Idaho Bills

H 533 eliminates the requirement for vehicle registration stickers in Idaho. The bill amends multiple sections of Idaho Code (including 49-402, 49-402A, and 49-411) to remove all references to physical stickers, validation stickers, and rental car stickers from vehicle registration laws. This change directly affects all Idaho vehicle owners who previously needed to display or replace registration stickers. The key mechanism is removing sticker-related provisions from the code, including the $2.00 fee for replacement stickers listed in Section 49-202(l). The bill does not change other registration processes or fees, such as those for titles or license plates.

H 555 updates Idaho's Solid Waste Facilities Act by revising regulations for solid waste facilities, primarily affecting the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), counties, health districts, and waste facility operators. It repeals outdated site certification rules (sections 39-7408A-D) and replaces them with new processes for application reviews, public input, and administrative approvals. The bill adds new sections to establish a Solid Waste Regulatory Fund, set application fees, and create standards for co-located facilities and site operations. These changes streamline permitting, clarify agency responsibilities, and modernize compliance requirements without altering the act's core environmental protection goals.

Idaho's S 1317 creates a framework for voluntary regional service centers (RSCs) that school districts and public charter schools can form to share specialized staff and administrative services. The bill allows multiple local education agencies to pool resources for high-cost, hard-to-staff roles like psychologists and special education support under IDEA, while maintaining local control over curriculum and enrollment. RSCs would receive state funding for core administrative services (e.g., HR, finance), operate under locally governed boards, and offer additional fee-based services through agreements. This aims to reduce duplication, improve compliance with federal special education requirements, and lower costs for participating schools.

This Idaho bill prohibits public schools from granting excused absences for student participation in political protests, political lobbying activities, or walkouts. It requires such absences to be counted as unexcused, affecting school attendance records and funding calculations. Schools must annually report these unexcused absences to the state superintendent, with reports beginning in 2027. The law applies to all Idaho public K-12 schools and charter schools.

This Idaho bill (H 700) prohibits employers and related parties from knowingly hiring or continuing to employ noncitizens without valid U.S. work authorization. It directly affects businesses, staffing agencies, and labor organizations operating in Idaho. Key provisions require employers to verify work eligibility through federal e-Verify before hiring, and compliance with this process serves as a defense against criminal charges. Violations are classified as misdemeanors, and the law takes effect July 1, 2026.

Idaho's H 704 requires all employers in the state to verify the legal work status of new hires within three days of employment. It mandates enrollment in the federal E-Verify program by July 1, 2026, and prohibits knowingly employing unauthorized workers. Employers must check documents like Idaho driver's licenses, tribal IDs, or federal work permits to confirm lawful presence, with the state using existing agency data (e.g., DMV records) solely for verification. The law explicitly prohibits Idaho from making final immigration determinations, relying instead on federal programs and state-issued IDs as proof of legal status.

Idaho's H 791 creates a new rule requiring driver's license suspensions for individuals delinquent 30+ days on unpaid moving traffic fines (e.g., speeding, reckless driving), effective January 1, 2027. The bill mandates courts to notify the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) when a driver fails to pay such fines, triggering automatic license suspension without a DMV hearing. Drivers must pay the outstanding fine to the court and pay a $25 reinstatement fee to the DMV to regain driving privileges, with exceptions for established payment plans for those unable to pay and medical emergencies. This affects drivers with overdue moving violation fines (excluding parking or pedestrian citations), altering prior policy that prohibited license suspensions solely for unpaid fines.

This bill revises Idaho's laws regarding material harmful to minors by updating key definitions and clarifying protections for schools and libraries. It defines "adolescent minor" as ages 13-18 (previously 12-18), refines terms like "nudity" and "sexually explicit," and explicitly excludes educational, artistic, or scientific content from restrictions. Schools and libraries are prohibited from providing material that is both "sexually explicit" and "harmful to minors" when considered as a whole. The changes aim to modernize existing statutes while maintaining exemptions for content with literary, artistic, or educational value.

H 504 prohibits bulk purchases of Idaho lottery tickets, defined as buying more than $5,000 worth of tickets within 24 hours (across single or multiple transactions/locations). The Idaho State Lottery can deny prize payments for tickets bought in bulk and investigate suspicious purchase patterns. Retailers who knowingly facilitate bulk purchases face penalties, including contract termination. This directly affects individuals or groups buying large quantities of tickets and lottery retailers selling them.

This Idaho bill (S 1343) changes retirement rules for judges who took office on or after July 1, 2012. It prevents these judges from choosing a retirement option that allows them to serve as unpaid "senior judges" (requiring 35-60 days of annual service) while receiving certain retirement benefits. Instead, they must elect a different retirement path without the senior judge service requirement, and must provide written acknowledgment of this choice. The law aims to encourage judges to complete their full terms so voters can elect replacements, as stated in the legislative intent. The change applies only to judges first appointed after July 2012, not those who took office earlier.

H 783 amends Idaho's medical savings account law to include health care sharing ministry expenses as eligible medical costs for tax deductions. This directly affects Idaho residents who use health care sharing ministries (alternative health cost-sharing groups) instead of traditional insurance, allowing them to deduct related expenses. The bill updates the definition of "eligible medical expense" in Section 63-3022K(3)(e) to explicitly cover payments made through these ministries for the account holder, spouse, dependents, or dependent children. It does not change existing deduction limits ($2,000 annually before 2014 or $10,000 after 2014). The change simplifies tax treatment for ministry members without altering contribution rules or penalties.

This bill revises Idaho's rules for school districts to impose supplemental maintenance and operation levies (additional taxes beyond regular funding). It requires school districts to hold elections for new supplemental levies, which can last 1-4 years (not exceeding 4 years), and allows districts with at least 7 consecutive years of levies ≥20% of their general funds to seek indefinite levies via voter approval. Charter districts must follow similar election rules, and the bill includes specific provisions for districts in revenue allocation areas. The changes take effect July 1, 2026.