Idaho Bills

Amends existing law to provide an exemption for certain violations for licensed children's residential care facilities, registered children's institutions, and behavioral health youth crisis centers that provide emergency runaway services.

This legislation aims to ensure licensed homeless youth shelters and behavioral health youth crisis centers can adequately serve homeless and runaway youth. It modifies Code so that these facilities are not guilty of a misdemeanor violation for housing a runaway child under specific circumstances, where the child consents to shelter, care, or licensed service; the shelter is unable to locate the child’s parent or legal guardian, or the child refuses to disclose the contact information for the parent or legal guardian; and the facility notifies the county sheriff or police of the child’s whereabouts pursuant to local laws and licensure requirements. This legislation also still requires shelters to follow all mandatory reporting processes under Idaho Code.