H 138 requires Idaho to meet specific conditions to maintain its Medicaid expansion program for low-income adults under 65 (with modified adjusted gross income at or below 133% of the federal poverty level). Key provisions include implementing work requirements for able-bodied adults, capping enrollment at 50,000 people, maintaining a 5% improper payment rate, and prohibiting Medicaid funds for gender reassignment procedures for adults 18+ or for any provider contracts involving prohibited services. If all conditions aren't met by July 1, 2026, the state must terminate the expansion by October 1, 2026. The bill also mandates federal waiver approval for these changes and requires legislative notification on waiver status.
This Idaho bill (H 274) revises child support enforcement laws to improve collection and transparency. It adds specific collection methods like intercepting tax refunds, unemployment benefits, and veteran's benefits (Section 7-1203), and requires the Department to notify consumer credit agencies when non-custodial parents owe over $2,000 in overdue support for at least three months (Section 7-1206). New provisions establish medical support enforcement (Section 32-1214G) and streamline review/modification of support orders (Section 32-1218). The bill also removes outdated administrative rules and clarifies that the Department can charge specific fees for services like location searches and income withholding.
This bill (H 50) increases the dollar threshold for state agencies to delegate public works project oversight from $300,000 to $500,000. It directly affects Idaho state agencies managing construction or maintenance projects under this new limit, allowing them to handle smaller projects without full Division of Public Works supervision, provided they get written approval from the Permanent Building Fund Advisory Council. Agencies receiving delegation must still comply with all building codes, safety regulations, and public works statutes, and cannot bypass emergency procedures or sole-source contracting rules. The change takes effect July 1, 2025, streamlining oversight for smaller projects while maintaining safety and compliance requirements.
This Idaho bill (H 56) revises public works bidding rules for state projects. It lowers the threshold requiring formal competitive bidding from $50,000 to $25,000 for most projects and adds a two-stage prequalification process for contractors, requiring standards like technical competence, safety records, and past performance. The bill also explicitly prohibits state agencies from considering environmental, social, or governance (ESG) factors when evaluating bids. These changes directly affect state agencies issuing contracts and licensed contractors bidding on public works projects.
This bill revises Idaho's rules for allocating deer and elk hunting tags to prioritize hunters using licensed outfitters. It creates a dedicated set-aside pool of 3,875 nonresident deer tags and 3,200 nonresident elk tags (or 25% of total nonresident tags, whichever is greater), exclusively for hunters with signed agreements with outfitters. Unsold tags from this pool become available to the general public after specific deadlines (July 15 or 31). The allocation method uses historical outfitter tag usage from the past two years, with rules requiring verification of outfitter-assisted hunts and new administrative fees for tag sales or verification.
HJR 1 proposes a constitutional amendment to Idaho's education clause (Article IX, Section 9). It would remove the current provision allowing the legislature to require children aged 6-18 to attend public school unless educated "by other means," and instead add that "the right of the people to educate their children without government regulation outside of public schools shall not be infringed." This directly affects parents and guardians seeking educational alternatives to public schools, such as homeschooling or private education. If approved, the amendment would fundamentally shift the legal framework governing educational choices by limiting state authority over non-public school education.
This bill revises Idaho's payment system for counties housing state prisoners in county jails. It increases the daily per diem rate from $55-$150 for the first seven days to $75-$200 per inmate thereafter, and requires the state to cover all medical/dental expenses for these prisoners. Counties must submit billing every 60 days, with the state required to pay within 60 days of receipt. The changes apply retroactively to January 1, 2025, affecting all counties currently housing state prisoners under this arrangement.
Idaho's H 260 exempts most groceries sold for home consumption from state sales tax, including items eligible for federal nutrition benefits. It explicitly excludes restaurant meals, heated food, pre-mixed ingredients, and food sold with utensils. The bill also revises how sales tax revenue is distributed, allocating $4.1 million annually to counties - split equally among all 44 counties plus a population-based portion - to cover election administration costs. This directly affects consumers purchasing eligible groceries and county governments managing election expenses.
Idaho bill H269 extends the expiration date for two education programs: the Idaho Launch Grant Program (which provides tuition grants for students pursuing in-demand careers) and the In-Demand Careers Fund (which supports workforce training). It moves the sunset date from July 1, 2029, to June 30, 2026, effectively extending program funding by three years. The bill also repeals Section 72-1206 (the In-Demand Careers Fund) and removes related provisions from tax distribution law. These changes directly affect Idaho residents enrolled in eligible career-training programs at community colleges or approved institutions.
H 273 allows school employees in Idaho who hold an enhanced concealed carry license to carry handguns on school property under specific conditions. It permits this only for employees with board permission, requiring them to carry only handguns with hollow-point ammunition (not ball ammo) and maintain immediate control of the weapon. The bill does not require school employees to carry weapons, maintains their civil/criminal liability protections, and explicitly excludes students and unlicensed individuals from this exception. This amendment modifies existing school firearm prohibitions to create a limited exception for qualified school staff.
H 258 establishes a new election system for Idaho's State Board of Education, requiring members to be elected by residents within five geographic zones corresponding to legislative districts (e.g., Zone 1 covers districts 1-7). Candidates must be Idaho residents in their zone for one year prior to election, aged 25+, and U.S. citizens. The first election will occur in 2026, with three members elected for two-year terms and two for four-year terms, followed by four-year terms for all subsequent members. The bill also modifies filing fees ($100), petition requirements for candidates, and sets the board member salary at $12,000 annually plus travel reimbursement.
Idaho's H 257 updates rules for public charter schools by establishing new certification standards for administrators and teachers. It requires charter school administrators to hold a bachelor's degree, pass background checks, complete specific training, and meet experience thresholds (like 4+ years running a charter school or an advanced degree with 5+ years in education leadership). The bill also sets strict guidelines for contracts with educational services providers, limiting their board representation to one-third, mandating conflict-of-interest disclosures, and ensuring schools retain full accountability for academic and financial outcomes. These changes directly affect charter school staff, their hiring processes, and their relationships with external service providers.
