Idaho Bills

H 528 allows Idaho patients to use their own blood or blood from a donor they specifically choose (a "directed donor") for transfusions, provided the blood is collected by a federally compliant blood establishment. Healthcare providers cannot block this option unless the blood use would be unsafe, time-sensitive, or for an emergency. The bill also shields providers from liability for injuries from using this blood, unless their gross negligence caused harm. This law, effective July 1, 2026, does not override federal blood donation rules.

Idaho's SCR 117 is a concurrent resolution (not a law) that expresses the legislature's support for water projects in Water District 4. It recognizes the district as Idaho's "water tower" and formally backs existing initiatives like managed aquifer recharge on the Henrys Fork and Snake River, cloud seeding to boost snowpack, and infrastructure upgrades for irrigation canals. The resolution emphasizes these projects' importance for sustaining groundwater, supporting agriculture, and securing water supply across southern Idaho. It does not create new funding or policy but affirms the legislature's endorsement of current water management efforts led by the Idaho Water Resource Board.

Idaho's SCR 118 is a non-binding legislative resolution supporting water projects in Water District 3, which covers agricultural areas across 11 counties including Twin Falls and Gooding. It formally recognizes the importance of ongoing projects like the Milner Dam spillway repairs, Gooding flood control improvements, Twin Falls Canal modernization, and aquifer recharge efforts to sustain water supplies. These initiatives directly benefit dairy and crop farmers, residents, and infrastructure by stabilizing the Snake River and aquifer systems, reducing flood risks, and improving water efficiency. The resolution emphasizes continued funding for these projects as essential for long-term agricultural productivity and public safety.

This concurrent resolution (SCR 116) formally recognizes the importance of Idaho Water District 1 (encompassing 10 Panhandle counties) and expresses legislative support for specific water projects within the region. It highlights key initiatives like the Priest Lake Outlet Dam modification (protecting tourism and aquifer levels), the Lower Clearwater Exchange Project (shifting water sources to stabilize aquifers and aid fish), and infrastructure upgrades for the Burnett Water Users Association and Hayden Lake Irrigation District. The resolution emphasizes that these projects are vital for agricultural sustainability, aquifer protection, flood management, and regional economic stability. As a non-binding resolution, it does not create new law but affirms the Legislature’s endorsement of ongoing water management efforts.

This bill updates Idaho's solid waste disposal laws by clarifying key terms like "flow control" and "major solid waste generator" while ensuring government entities cannot use compulsory methods to restrict private companies from competing in waste management. It grants county commissioners broader authority to establish and operate waste disposal systems using various funding sources, including bonds and current revenues, while allowing them to choose between public operation or contracting with private firms. The legislation also standardizes how cities and counties must manage existing and new waste facilities, requiring major waste generators and municipalities to follow specific procedures when their actions could significantly impact waste disposal sites. Overall, the bill aims to balance public oversight with private sector competition in Idaho's solid waste management system.

This bill amends Idaho's sales tax laws to establish clearer procedures for obtaining refunds when sales taxes are mistakenly paid. It directly affects sellers, buyers, and the state tax commission by creating specific rules for handling situations where sales tax was collected incorrectly. The key provision requires sellers to refund sales taxes to buyers when no tax was actually due, while allowing sellers to claim a credit from the state for the amount refunded, minus any use tax owed on that transaction. The bill also clarifies that sellers cannot claim additional credits for subsequent transactions after they are aware that use tax should have been applied instead of sales tax.

This bill updates Idaho's career ladder system for school staff, including superintendents, building administrators, and instructional employees, by adjusting how compensation increases are calculated based on experience and performance. It establishes specific pathways for salary progression tied to years of certification, professional endorsements, and performance evaluations, while also creating provisions for career technical education instructors with industry experience to receive equivalent placement on the ladder. The legislation requires school districts to allocate funds based on staff positions on the career ladder, with additional funding for staff who earn advanced degrees or meet specific performance criteria.

This bill increases the Project Choice program fee from $3 to $8 for Idaho state police registrations, with the additional funds going to the state law enforcement fund. The money will be used to create a career ladder and provide salary incentives for hiring and retaining trained commissioned officers, dispatch personnel, and forensic personnel within the Idaho state police. The fee applies to registrations starting in calendar year 2007 and later, and existing employees who benefited from the program before July 1, 2010, will continue to receive benefits. The bill also includes standard provisions for severability and declares an emergency to set an effective date of July 1, 2026.

This bill establishes a pilot program in Idaho to explore the use of certain psychoactive substances, including psilocybin, MDMA, and ibogaine, for treating serious behavioral health conditions like PTSD, depression, and addiction. The program would be administered by the Department of Health and Welfare and is limited to eligible participants such as veterans, first responders, and Idaho residents aged 21 or older with qualifying conditions. Participation would be voluntary, and all medicine use must occur under strict medical supervision with comprehensive screening, safety protocols, and informed consent requirements. The program is designed to be revenue-neutral, primarily funded through program fees and donations rather than state tax dollars, and must collect data on safety and outcomes to inform future legislative decisions.

This bill, known as the FAST Act, authorizes the State of Idaho to use payment stablecoins for making payments to vendors and contractors. It establishes a list of approved stablecoins that must meet specific federal standards under the GENIUS Act, including being fully backed by U.S. dollars or treasury obligations and issued by U.S.-based entities with transparent reserve reporting. The state treasurer will maintain this list annually and report to the legislature on how stablecoin usage provides fiscal benefits, while vendors can choose but are not required to accept these digital payments. The bill also allows Idaho to coordinate with other states on stablecoin policies and requires secure systems for handling these transactions.

This bill clarifies how temporary government rules in Idaho expire and establishes specific deadlines for their review by the legislature. It requires agencies to explain why a rule needs to take effect before going through normal review, and sets a June 30 deadline for temporary rules to expire unless the legislature approves them by concurrent resolution. The law also specifies when pending rules become effective after legislative approval, with most taking effect on July 1 of the session year. These changes apply to all state agencies that create administrative rules and affect how quickly temporary regulations remain in force.

This bill allows county fair boards in Idaho counties with 200,000 or more residents to become advisory bodies to the county commissioners, giving the commissioners more direct control over fair operations. Under the new rules, commissioners would retain and exercise all existing powers, duties, and responsibilities of the fair board, while the ordinance must specify how the board advises commissioners and handles its operations. The changes apply only to single-county fair districts that already meet the population threshold before January 1, 2024, and do not affect multi-county fair districts or counties that reach the population limit after that date.