This bill amends Idaho law to clarify where concealed weapons are prohibited. It bans carrying concealed weapons in courtrooms, courthouse areas used as jails, juvenile detention facilities, and public/private schools (with limited exceptions for authorized personnel like security staff or peace officers). It also adds a new prohibition against providing false information when applying for a concealed carry permit. Violations remain misdemeanor offenses. The changes take effect July 1, 2026.
H 674 revises Idaho's rules for when telephone companies can stop providing service in a community. It requires companies to either provide equivalent service from another provider or follow federal FCC procedures before discontinuing service. The bill also adds a new section requiring Idaho's utility commission to accept the FCC's findings on service discontinuation under federal law. This directly affects telephone corporations operating in Idaho and their customers in areas where service might be withdrawn, with the law taking effect on July 1, 2026.
H 706 allows Idaho local governments to permit apartment buildings (specifically residential group R-2) to have a single stairway for emergency exits, subject to strict safety requirements. These requirements include building height limits (max 6 stories without an occupiable roof), a maximum of four units per floor, mandatory fire sprinkler systems meeting NFPA 13 standards, and detailed stairway specifications like 48-inch width and 2-hour fire resistance. The bill also updates local building code adoption rules, requiring jurisdictions to implement specific versions of the International Building Code by 2027. This change primarily affects new apartment construction in Idaho, offering potential cost savings for developers while maintaining enhanced safety standards.
H 721 updates Idaho's building code rules for public school construction plans. It allows school districts to choose between local governments or the state division of occupational and professional licenses for plan reviews, but sets strict certification requirements for reviewers (e.g., International Code Council certification for structural reviews). The bill mandates a 30-day initial review timeline and limits fees for school plan reviews to those set by the state division. It directly affects public school districts, contractors, and local governments handling school construction projects.
This Idaho bill (S 1330) increases the monetary limit for small claims cases in magistrate courts from $5,000 to $15,000 for both money claims and personal property claims. It directly affects individuals and small businesses filing or defending such cases in Idaho's magistrate divisions. The bill clarifies that these courts cannot award punitive damages or compensation for pain/suffering in small claims proceedings. The amendment to Idaho Code § 1-2301 takes effect July 1, 2026.
Idaho's H 730 strengthens SNAP program integrity by requiring the Department of Health and Welfare to verify household eligibility using multiple data sources. It mandates monthly reviews of vital records, corrections data, and federal databases (like death records, incarceration status, and tax filings), and quarterly checks of employment and tax information. The bill also requires the department to disenroll households with lottery winnings exceeding $3,000 or asset limits for elderly/disabled households, and to publish annual reports on fraud investigations and improper payments. Additionally, it prohibits Idaho from applying income or asset standards higher than federal limits without federal approval. This directly affects SNAP recipients whose circumstances (like income changes, incarceration, or lottery winnings) trigger verification reviews.
This bill clarifies that Idaho chiropractors with clinical nutrition certification may prescribe specific non-controlled medications, including certain vitamins (A, B complex, C), minerals (calcium, magnesium, zinc), fluids (saline, dextrose), epinephrine, and oxygen for emergencies. It specifies these drugs must be obtained from licensed sources and administered via approved routes, while prohibiting chiropractors from compounding vitamins/minerals themselves. The law directly affects certified chiropractors in Idaho, allowing them to prescribe these items during practice without altering existing non-prescription supplement use. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026, after passing unanimously in the Idaho Senate.
Idaho's S 1336 requires all public high school students to demonstrate core virtues (like patriotism and justice) and master key principles of American self-government, including natural rights, the rule of law, and the separation of powers, before graduation. It mandates two credits each in American history and government for grades 9-12, with a full-year Western civilization course required for 8th graders by 2030. The bill specifies curricula must cover foundational documents (Declaration of Independence, Constitution), the American founding era, and the influence of Western traditions, while including instruction on how totalitarian ideologies like communism conflict with U.S. principles. These changes directly affect Idaho public school students and educators developing course materials. The law takes effect immediately upon passage.
H 758 amends Idaho's daycare licensing laws to clarify supervision requirements for sleeping children and adjust how children are counted for staff ratio calculations. It requires that providers maintain sight or hearing contact with sleeping children (or use live video/audio monitoring while staying nearby for immediate assistance). The bill also exempts a daycare provider's own children aged five or older from being counted in attendance for child-to-staff ratio purposes in family or group daycare settings. These changes directly affect licensed daycare facilities, including family daycare homes and group daycare centers, across Idaho.
S 1313 creates a voluntary licensure pathway for pharmacists in Idaho to become naturopathic doctors by requiring them to complete a 160-credit-hour naturopathic program and pass a competency exam, while maintaining their existing pharmacy license. The bill amends Idaho Code to include pharmacists in the definition of "licensed naturopathic doctor" and updates committee structures to reflect this new option, including adding a pharmacist to the formulary committee. The law will take effect on July 1, 2026.
Idaho's H 772 clarifies when hemp producers avoid "negligent violation" penalties under state law. It specifies that producers won't face penalties if they grow hemp solely for grain or fiber, make reasonable efforts to keep THC below 1% (dry weight), and comply with Idaho's hemp plan and THC rules. This directly affects hemp growers who meet these conditions, providing them protection from penalties for unintentional THC exceedances. The bill amends Idaho Code Section 22-1705 to define these specific exemptions.
Idaho's H 776 requires immediate safety checks for infants under one year old when parents or caregivers have specific risk factors, such as a history of child abuse, a conviction for child injury, terminated parental rights, or a newborn with neonatal abstinence syndrome. Within 12 hours of receiving a report, child protection agencies must verify these risk factors using internal records and public databases, then conduct a full safety assessment. The assessment reviews the caregiver’s compliance with court orders, the child’s living situation, and prior investigations into abuse or neglect in the household. The law explicitly states it does not presume abuse based solely on medical conditions and allows for urgent action if verification takes too long.
