Idaho Bills

Amends existing law to provide for human-powered vehicles, bicycles, and electric-assisted bicycles.

This proposed legislation is designed to promote safety on our roads. Idaho Code § 49-615 requires motor vehicle drivers to exercise due care to avoid colliding with bicyclists. A recent court ruling found that drivers do not have a duty to avoid colliding with operators of electric assisted bicycles; this legislation would clarify that they do. Additionally, proposed changes to Idaho Code § 49-714 would make clear that operators of electric assisted bicycles must also follow traffic laws and that they have the same duties that motor vehicle operators have.

Repeals and adds to existing law to provide for prohibited acts and penalties regarding air bags and air bag systems.

Confidence in the proper functionality of a vehicle supplemental restraint system is crucial. Counterfeit replacement parts undermine safety and put lives at risk. This legislation adds a new section, 49-967, to Idaho Code that defines “air bag,” “automobile supplemental restraint system,” “counterfeit automobile supplemental restraint system,” and “nonfunctional air bag.” It establishes a misdemeanor penalty for the manufacture, sale, import, or distribution of counterfeit automobile supplemental restraint systems or nonfunctional air bags that don’t meet national safety standards. It also prohibits knowingly or intentionally installing or reinstalling counterfeit automobile supplemental restraint systems or nonfunctional air bags that don’t meet national safety standards.

Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding the Parent-Student On-Road Driver's Training Program.

Currently parents in Idaho can only teach their children to drive and obtain a driver's license in rural school districts or in urban districts that do not offer a driver's training course. This legislation simply allows parents statewide to teach their children to drive.

Amends existing law to eliminate the nondomiciled CDL program in Idaho.

This legislation will protect the State of Idaho from issuing commercial drivers licenses to individuals coming from foreign countries or other states with learner's permits. The learner's permits will not be honored. Idaho's CDL's will be issued to those who finish the entire process in Idaho.

Amends existing law to establish an Idaho residency requirement to receive funds from ICAR.

This legislation clarifies in the Idaho Consumer Asset Recovery Fund (ICAR) a person must be an Idaho resident, or a resident at the time of a vehicle purchase, in order to file a claim for loss or damages in connection with the purchase or lease of a vehicle, by reason of any fraud in the transaction.

Amends and adds to existing law to establish a white and black license plate.

This legislation would create one new license plate that will be all white with black lettering. The word “Idaho” will be placed on the top. Proceeds from the sale of this specialty plate will go to the Idaho State Police Law Enforcement Fund Project Choice for the purpose of supporting state trooper salaries and a portion going to the state highway account to cover administrative costs. In addition to the regular registration fees, the initial issuance fee for the specialty white and black license plate will be $70 with $65 going to the law enforcement fund and $5 going to the state highway account. The renewal fee will be $50 with $45 going to the law enforcement fund and $5 going to the state highway account.

Amending existing law to revise provisions regarding Appaloosa license plates.

THIS Legislation amends Idaho Code Section 49-420D, to revise provisions regarding the Appaloosa Horse License Plates. The original legislation instructed any fees collected for the Appaloosa specialty license plate be directed to the Appaloosa Horse Club. However, The Club is no longer located within the State of Idaho and has since moved to Oklahoma City. However, the Appaloosa Museum and heritage center foundation remains and continues to operate in Moscow. This bill does three (3) things. It will: • change the name of the recipient of any funds collected from this specialty plate to the Appaloosa Museum and Heritage Center Foundation located at 2720 W. Pullman Road, Moscow, Idaho 83843; • change the purpose of the funding to be used “…exclusively for the purpose of funding education and programming related to horses in the state of Idaho; and • allow vehicles with a registered maximum gross weight up to twenty-six thousand (26,000) pounds to also purchase this specialty plate. The reason for this change is that many pickups and trailers hauling horses weigh more than the old weight limit of sixteen thousand (16,000) pounds.

Amends existing law to provide that speed limits for vehicles with five or more axles operating at a gross weight of more than 26,000 pounds shall be the same as for other vehicles.

Differential speed limits, most often in the form of forcing heavy trucks to travel slower than passenger cars, increase traffic turbulence, leading to higher crash risks due to increased interactions. Research has shown that speed variance (differences in speed between vehicles) causes more accidents than absolute speed, with a 10 mph difference creating a much as a 227% increase in interactions. When variances in speed occur at excessive speeds, such as on interstate highways, the severity of crashes increases dramatically. This legislation eliminates differential speed limits on state highways.