Idaho Bills

This bill allocates $420,500 in state funds to Idaho's Department of Health and Welfare for the Foster and Assistance Payments Program during fiscal year 2026 (July 1, 2025-June 30, 2026). The funding comes from two sources: $222,900 from the Cooperative Welfare (General) Fund and $197,600 from the Cooperative Welfare (Federal) Fund. It directly supports extended foster care services by providing trustee and benefit payments to eligible youth in foster care. The bill became effective July 1, 2025, after being signed into law on April 4, 2025.

This bill appropriates funding for Idaho's Department of Health and Welfare Behavioral Health Services Division for fiscal years 2025-2026, affecting Substance Abuse Treatment, Mental Health Services, and Psychiatric Hospitalization programs. Key provisions include reducing funding for Substance Abuse Treatment and Psychiatric Hospitalization while maintaining or slightly increasing some Mental Health Services allocations, cutting nine full-time equivalent positions in Mental Health Services, and prohibiting the use of funds for diversity training, critical race theory, or gender-related programming. It also requires a report on child assessment alternatives that excludes questions about sexual orientation and gender identity, and mandates that state funds not replace federal funding if federal support decreases. These changes directly impact how the department allocates resources for behavioral health services across its divisions.

Idaho's S 1117 requires the Division of Financial Management to provide updated fiscal impact statements for initiative petitions after modifications are made to the petition. The bill mandates that these updated statements be delivered within 10 working days of receiving notice of changes, and a final statement must be filed by July 20 each year for petitions with sufficient signatures. The summary of the fiscal impact (under 100 words) and detailed statement must be included in voters' pamphlets, on ballots, and published online by August 1. This directly affects initiative petitioners, state agencies, and voters who review election materials. The law applies to state-level initiatives but excludes city or county measures.

This bill appropriates $295,000 from Idaho's General Fund to the Executive Office of the Governor for fiscal year 2026 (July 1, 2025-June 30, 2026), with $45,000 designated for capital outlay and $250,000 for trustee and benefit payments. It declares an emergency to take effect immediately on July 1, 2025, ensuring funding is available for the Governor's administrative operations during the 2025-2026 budget period. The bill directly affects the Governor's office budget, providing specific funding for operational costs without altering policy or affecting other entities.

Idaho's S 1171 establishes a civil cause of action allowing specific individuals - such as the patient, father, grandparents, siblings, or aunts/uncles of the preborn child - to sue medical professionals who knowingly or recklessly perform or attempt an abortion in violation of Idaho law. The law mandates a minimum $20,000 in statutory damages plus attorney fees for qualifying violations, with lawsuits required to be filed within four years. Crucially, the law explicitly prohibits state enforcement (e.g., by prosecutors or government officials), ensuring civil liability is pursued solely through private lawsuits, independent of any criminal proceedings.

This bill revises Idaho's process for adding land to or removing land from agricultural protection areas. It requires county officials to make written decisions on applications within 60 days, including specific justifications, and automatically adopts the commission's recommendation if deadlines are missed. Landowners seeking to add land must follow the new review process, while those wanting to remove land can request hardship-based exceptions and face a 10-year minimum removal timeline. The bill also allows counties to charge administrative fees covering actual costs for processing changes. These changes directly affect Idaho landowners and county planning officials managing farmland protection.

S 1157 amends Idaho election law to change requirements for independent presidential and vice presidential candidates. It requires independent candidates to file a declaration by August 1 stating they have no party affiliation and attach a petition signed by 1,000 qualified voters. The petition signatures must be verified by September 1, and the secretary of state certifies candidate qualifications by that date. The bill also sets deadlines for candidates to certify their vice presidential and elector choices by September 1 (with a possible 5-day extension), with final certification to county clerks by September 7. This law, signed by the governor on April 4, 2025, takes effect July 1, 2025.

This bill appropriates $25.7 million from state funds for Idaho's Department of Health and Welfare's Public Health Services Division for fiscal years 2025-2026. It allocates specific funding for physical health services, suicide prevention, and other programs while adding four full-time staff positions. The bill requires the department to submit reports on transitioning several programs - including drug overdose prevention, Alzheimer's care, and cancer data tracking - to new agencies or community health centers, and mandates notifications about federal grants. It also includes safeguards to prevent state funds from replacing lost federal support without legislative approval.

This bill (S 1220) reallocates $48,300 between state funds to cover personnel costs for Idaho’s Office of Energy and Mineral Resources during fiscal year 2026 (July 1, 2025 - June 30, 2026). It adds $37,000 from the Indirect Cost Recovery Fund and $11,300 from the Miscellaneous Revenue Fund while reducing $30,400 from the Renewable Energy Resources Fund and $17,900 from the Petroleum Price Violation Fund. The net effect is zero change in total funding, as the amounts added equal the amounts reduced. Signed into law on April 4, 2025, it became effective July 1, 2025, and is procedural in nature.

This bill appropriates $18.3 million to Idaho's Department of Fish and Game for fiscal years 2025-2026, funding key programs like wildlife management, fisheries, enforcement, and administration. It specifies detailed allocations (e.g., $11.2 million for Administration, $2.8 million for Fisheries) and authorizes redirecting unused funds from deferred maintenance projects ($220,800) and depredation claims ($1.8 million) for nonrecurring expenses. The bill includes emergency provisions making certain sections effective immediately upon signing (Section 4) and others effective July 1, 2025 (Sections 1-3). It directly affects the Department of Fish and Game’s budget execution for conservation and wildlife management activities.

This bill appropriates $691.59 million in state and federal funds to Idaho's Department of Health and Welfare for Medicaid programs during fiscal years 2025-2026. It specifies funding allocations across six Medicaid plans (including Basic, Expansion, and Enhanced plans) and includes a $17.4 million reduction for the Expansion Medicaid Plan. Key provisions require the Medicaid division to report on outpatient addiction treatment models, transition to annual contracts (reducing mid-year adjustments), and submit annual reports on emergency Medicaid usage. The bill also enforces federal funding restrictions, ensuring state funds won't replace lost federal support without legislative approval.

This bill appropriates $187,000 to Idaho's Public Utilities Commission (PUC) for fiscal year 2026 (July 1, 2025-June 30, 2026), funding personnel costs ($178,700), operations ($4,100), and capital needs ($4,200). It also authorizes two additional full-time staff positions for the PUC during the same period. The bill directly affects the PUC’s operational capacity to regulate utilities like electricity, water, and gas providers. Signed by the governor on April 4, 2025, it became effective July 1, 2025. As a funding measure, it does not change utility regulations or policies.