H 759 revises Idaho's Medicaid provider payment rules to reduce costs and increase transparency. It sets payment rates at 90% of Medicare rates for most services (up to 100% for primary care), requires annual cost surveys for home-based services with 15% audits, and mandates public reporting of survey results by December 31 each year. The bill directly affects residential habilitation providers, hospitals, and other Medicaid service providers by requiring them to allocate funds to direct care wages and meet spending thresholds. Key mechanisms include new reimbursement rates for hospitals (e.g., 101% for in-state critical access hospitals), a three-year budget reduction target for hospital payments, and nullifying specific administrative rules after 2026.
Idaho's H 755 requires the annual review of all state sales tax exemptions by the Legislative Services Office. The review analyzes factors like annual revenue impact, public purpose, affected taxpayers, and benefits/detriment of repeal, with a report due to tax committees by February 1 each year. All sales tax exemptions enacted on or after January 1, 2026, will automatically expire 10 years after their effective date (or July 1, 2027, whichever is later), unless renewed by the legislature. Existing exemptions expire 10 years after enactment or July 1, 2031, unless extended. This bill directly affects businesses and individuals benefiting from current exemptions by subjecting them to mandatory review and automatic expiration.
HR 24 is a procedural resolution, not a policy bill. It formally states that the Idaho House Revenue and Taxation Committee has completed its required review and approved all temporary and pending rules adopted by the Idaho State Tax Commission during the 2026 legislative session, as mandated by Idaho Code Section 67-5291. The resolution confirms the committee fulfilled its statutory duty to review these rules, which relate to tax regulations, but does not create new policies or affect specific individuals or entities. This is a routine administrative step to document the committee's review process.
H 757 amends Idaho's child welfare laws to clarify definitions related to medical neglect for children and vulnerable adults. It updates terms like "abused," "aggravated circumstances," and "disability" in existing statutes (Sections 16-1602 and 39-5302, Idaho Code) to improve consistency in legal standards. The bill does not create new programs or requirements but refines how medical neglect is legally defined for court and agency use. It directly affects child welfare cases, courts, and agencies handling neglect investigations. The bill is procedural, focusing on terminology rather than policy changes.
H 526 allows small cottage food operations in Idaho to sell time/temperature control for safety (TCS) foods directly to consumers, expanding their current sales scope. The bill permits these operations to sell TCS foods (like cooked meats or dairy) if their annual gross sales stay under $5,000, which was previously restricted. This directly affects home-based food businesses that want to offer a wider range of products without full commercial kitchen licensing. The law would take effect on July 1, 2026, if passed.
Idaho bill H 514 changes licensing requirements for barber, cosmetology, and related beauty professionals. It allows students to take their final licensing exams after completing 80% of the required education hours (instead of 100%), directly affecting those training in approved schools. The bill amends Section 54-5810 of Idaho Code to establish this new threshold for exam eligibility. This change aims to streamline the path to licensure while maintaining safety standards, effective July 1, 2026.
This bill requires Idaho school districts and public charter schools to annually share clear information about harassment, intimidation, or bullying (as defined by Idaho law) with all staff, parents, and students, including that staff must intervene. It mandates ongoing professional development for school staff to prevent and address these issues, and requires school policies to include graduated consequences for offenders and procedures for mandatory reporting of incidents leading to student suspensions. Schools must also annually report bullying incidents to the state education department using a standardized format. These changes apply to all Idaho public schools and aim to standardize prevention, response, and reporting practices.
Idaho's H 753 establishes a framework for Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) programs to provide intensive, community-based mental health support. It directly affects individuals with serious mental illness who have experienced frequent hospitalizations, crisis services, or failed to benefit from standard outpatient care. The bill defines ACT as 24/7 multidisciplinary teams delivering comprehensive services in community settings, requiring specific staff composition (including clinicians, peer specialists, and substance use counselors). It mandates the Department of Health and Welfare to seek federal Medicaid approval by March 2026 to implement these programs, aiming to reduce hospitalizations and support community living. The law sets eligibility criteria based on medical need, functional impairment, and documented service failures.
This Idaho bill (S 1225) changes how public universities search for new presidents and who can see candidate information. It requires state boards to form search committees with faculty, alumni, and community members, hold private candidate reviews, and publicly share the sole finalist’s name at least 10 days before the final hiring vote in an open meeting. Previously, up to five finalists’ names were required to be public, but this bill now mandates disclosure only for the final candidate. These rules directly affect all Idaho state universities and aim to increase transparency in leadership appointments.
This Idaho bill requires virtual currency kiosk operators to obtain a money transmitter license and submit detailed quarterly and annual reports to the Idaho Department of Finance. The reports must include transaction volumes, refund data, customer complaints, and contact details for compliance officers, with specific disclosures to prevent fraud and money laundering. Operators must also provide blockchain transaction records and assist law enforcement investigations upon request. The law directly affects kiosk operators in Idaho and the state's regulatory agency.
S 1334 clarifies that Idaho's governor cannot authorize the Idaho National Guard for active combat duty without specific federal action. It requires either a formal U.S. congressional declaration of war or explicit congressional action calling the Guard to duty for national defense purposes (like repelling invasion or suppressing insurrection). The bill explicitly preserves the governor's authority for non-combat federal service, such as training or domestic support missions under federal law. This bill does not create new programs but defines constitutional boundaries for state-federal military authority.
H 743 creates a new legal process allowing Idaho's Attorney General to sue public officials, employees, and government entities (like cities, counties, schools, or state agencies) when they fail to follow state law without an existing enforcement mechanism. If the Attorney General wins, courts can order compliance, impose civil penalties up to $50,000 for willful violations, and require the defendant to pay attorney fees. The bill also permits withholding state funds or revenue-sharing payments from affected entities until a case is resolved, with withheld money going to the state general fund or tax relief fund if the entity is found noncompliant. This establishes a direct legal tool for enforcing state law against public entities through court action.
