This bill allocates funding to the Idaho Department of Lands for fiscal years 2026 and 2027, directing specific amounts to support personnel costs, capital projects, and trustee benefit payments across various programs including business services, forest resources, trust land management, fire protection, and minerals. The legislation provides $2.7 million for fiscal year 2027 and $285,000 for fiscal year 2026, while simultaneously reducing certain appropriations from previous budgets to balance the overall funding. It designates $145,000 specifically for the Idaho Geological Survey and allows the Forest and Range Fire Protection Program to receive unlimited transfers from other departmental funds for both fiscal years. Additionally, the bill limits General Fund bonuses to firefighters with incident qualification cards and requires a report on 2026 fire season bonus awards to be submitted by January 5, 2027.
This bill establishes procedures for carrying out executions in Idaho by specifying that the methods and protocols used will not be subject to certain state laws. It creates a system where the director of the Department of Correction determines the execution method, prioritizing lethal injection if available but allowing for a firing squad as an alternative. The legislation also grants exemptions from medical practice laws, protects participants from civil and criminal liability, and keeps the identities of those involved in executions confidential. These provisions apply to all future executions regardless of when the death sentence was originally imposed.
This Idaho bill establishes a comprehensive campaign finance transparency framework that applies to candidates, political action committees, political party committees, and electioneering communications. The legislation requires detailed reporting of all contributions and expenditures, mandates the appointment of political treasurers to oversee campaign finances, and prohibits foreign contributions and independent expenditures. It also mandates that polls funded by others must disclose their payers and requires disclosure of payments made to signature gatherers. The bill creates new administrative duties for the Secretary of State and county clerks while establishing civil penalties and enforcement mechanisms for violations.
This bill (H 670) creates a new process for fire protection and ambulance service districts to withdraw from urban renewal revenue-sharing plans. It allows these districts to opt out if the urban renewal plan has no outstanding debts (bonds or obligations) funded by their allocated revenue. To withdraw, districts must request a revenue accounting by May 1 and adopt a withdrawal resolution by June 1, submitting it to the urban renewal agency. The bill amends Idaho law to formalize this withdrawal procedure, affecting districts that previously could not easily exit such financing arrangements.
Idaho's H 648 requires health benefit plans covering FDA-approved anticancer medications to treat oral and injected drugs equally for cost-sharing (like copays and deductibles) starting January 1, 2027. This directly affects health insurance plans sold in Idaho that cover anticancer medications, ensuring patients pay the same out-of-pocket costs regardless of whether their medication is taken orally or administered via injection. The bill does not prevent insurers from using formularies, prior authorization, or other standard coverage controls. It specifically applies to medications approved by the FDA for cancer treatment, with the law taking effect July 1, 2026, for implementation.
S 1299 (Idaho Code §67-2364) prohibits Idaho state agencies and public entities from requiring digital identification for any government service, benefit, or access. It ensures physical identification remains valid, bans denial of services for refusing digital ID, and prevents agencies from tracking individuals or retaining digital ID data beyond a single transaction. The bill also protects device privacy by prohibiting forced device unlocking and restricting digital ID use to immediate verification only. Violations allow affected residents to seek damages of $500-$2,500 per incident or file lawsuits for service denial.
This Idaho bill (S 1326) establishes new legal protections for private landowners by requiring government agents to obtain a warrant, consent, or face exigent circumstances before entering private land not open to the public (Section 18-7103). It adds a $1,000 civil penalty per violation for government agents who enter without authorization, with enforcement through civil lawsuits (Section 18-7106). The law specifically excludes county sheriffs, police, and state troopers from penalties but applies to most other government agents, including federal employees (Section 18-7106). Key exceptions include lawful entry for welfare checks, water rights management, noxious weed control, and aerial observations (Section 18-7108).
This bill requires Idaho-resident students receiving state-funded medical or veterinary education to sign contracts committing to practice in Idaho for specific periods. Medical students must practice full-time in Idaho for four years after obtaining a license, finishing residency, or completing a fellowship. Veterinary students starting in fall 2027 must dedicate at least 600 annual hours to agricultural animal care (cattle, sheep, goats, swine) and complete a mixed practice program. Students who fail to meet these commitments must reimburse the state for their education costs over eight years without interest, with limited exceptions for hardship. A new reimbursement fund will manage these payments and distribute incentive grants to Idaho physicians.
This Idaho bill (H 746) allows state agencies to use special payments (deficiency warrants) from the general fund to cover costs for fire resources used in non-fire suppression activities, such as training or equipment maintenance. It directly affects state land management agencies that mobilize fire resources through established emergency systems but don't involve active wildfire suppression. The bill creates a new process where the state board of land commissioners authorizes these payments, and the state controller issues the warrants against the general fund. It becomes effective July 1, 2026, to address funding gaps for non-suppression fire-related activities.
This Idaho bill (H 752) prohibits individuals from knowingly entering restrooms or changing rooms designated for the opposite biological sex in government buildings or public accommodations. It classifies a first violation as a misdemeanor (up to 1 year in jail) and a second violation within five years as a felony (up to 5 years in prison). Key exceptions include emergencies, custodial/maintenance work, medical assistance, using single-user facilities when necessary, and accompanying minors or individuals requiring assistance. The bill defines "changing room" broadly to include locker rooms and showers, and it would take effect on July 1, 2026.
This bill (S 1300) changes how Idaho appoints directors for several state agencies. It requires the Governor to directly appoint the directors of the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Idaho Transportation Department, and Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation (among others), rather than through prior processes. These appointments must now be submitted to the Senate for confirmation, with the Governor filling vacancies within 12 months. The bill applies to all director-level positions in these agencies and centralizes appointment authority under the Governor, streamlining the process for filling leadership roles.
The Conversational AI Safety Act (S 1297) requires operators of public conversational AI services - like chatbots - to clearly disclose when users interact with artificial intelligence, especially for minors under 18. It mandates operators to provide crisis resources for users expressing suicidal thoughts, prevent AI from claiming to offer professional mental health care, and block harmful content such as sexually explicit material or simulated romantic interactions with minors. For minors, the law requires persistent disclosure at session start and every three hours, prohibits engagement rewards targeting youth, and mandates privacy tools for minors and their guardians. Violations could trigger civil penalties up to $500,000 per operator, enforced by Idaho’s Attorney General, with the law taking effect July 1, 2027.
