This bill appropriates $98.4 million to Idaho's Judicial Branch for fiscal year 2026 (July 1, 2025-June 30, 2026), funding court operations, staff salaries, technology, and specialized programs like drug courts. It exempts the Judicial Branch from standard budget transfer restrictions, allowing flexible reallocation of funds within its programs. The bill also requires timely retirement contributions for judges and reappropriates up to $16.2 million in unused ARPA funds for nonrecurring judicial expenses. It directly affects all state courts, judicial staff, and programs funded through the Judicial Branch, including senior judges and community substance use treatment services.
Idaho's S 1013 requires new trappers (those without a license before July 1, 2011) to complete a state-approved trapping education program and obtain a certificate before receiving a trapping license. The bill updates licensing rules to mandate this education, similar to existing requirements for hunters and archers. It also allows supervised trapping under licensed outfitters/guides (with a big game license) while ensuring compliance with reporting and tagging rules. The law establishes a $8 fee for all participants in trapping education programs to cover materials, and takes effect July 1, 2025.
Idaho's H 26 establishes a state ABLE account program, allowing residents with disabilities to save for qualified expenses (like education or housing) without losing eligibility for state assistance programs like Medicaid. The bill requires the state treasurer to partner with a national ABLE consortium, protects ABLE account assets when determining eligibility for state aid, and directs the Idaho State Independent Living Council to provide technical assistance and financial literacy resources. It also creates an ABLE Account Advisory Council with members including disability advocates, veterans' representatives, and ABLE account owners to guide outreach and program development. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, after being signed by the governor.
This Idaho bill (S 1014) updates health regulations for newborns by replacing outdated requirements with new, standardized procedures. It mandates that hospitals and healthcare providers apply antibiotic eye drops to all newborns to prevent gonorrhea eye infections (following CDC guidelines), require blood specimen collection for testing newborns for preventable diseases like phenylketonuria (PKU), and establish clear reporting protocols for eye inflammation or other reportable conditions. These changes directly affect hospitals, birth facilities, and healthcare providers handling newborns in Idaho. The bill repeals older, conflicting rules about eye treatments and reporting while aligning procedures with current medical standards.
This Idaho bill (H 19) amends laws governing criminal history record access. It authorizes state/local governments, licensing agencies, and private entities serving vulnerable populations (like children or the elderly) to submit fingerprints to the Bureau of Criminal Identification for background checks. Key changes include designating the Bureau as Idaho's sole source for FBI fingerprint submissions, requiring written requests with personal identification for record access, and mandating a clear warning that "an arrest without disposition is not an indication of guilt" on all records. The bill also restricts sharing criminal history data without consent, except to criminal justice agencies or courts. It takes effect July 1, 2025.
This bill (H 31) amends Idaho law to require third-party providers (like insurance companies) that normally require prior authorization for medical services to accept authorizations issued by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare for medical assistance recipients. It directly affects medical assistance recipients and third-party healthcare providers. The key provision mandates that if a third party needs prior authorization for services covered under Idaho's Medicaid program, they must accept the state's authorization as if it were their own. This streamlines the process for recipients seeking covered services without requiring duplicate approvals from providers. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025.
This bill requires the Idaho Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to provide data security compliance training for staff and contractors handling systems that store driver's license and vehicle registration records. It directly affects the DMV and any private contractors working with these systems. The key provision amends existing law (Idaho Code § 49-202) to mandate this training, ensuring personnel using DMV data systems meet security standards. The change applies to all systems managing sensitive personal information, including driver's license records and vehicle titles. The bill became law on July 1, 2025.
This Idaho bill (H 48) revises requirements for obtaining an "enhanced" concealed carry license. It specifies that applicants must complete a qualifying handgun safety course meeting new standards: at least 8 hours of in-person instruction covering Idaho firearms law, safe handgun use, self-defense principles, and live-fire training (minimum 98 rounds). The course must be taught by a certified instructor, include Idaho law instruction delivered by an approved attorney or law enforcement officer, and provide a syllabus upon request. This directly affects individuals applying for enhanced concealed carry licenses in Idaho, requiring them to meet these updated training criteria.
This bill amends Idaho law to permanently prohibit individuals convicted of three or more felony violations of fish and game regulations within a five-year period from applying for any fishing, hunting, or trapping licenses, tags, or permits. It directly affects people with repeated serious violations, such as illegal big game hunting or felony fish trafficking, as defined under Idaho Code sections 36-1401 and 36-1402. The key provision removes eligibility for licenses entirely (not just revoking existing ones), with no exceptions specified in the bill text. This change applies automatically upon conviction for three or more felonies under the fish and game code, without requiring court discretion for license reinstatement. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025, after being signed by the governor on March 11, 2025.
Idaho's S 1019 amends state law to criminalize false reports of violence or emergencies in public or private places, expanding beyond existing explosives-related false reports. The bill creates new Section 18-3313A, making it a misdemeanor to falsely report emergencies (up to 1 year in jail or $5,000 fine), a felony if damages exceed $1,000 or someone suffers injury (up to 5 years or $25,000), or a more severe felony if death occurs (up to 10 years or $25,000). It directly affects individuals who maliciously submit false emergency reports - such as "swatting" incidents - to trigger law enforcement responses. The law applies to reports made to police, emergency services, or media, with "private places" defined to include homes, businesses, vehicles, and any location with reasonable privacy expectations. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025.
S 1006 amends Idaho law to require all construction contracts for private improvements within Idaho to be governed by Idaho law. It specifically prohibits contracts from mandating that disputes be resolved in another state or country. This affects contractors, subcontractors, and property owners entering construction agreements in Idaho. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, ensuring disputes related to Idaho construction projects must be handled under Idaho's legal framework.
This bill removes a specific rule that previously gave lien claimants (like contractors and material suppliers) priority for court hearings on construction-related debts. It eliminates the requirement allowing them to demand a hearing within 30 days by filing a "demand for thirty (30) day setting." The change affects how quickly these lien cases can be scheduled in Idaho courts, removing the expedited hearing process while keeping other lien claim provisions unchanged. The law takes effect July 1, 2025.
