This bill updates Idaho's child custody laws to prioritize parental rights while ensuring decisions serve the child's best interests. It establishes a presumption that equal custody allocation is in a child's best interest when both parents are fit, and requires courts to consider factors like the child's wishes, family stability, and domestic violence history. The legislation also clarifies definitions for parents with disabilities, ensuring courts evaluate how adaptive equipment and supportive services enable parenting without creating new government obligations. Additionally, it protects military service members from having custody reduced due to active duty and mandates mediation before contested custody trials.
This bill requires Idaho state agencies to use artificial intelligence systems to review their existing rules and guidance documents annually as part of their regular regulatory review process. The AI tools must analyze regulations for outdated mandates, conflicts with other laws, comparisons to neighboring states, opportunities for simplification, compliance costs, and economic impacts, then provide recommendations for modifications. Human experts must review and approve all AI-generated analysis before any changes are made, ensuring that regulations are only altered after verifying accuracy and alignment with legislative intent. Agencies must complete an initial comprehensive review within six months of the bill's effective date and publish annual reports detailing the review process, accepted recommendations, and estimated burden reductions.
This bill clarifies Idaho's legal definition of electric-assisted bicycles by specifying which vehicles are excluded from that category. It directly affects vehicle owners, riders, and law enforcement by distinguishing between standard e-bikes and motorized vehicles that require licensing, registration, and insurance. The key provision excludes any two-wheeled electric vehicle with a motor of 750 watts or more, one that exceeds 30 mph, or one without operable pedals from being classified as an electric-assisted bicycle. Additionally, the bill formally defines electric personal assistive mobility devices as self-balancing two-wheeled devices limited to 15 mph. These changes aim to ensure consistent enforcement of traffic and vehicle laws across different types of electric-powered transportation.
This bill prohibits foreign persons from purchasing or acquiring controlling interests in single-family homes in Idaho starting July 1, 2026, and also restricts foreign governments and state-controlled enterprises from owning certain types of land like agricultural and forest land. It defines "foreign persons" to include non-U.S. citizens, foreign corporations, foreign governments, and various business entities acting on their behalf, while exempting U.S. citizens and legal residents. If a foreign person acquires a restricted property after the effective date, they must sell it within 180 days, and the attorney general can initiate legal action to force a sale through judicial foreclosure if they do not comply. The bill also establishes a whistleblower program that allows individuals to report violations and receive a 30% reward from the proceeds of any forced property sales, while protecting those who do not investigate foreign ownership status from liability.
This bill requires funeral homes and crematories in Idaho to confirm a deceased person's identity with high confidence before cremation can proceed. It mandates that a physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or coroner must verify the decedent's identity using methods like fingerprinting, DNA analysis, official photo ID, or visual confirmation by a legal next of kin. The law also protects funeral establishments from liability if they follow these identification procedures and rely on properly signed authorization forms. These requirements apply to all cremations performed in Idaho starting July 1, 2026.
This Idaho bill (H 680) requires all interviews with alleged child abuse victims - conducted by law enforcement, child welfare agencies, or child advocacy centers - to be recorded with sound and video. It applies to safety assessments, investigative interviews, and risk assessments. The law states that not having such recordings won't prevent evidence from being used in court. The bill takes effect on July 1, 2026.
This bill (S 1314) updates Idaho's administrative structure for health and welfare services by removing outdated references to the "Board of Health and Welfare" and replacing them with the "Department of Health and Welfare" in state law. It repeals obsolete sections about regional behavioral health boards and updates rules governing the department's internal operations, including how officials are appointed and referenced in legal documents. The changes streamline the department's governance without altering public health services or creating new citizen-facing policies. This is primarily an organizational update to modernize the state's health and welfare administrative framework.
Idaho's S 1340 amends traffic laws to require drivers on multilane highways to use the right-hand lane unless passing, preparing for a left turn, or overtaking slower vehicles. It specifically prohibits driving in the left lane when not passing, and mandates that vehicles moving slower than normal traffic must stay in the right lane to avoid impeding faster vehicles. Violations - including driving slowly in the left lane - carry a $75 fine under amended sections 49-630 and 49-655 of the Idaho Code. The law takes effect July 1, 2026, and includes signage requirements to inform drivers.
Idaho's H 583 restricts local governments from banning short-term rentals or imposing most specific regulations on them, such as owner occupation requirements, professional management mandates, or rental day limits. It allows only basic safety measures (like smoke alarms and fire extinguishers) and requires counties/cities to treat short-term rentals equally with standard residential properties under zoning and building codes. The bill also prohibits local taxes on rental marketplaces (like Airbnb), instead requiring these platforms to collect and remit state and local lodging taxes to the state tax commission for distribution to local governments. This directly affects short-term rental owners, property managers, and online platforms operating in Idaho.
This bill declares Norway rats and roof rats a public health and safety nuisance in Idaho, requiring the Department of Agriculture to coordinate with counties and local agencies to address their spread. It creates a system where residents can report rat sightings to the department, which will compile data to develop a public abatement plan. The plan must detail rat locations, necessary actions, reporting methods, and prevention tips, and be updated every three years. This directly affects Idaho residents - especially in urban areas - and local governments responsible for pest control, shifting focus to coordinated reporting and education rather than individual action.
This Idaho bill (H 500) updates traffic laws to explicitly include human-powered vehicles, bicycles, and electric-assisted bicycles under existing motor vehicle regulations. It requires drivers to exercise due care to avoid collisions with these vehicles and gives riders the same rights and duties as motor vehicle drivers (except where impractical). Key provisions ban riding without a permanent seat, limit passenger capacity to the vehicle's design, and allow secure child carriers. The changes apply to all riders of these vehicles and take effect July 1, 2026.
Idaho's H 531 amends school medication policies to improve access to epinephrine for students with severe allergies. It allows students to self-administer epinephrine auto-injectors and requires schools to maintain stock supplies for emergency use by trained staff. The bill mandates staff training on recognizing allergic reactions, proper storage/administration, and reporting incidents. It also provides legal protection for schools and staff acting reasonably during emergencies, while requiring prescriptions for student-specific use. This directly affects students with life-threatening allergies, school nurses, and designated school personnel.
