This bill updates Idaho laws governing enhanced short-term health insurance plans, primarily affecting insurance carriers and individuals purchasing these temporary coverage options. It clarifies renewal rules by establishing that carriers must offer affected individuals the chance to reapply for coverage when enhanced short-term plans reach their renewal limits, while also requiring carriers to provide at least 180 days notice before nonrenewing all their individual market plans. The legislation sets a maximum total duration of 36 months for these plans and requires carriers to offer alternative health benefit plans on a guaranteed issue basis if they discontinue a specific enhanced short-term product after being in use for 36 months. Additionally, the bill prohibits carriers from writing new individual market business for five years if they choose to nonrenew all their individual market plans.
This bill formally approves all pending rules from the Idaho Department of Commerce and the Division of Veterans Services that were reviewed by the House Commerce and Human Resources Committee. It confirms that these administrative rules, which govern various state programs and services, have passed the required legislative review process under Idaho's Administrative Procedure Act. The resolution does not create new laws or change existing policies but serves as an official record that the committee has examined and accepted these regulations for the 2026 legislative session.
This bill creates the Idaho Child Care Program to help low-income families pay for child care while parents work, attend education or training, or receive child welfare services. It establishes eligibility requirements based on income and asset limits, requires children to be under 13 (with exceptions for those unable to care for themselves), and sets rules for how long parents can qualify through education or training. The program will be administered by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, which will manage applications, conduct annual eligibility reviews, and can create a waiting list that prioritizes vulnerable families such as those who are homeless, caring for children with disabilities, or receiving child welfare services. The legislation also defines terms related to fraud detection, provider requirements, and oversight to ensure program integrity.
This bill amends Idaho law to clarify that if a contract explicitly specifies a type or form of gold or silver coin (e.g., "1921 Morgan silver dollar"), a court must order the exact coin as payment if the contract is breached. It directly affects parties to contracts in Idaho that designate specific coin types for payment. The key provision requires courts to enforce the exact coin type agreed upon in writing, rather than allowing alternative tender. The bill does not make gold/silver coins mandatory for general transactions but ensures contractual agreements naming specific coins are honored by courts.
S 1328 amends multiple Idaho Code sections to update forest fire protection and land management rules. It clarifies that individuals responsible for uncontrolled fires must immediately act to control them, and the state can recover fire suppression costs through civil action. The bill limits property damage claims to specific categories - fire control costs, verifiable economic losses, and either restoration costs or property value loss - with a 10-year statute of limitations. It also specifies that timber owners must cover fire protection costs on their land, and the Department of Lands can place liens on timber to recover unpaid expenses.
This bill amends Idaho law to include physical therapists in the legal definition of "primary care provider" for direct primary care services. It directly affects physical therapists, allowing them to offer direct primary care under the same framework as doctors of family medicine, pediatrics, internal medicine, or dentistry. The key provision revises Section 39-9203 to explicitly list physical therapy as a qualifying field, enabling physical therapists to enter direct primary care agreements with patients. The change takes effect on July 1, 2026. This expands access to direct primary care options for patients seeking physical therapy services as part of a primary care relationship.
This Idaho bill (H 608) revises the Public School Facilities Cooperative Funding Program, which provides state financial support to school districts for fixing unsafe school buildings. It requires school districts to apply to a new panel (comprising education and building safety officials) if they’ve failed to pass local tax votes for repairs, approved insufficient levies, or been identified by state safety inspectors as having unresolved hazards. The panel reviews applications for the most cost-effective solutions over 20 years and may mandate a local voter referendum to approve bond funding if the state covers costs. School districts with projects exceeding $5 million or approved via state intervention must also appoint a state supervisor to oversee construction.
This Idaho bill (S 1338) allows the State Treasurer to invest up to 7.5% of the state's idle funds in physical gold and silver, subject to specific storage requirements. It requires gold and silver to be stored in secure, insured depositories within Idaho, adjacent states, or Texas, with independent audits and physical segregation from other assets. The bill amends existing investment rules to add gold and silver as permitted investments alongside traditional bonds and deposits. It directly affects how the state manages its excess funds, with the State Treasurer responsible for compliance. The policy change is limited to a defined percentage of idle funds and includes strict storage and security protocols.
This bill allows Idaho residents living in single-family homes to keep up to four hens for personal egg consumption, removing barriers created by local ordinances that previously banned such activity. It permits selling or exchanging eggs under existing Idaho cottage food safety rules but prohibits roosters unless local rules allow them. The law preserves local government authority to enforce reasonable regulations on sanitation, noise, or nuisance concerns in household egg production. It takes effect July 1, 2026, and does not apply to enforcement actions finalized before that date.
Idaho's H 659 requires all local law enforcement agencies (including county sheriffs and municipal police departments) to apply for a federal immigration enforcement program called Section 287(g). This program allows trained local officers to assist U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) with immigration enforcement under federal oversight. If an agency cannot join the program, it must publicly state its reasons and efforts to cooperate with ICE. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026, after being approved by the Idaho legislature.
HCR 24 is a concurrent resolution honoring Battalion Chiefs Frank Harwood and John Morrison Jr., who died in the line of duty on June 29, 2025, while responding to a brush fire in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, and Engineer David Tysdal, who was critically injured in the same incident. The resolution expresses the Idaho Legislature’s support for these individuals, their families, and all first responders, recognizing their service and commitment to public safety. It commits to supporting measures that enhance first responder safety and directs an enrolled copy to be presented to their families and departments. This procedural resolution was unanimously adopted by the Idaho Legislature on February 4, 2026.
This bill amends Idaho state laws to update provisions related to the Commission on Hispanic Affairs, adjust tobacco taxes, and clarify income tax credit rules for charitable contributions. It establishes the nine-member Commission on Hispanic Affairs with appointments from legislative leaders and community members, sets a 5% tax on tobacco products with funds allocated to education safety, substance abuse prevention, and juvenile services, and defines eligible organizations for state income tax credits including the Commission on Hispanic Affairs. The legislation also specifies how tax credits are calculated for individuals and corporations and outlines requirements for educational institutions to qualify for certain charitable contribution credits.
