Idaho bill H 748 amends the Public Records Act to streamline how individuals challenge denied requests for public records. It allows people denied records to file a complaint in magistrate court within 90 days, requiring submission of the original request, agency response, and related communications, plus a $100 non-waivable filing fee. The court must rule within 14 days after the agency responds, with agencies required to retain disputed records until resolution. Alternatively, individuals may pursue a separate district court process within 180 days for broader challenges.
H 744 establishes rules for commercial use of biometric identifiers (like fingerprints, facial scans, or voiceprints) in Idaho. It requires businesses to get explicit consent before collecting such data and prohibits selling or sharing it without specific exceptions (e.g., for financial transactions or law enforcement with a warrant). Businesses must store biometric data securely, destroy it within one year after its purpose expires (or upon user revocation of consent), and face civil penalties up to $25,000 per violation. The law excludes financial institutions and certain AI development activities from its requirements. It takes effect July 1, 2026.
This non-binding Idaho Joint Memorial (HJM 11) urges Congress to fully fund the federal commitment under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which requires 40% of the national average per-pupil cost for special education services. It highlights that federal funding currently covers only about 12% in Idaho, placing financial strain on schools and families. The memorial specifically calls for Congress to pass legislation that meets the 40% funding target through mandatory, sustained increases within a defined timeline. It also directs Idaho’s education department to annually report on how federal IDEA funding supports special education services in the state.
Idaho's HJM 9 is a joint memorial urging Congress to reaffirm the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) as the primary law for managing public lands. The resolution states that a recent legal challenge in Idaho threatens FLPMA's established processes for land exchanges - critical for managing intermingled federal, state, and private lands across the West - and requests congressional action to prevent disruption to land management and existing exchanges. It emphasizes FLPMA's role since 1976 in providing consistent, predictable administration of public lands for multiple uses.
Idaho's HJM 12 is a joint memorial expressing opposition to Utah's proposed export tax on transportation fuels. It states that Utah's plan would impose an additional tax on fuel Idaho imports (70,000 barrels daily, 75% for Idaho consumers), creating a duplicate tax burden for Idaho businesses and residents. The memorial cites constitutional concerns under Article I, Section 10 of the U.S. Constitution and warns the tax would add hundreds of millions in annual costs to Idaho families and businesses. Idaho urges Utah to reconsider the proposal and maintain cooperative energy partnerships. As a non-binding memorial, it does not change laws but formally documents Idaho's position.
This Idaho bill (H 671) creates a 60% rebate on sales taxes collected by qualifying retailers in new retail complexes. Developers must spend at least $4 million on the complex and fund approved highway improvements costing over $5 million (like interchange upgrades) to qualify. The rebate, capped at $35 million per project, is paid from a new state fund and requires developers to submit documentation to the tax commission within two years of completing eligible transportation work. It directly affects retail developers and participating retailers in qualifying projects.
This Idaho bill (S 1329) allows businesses to round cash transactions to the nearest nickel (5¢) when exact change isn't possible with coins. It specifically permits rounding down for amounts ending in 1, 2, 6, or 7 cents and up for amounts ending in 3, 4, 8, or 9 cents. Electronic payments, however, must always be charged at the exact amount. The law affects all businesses accepting cash payments in Idaho and takes effect July 1, 2026.
H 741 allows eligible Idaho public charter schools (non-virtual, meeting specific performance criteria) to spend state funding - such as discretionary, categorical, and salary funds - as they determine, without needing charter revisions. Participating schools are exempt from certain reporting requirements (including those under sections 33-119, 33-1002, and others) and automatically retain spending flexibility yearly, unless they fail audits, academic benchmarks, or lose charter status. Teachers transitioning from these schools to other public schools retain career ladder credit for prior service. The bill requires a 2029 report to the legislature on participation and student performance changes. It takes effect July 1, 2026.
Idaho's H 729, the "Idaho Dental Plan Transparency Act," requires dental health insurance plans (excluding Medicaid, CHIP, short-term plans, and direct primary care) to annually report their "dental loss ratio" (DLR) to the Idaho Department of Insurance. The DLR shows what percentage of premium dollars go directly toward patient dental care versus administrative costs, calculated using specific rules that exclude overhead and other expenses. Starting in 2027, plans must submit these reports by July 31, and the Department will publish the data publicly on a searchable website by January 1 each year for consumers to compare. This law aims to increase transparency about how dental plan premiums are used, without changing coverage or costs.
This Idaho bill (H 732) adds the Salvation Army to the list of organizations exempt from state sales and use tax on specific transactions. It exempts donations to the Salvation Army, sales to the Salvation Army, and purchases made by the Salvation Army from taxation under Section 63-3622O. The bill directly affects the Salvation Army’s operations in Idaho by removing tax burdens on these activities. It aligns the Salvation Army with existing tax exemptions for other nonprofits like food banks and hospitals. The change is purely procedural, updating the tax code to include the organization.
This Idaho bill (H 740) revises how investment earnings from state land grant endowment funds are managed and distributed to support public schools. It requires annual distribution of excess earnings reserve funds to school district income funds or permanent endowments, with public school funding specifically tied to per-pupil attendance (using average daily attendance data). The bill also clarifies that these funds can be used for administrative costs related to managing endowment assets. It directly affects Idaho's public school districts by changing the mechanism for distributing education-related investment earnings. The changes take effect July 1, 2026.
H 735 requires individuals paid to conduct in-person political outreach (like door-to-door campaigning) to disclose their compensation and employer. Specifically, these canvassers must verbally state they're paid and name their employer, wear a visible "paid political advocate" badge, and meet basic voter eligibility requirements (including a 30-day Idaho residency for under-18s). The law excludes volunteers, incidental campaign staff, phone banking efforts, and candidates promoting their own campaigns. Violations could result in civil fines up to $250 for individuals or enforcement through the Secretary of State’s complaint system. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026.
