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.
Idaho's H 782 bill revises income tax rates for individuals and corporations, lowering the top individual rate to 5.325% by 2026 and gradually reducing corporate tax rates from 7.6% to 5.325% over time. It extends the child tax credit indefinitely - allowing $205 per qualifying child annually for families filing Idaho taxes - and permanently repeals the Parental Choice Tax Credit (which provided education-related tax breaks) and its advance payment fund. The bill directly affects Idaho residents (through individual tax changes), businesses (via corporate tax adjustments), and families with qualifying children (through the extended credit). Key mechanisms include automatic inflation adjustments for tax thresholds and the elimination of the Parental Choice program, effective immediately upon enactment.
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.
Idaho's S 1344 requires the Department of Health and Welfare to discontinue all programs not explicitly authorized by Idaho Code by July 1, 2028, and mandates annual monitoring to ensure compliance. The bill requires the department to submit a comprehensive report listing all programs and their legal authority to legislative committees by December 1, 2026. It also creates financial consequences for unauthorized spending, including reverting unspent funds to their original source and reducing future appropriations. This bill directly affects the state's health and welfare department and all programs it administers, ensuring legislative authorization for all services and funding.
H 784 requires Idaho public schools to provide daily outdoor recess of at least 20 minutes for students in kindergarten through fifth grade, with indoor alternatives (like gymnasiums) permitted when weather prevents outdoor time. It also encourages schools to offer unstructured activity breaks for students in grades six through eight. The law would take effect on July 1, 2026, applying to all public school districts and charter schools in Idaho. This directly affects K-5 students through mandated recess time and K-6-8 students through the encouragement of unstructured breaks.
This concurrent resolution (SCR 115) expresses the Idaho Legislature's support for consolidating the Soil and Water Conservation Commission (SWCC) into the Idaho Department of Water Resources (IDWR). It does not create new law but affirms the legislature's findings that merging these entities aligns with efficiency goals, as recommended by Governor Little's Executive Order 2026-01 and the DOGE task force. The resolution specifically urges that any consolidation preserves SWCC’s core mission of supporting voluntary, locally led conservation through conservation districts. It applies directly to Idaho’s soil and water conservation districts, the SWCC, and IDWR.
