Idaho Bills

This Idaho bill prohibits foreign governments and state-controlled enterprises from purchasing or holding controlling interests (over 50% ownership or actual control) in agricultural land, forest land, water rights, mining claims, or mineral rights after July 1, 2025. Exceptions include properties owned before the law takes effect and foreign pension funds (excluding those tied to sovereign wealth funds). The Attorney General can investigate violations and petition courts to appoint receivers to sell affected properties, with proceeds going to lienholders and remaining funds to the original owner. The law directly affects foreign entities seeking control of Idaho's natural resource assets, not Idaho residents or businesses.

This bill appropriates $15.55 million to Idaho's Office of the State Controller for fiscal year 2026, covering personnel and operating costs across its four divisions (Administration, Statewide Accounting, Computer Center, and Enterprise Business Operations). It reduces funding by $308,300 for specific programs, increases authorized staff positions by 10, and requires the State Controller to recover service costs into a dedicated fund. The bill also mandates correcting a $1.07 million accounting error in the Division of Veterans Services caused by a prior billing mistake. These provisions directly affect the State Controller's office operations and the Division of Veterans Services' financial reporting.

This bill (S 1185) allocates $5,190,300 in state funds from the General Fund to Idaho's judicial branch for fiscal year 2026 (July 1, 2025-June 30, 2026). It specifies funding amounts for personnel, operating costs, and capital outlays across all courts, including the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, District Courts, and Magistrate Division. The bill became law on April 2, 2025, and takes effect immediately on July 1, 2025, ensuring continued funding for judicial operations. It is a routine budget authorization with no policy changes, directly supporting court staff and operations.

This bill (H 453) adjusts funding for Idaho's public school facilities program for fiscal year 2026. It moves $586,300 from the General Fund to the Public School Income Fund, then appropriates that same amount to the Facilities Division from the Public School Income Fund. It also reduces funding by $2,156,400 from the School Districts Facilities Fund for the same period. The bill clarifies how these fund shifts affect budget accounting but does not create new school construction or policy changes. It became law on April 2, 2025, effective July 1, 2025.

This Idaho bill (S 1164) requires local governments to clearly publish their building permit process details online and in person. It sets strict timelines: local governments must notify applicants of missing information within 10 business days for residential permits or 20 days for commercial permits, and must complete their review within those same timeframes after a complete submission. Applicants and local governments can mutually agree in writing to extend these deadlines if needed. The law applies directly to Idaho cities and counties issuing building permits and takes effect July 1, 2025.

H 452 appropriates $3,577,600 from the General Fund to the Idaho Digital Learning Academy (IDLA) for fiscal year 2026, directly affecting Idaho public school districts, charter schools, and students using IDLA's online courses. The bill reduces the tuition IDLA can charge districts from $75 to $40 per student enrollment and increases the state funding rate from $430 to $445 per enrollment. It requires IDLA to submit a detailed report by August 2025 showing costs per course type and enrollment data to verify funding. The bill also restricts using the Public Education Stabilization Fund for IDLA operations and clarifies funding sources for the program.

This bill allocates $12.3 million in state and federal funds to Idaho's Division of Career Technical Education for fiscal year 2026 (July 2025-June 2026). It directs $10 million from the General Fund specifically for capacity enhancements at technical colleges (including College of Eastern Idaho, College of Southern Idaho, and others), requiring annual reports on fund usage. The bill also mandates a report by December 2025 detailing outcomes of adult education and literacy funding from the past five years. It exempts career technical education programs from standard budget transfer rules and takes effect July 1, 2025.

H 357 creates the Idaho America250 Commemoration Fund and Advisory Committee to support the state's participation in the 250th anniversary of America's founding. The fund, financed by remaining 2024 legislative appropriations and donations, will be managed by a 7-member advisory committee (including the state historical society director and governor-appointed members) that approves all spending. All unspent funds must transfer to Idaho's general fund by June 30, 2027, as the bill includes a sunset clause. This bill directly affects state entities coordinating the anniversary commemoration.

This bill creates a new commemorative license plate for Idaho vehicles honoring the USS Idaho SSN 799 submarine. It adds Section 49-420T to Idaho Code, establishing a special plate program with an initial $35 fee and $25 annual fee for owners who choose this plate. Proceeds fund administrative costs for special plate programs and go into the state highway account. The plate is available to all Idaho vehicle owners who pay the specified fees, effective July 1, 2025.

This bill allocates $642,800 from the State Regulatory Fund to Idaho's Department of Finance for fiscal year 2026, covering personnel costs ($556,000), operations ($20,000), and equipment ($66,800). It also authorizes four additional full-time staff positions for the department. The funding becomes effective July 1, 2025, and the bill is now law (Session Law Chapter 265). This is a procedural budget allocation with no direct impact on public policy or external stakeholders.

This bill appropriates $1.68 million from the General Fund to Idaho's three public community colleges for fiscal year 2026 (July 2025-June 2026), with specific amounts allocated to the College of Eastern Idaho ($496,800), College of Southern Idaho ($690,000), and College of Western Idaho ($493,000). It requires the State Board of Education to develop an outcomes-based funding model to replace the current enrollment-based funding system for community colleges. The State Board must deliver a written proposal to the legislature by December 2025, with implementation planned for fiscal year 2028 or earlier, and provide quarterly progress reports to the legislature. These changes directly affect Idaho's community colleges and the State Board of Education's budgeting process.

This bill appropriates $9,900 from the Idaho General Fund to the STEM Action Center for capital outlay (such as equipment or infrastructure) during fiscal year 2026 (July 1, 2025 - June 30, 2026). It directly affects the STEM Action Center by providing specific funding for physical assets. The bill is procedural, focusing solely on authorizing this funding amount and declaring an emergency to make it effective July 1, 2025. It does not change existing policies or create new programs.