Idaho Bills

This bill formally approves most temporary and pending rules from the Idaho Department of Insurance and the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses for the 2026 legislative session. The House Business Committee reviewed these rules and approved them with one exception: the Building Safety rules (IDAPA 24.39.30) were not approved. Additionally, the bill allows one specific pending rule regarding short-term health insurance coverage to become effective at the end of the legislative session. This procedural measure streamlines the legislative review process for administrative rules without changing the actual content of the regulations themselves.

This legislative resolution formally states that the House State Affairs Committee has reviewed and approved temporary and pending rules from several Idaho state agencies, including the Idaho State Police, Public Safety Communications Commission, Public Utilities Commission, Secretary of State, Department of Administration, and State Lottery. The resolution documents that these rules were examined under the Administrative Procedure Act during the 2026 legislative session and found acceptable, with one specific exception. The only rule not approved is IDAPA 15.06.01, which governs the Idaho Public Safety Communications Commission and was excluded from the approval. This procedural document serves to record the committee's findings and does not create new policy but confirms the status of existing administrative rules.

This bill appropriates $980,000 from the Consumer Protection Fund to the Idaho Office of the Attorney General for fiscal years 2026 and 2027. The funds are designated for two specific programs: $910,000 for State Legal Services and $70,000 for Internet Crimes Against Children initiatives. The legislation directs that these monies be used for personnel costs related to the Attorney General's duties under Idaho law. An emergency clause is included to allow immediate implementation of the funding for fiscal year 2026 upon passage.

This bill formally records that the House Resources and Conservation Committee has reviewed and approved most temporary and pending rules from five Idaho state agencies, including the Department of Fish and Game, Department of Lands, Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses, Department of Parks and Recreation, and Department of Water Resources. While the committee approved the majority of these rules, it specifically rejected four rule sections related to fishing licensing, big game hunting regulations, park administration, and stream channel alteration. The resolution serves as an official finding that the legislative committee has completed its review process for these administrative rules during the 2026 legislative session.

This bill creates the Idaho Child Care Program to help low-income families in Idaho afford child care for their children under 13, or older children with disabilities, while parents work, attend school, or participate in training. The program requires parents to meet specific work or education hour thresholds, such as at least 30 hours per week for one parent in a two-parent household, and sets income limits based on federal poverty guidelines and state median income estimates. It establishes rules for provider qualifications, program oversight, and eligibility redetermination every 12 months, while also defining intentional program violations and creating a waiting list system. The bill includes provisions for using federal and state funds to improve child care quality and capacity building, with an emergency declaration to expedite implementation.

This bill is a joint memorial from the Idaho Legislature requesting federal action to reduce the pelican population in the state. It asks the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to allow measures that would curtail the number of pelicans, which the bill claims are overpopulated and consuming more fish than human anglers. The resolution also urges the federal government to compensate Idaho for resource losses attributed to the birds. The document does not create new laws but instead formally requests federal agencies to address what the legislature views as an ecological imbalance.

This bill is a concurrent resolution that formally expresses the Idaho Legislature's support for wildlife crossings designed to help animals safely cross roads. It recognizes that big game species like deer, elk, and pronghorn need unbroken migration paths to survive and that highway collisions endanger both wildlife and people. The resolution highlights that infrastructure projects such as overpasses and underpasses have successfully reduced wildlife-vehicle accidents and encourages future investments in these crossings where local communities agree. Copies of the resolution are sent to state officials and federal representatives to promote continued efforts in wildlife conservation and public safety.

This bill allocates $4,998,400 to Idaho's Office of the State Board of Education for fiscal year 2027, funding administrative operations through a combination of general fund and federal grant money. It simultaneously reduces the office's general fund appropriation by $510,500 and cuts four full-time equivalent positions from the office's authorized staffing level. The legislation takes effect on July 1, 2026, and was signed into law by the Governor.

This bill allocates $310,800 to Idaho's Military Division for fiscal years 2026 and 2027, funding operational expenses and trustee benefit payments for military management programs. It also transfers $17,800 from the General Fund to the Hazardous Substance Emergency Response Fund to reimburse costs related to emergency management activities. The legislation declares an emergency to allow immediate implementation of the fund transfer while the main appropriations take effect on July 1, 2026.

This bill allocates $1,368,700 in state funding to Idaho's four community colleges for fiscal year 2027, with specific amounts designated for personnel and operating expenses at each institution. The legislation also reduces the total appropriation by $245,500 from the previous year's funding levels across the same colleges. The funds are distributed through the State Board of Education's General Fund and become effective on July 1, 2026.

This bill allocates state funding to Idaho's Division of Career Technical Education for the Secondary and General Programs program over fiscal years 2026 and 2027. It provides $1,877,300 for the 2026-2027 period and $957,600 for the 2025-2026 period, both drawn from the Idaho Career Ready Students Program Fund. The money is designated specifically for trustee and benefit payments related to the program. The legislation includes an emergency declaration to allow Section 2 to take effect immediately upon signing, while Section 1 becomes active on July 1, 2026.

This bill allocates additional funding to Idaho's Industrial Commission for fiscal year 2027, covering the period from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027. The money comes from several existing state funds and is designated for specific purposes including employee compensation, capital projects, trustee and benefit payments, rehabilitation services, and crime victim compensation. The total appropriation amounts to $440,600, with the largest portion going toward compensation expenses. The bill includes an emergency declaration to make the funding effective immediately upon signing.