unnecessary extra steps. The current language also is an impediment to petition sponsor who would face the awkward challenge of vetting signers as electors or property owners. Left unchanged would be the required 10% threshold required to place a dissolution on the ballot. This amendment will create consistency across Idaho law, reduce administrative burden, and give citizens greater clarity when pursuing lawful petition.

Amends and adds to existing law to establish provisions to protect public employees from certain adverse actions, to provide certain remedies for violations, and to provide special procedures for public record requests by the Legislature and legislative staff.

This legislation strengthens government transparency and protects public employees who communicate with the Idaho Legislature. It establishes clear protections for public employees who, in good faith, communicate with legislators, legislative committees, or legislative staff, including responding to legislative requests or participating in hearings. Agencies are prohibited from adopting or enforcing policies that restrict or require prior approval for such communications, while protections do not extend to knowingly false statements or unlawful disclosure of confidential information. The bill also requires executive branch agencies to respond in good faith and within defined timelines to public records requests from legislators or legislative staff acting on behalf of the Legislature, while preserving existing confidentiality protections.

Amends and adds to existing law to provide for a presidential primary election.

This legislation seeks to return the March primary for presidential elections. Bringing back the primary is the best way to ensure that Idaho voters have the best opportunity to practice their right to vote on the national level. In 2023, the state GOP passed resolution 2023-28 calling for the return of the presidential primary.

Adds to existing law to prohibit the use of a mask or disguise during a criminal offense and to provide for a sentencing enhancement.

This legislation provides for an optional sentencing enhancement for the situation wherein a person commits, or attempts to commit, a felony crime, or certain misdemeanor crimes, while wearing a mask or other device to cover their face. If convicted of an underlying crime, while wearing a mask, the underlying sentence may be enhanced with up to an additional one (1) year in jail or prison, and/or a potential fine of up to $2,500.00. There is an exemption for law enforcement, so long as they are acting within the scope and course of their employment.

Amends and adds to existing law to establish provisions regarding the prohibition of taxpayer funding of government unions.

This legislation prohibits public employers from allowing taxpayer funds to promote government unions, with certain exceptions. Depending on the outcome of public employers' collective bargaining negotiations with government unions, some public employers may experience a modest indeterminate increase in revenue. This could occur if government unions are required to reimburse the public employer for any time public employees spend on union-related activities during work hours.