This bill establishes the Idaho Student Safety and Educator Disclosure Act to enhance student safety by requiring schools to verify the background and conduct history of all school employees. It mandates that school districts require job applicants to provide sworn statements about any past investigations, resignations during investigations, or disciplinary actions for misconduct, while non-district schools must obtain written authorization to contact an applicant's past employers for the last ten years to verify such information. The law also requires schools to report certain misconduct-related resignations or terminations to the Idaho Professional Standards Commission and clarifies that schools cannot delay reporting child abuse to law enforcement to conduct internal investigations. Additionally, it provides legal protections for employers who share information in good faith and outlines specific conditions under which private school employees can bring claims against their employers.
This Idaho bill requires cities with more than 10,000 residents to allow starter home subdivisions by February 1, 2027, which are residential developments on at least four acres featuring smaller lots up to 1,500 square feet and compact homes. The law prohibits cities from enforcing ordinances that ban these subdivisions and sets specific limits on lot sizes, setbacks, and fees to make development more affordable while maintaining neighborhood compatibility. Cities retain the ability to deny approvals if infrastructure cannot support the development and must still comply with existing health, safety, and environmental regulations. The measure applies only to incorporated cities and does not affect historic districts or properties designated as historic landmarks.
This bill allocates $46.1 million to Idaho's Office of Species, Minerals, and Energy Coordination for fiscal year 2027 while simultaneously reducing funding and staffing for two related offices. It sets a maximum of 23 full-time positions for the main office, cuts 11 positions from the Office of Energy and Mineral Resources, and reduces 16 positions from the Office of Species Conservation. The legislation also lowers operating budgets for the energy and minerals office and the species conservation office, while maintaining or increasing funding for the main coordination office from various state and federal sources.
This bill amends Idaho election law to remove a specific provision related to ballot preparation for general elections. The change affects the secretary of state, who will now have updated authority over how general election ballots are designed and printed. The revised law maintains that all candidates from each political party appear on a single ballot while allowing for write-in candidates and separate ballots for constitutional amendments or other issues. The bill takes effect on July 1, 2026, and was signed into law by the President and transmitted to the Governor.
This bill updates Idaho election laws to change how candidates file nomination petitions and what information they must include. It requires candidates to provide contact details like phone numbers and email addresses on their petitions and makes all petition information available to the public upon request. The bill also clarifies filing deadlines, requiring petitions to be submitted between 8:00 a.m. on the twelfth Monday before an election and 5:00 p.m. on the tenth Friday before the election. These changes directly affect candidates running for office in Idaho political subdivisions and the election officials who process their filings.
This bill eliminates the proration of Idaho's homestead property tax exemption, allowing homeowners to receive the full exemption amount for the entire tax year if they qualify. It applies to owners who use their primary residence as their main dwelling and meet specific eligibility requirements, including uniform property appraisal certification by the state tax commission. Under the new rules, the exemption is calculated based on the full market value reduction rather than being divided by the number of days the property is occupied, and applications must be submitted by the end of the county's business year to receive the full benefit. The law also clarifies that if a homeowner's eligibility status changes during the year, taxes will be prorated only for the period after the status change occurs.
This bill appropriates $18.1 million to Idaho's Department of Parks and Recreation for fiscal years 2026 and 2027, funding park operations, capital development, and personnel costs from various state and federal funds. It authorizes an increase of 2.95 full-time equivalent positions for the department and exempts certain trustee and benefit payments from program transfer limitations for fiscal year 2026. The legislation declares an emergency to take effect immediately upon signing, with most provisions becoming active on July 1, 2026.
This bill, known as the Idaho Parental Rights Act, establishes and protects parents' fundamental right to make medical decisions for their minor children. It requires health care providers and government entities to obtain parental consent before providing nonemergency medical services to children under 18, with limited exceptions for emergencies or when parents have given blanket written consent. The law also creates a legal mechanism allowing parents to sue state or local governments if their parental rights are violated, and if they win, they can recover attorney fees and costs. Additionally, the bill repeals previous laws that allowed minors to consent to certain medical treatments without parental permission and removes confidentiality protections that might prevent parents from accessing their children's medical information.
This bill amends Idaho law to create a new Division of Career Technical Education within the state board of education, led by an appointed administrator. The division will coordinate career technical education efforts, develop virtual course options, and maintain a list of pathways that can be delivered online, in person, or through a mix of both. It also establishes new criteria for issuing teaching certificates to career technical education instructors, allowing individuals with industry certifications, significant professional experience, or relevant degrees to qualify if they complete approved training. Additionally, the bill ensures that postsecondary credits earned in career technical programs transfer at full value between public Idaho colleges and universities.
This bill, known as H 893, makes technical corrections and codifier adjustments to various sections of the Idaho Code, primarily focusing on updating language and references in existing statutes. The legislation directly affects state legal records by correcting spelling inconsistencies, such as changing "kidnaping" to "kidnapping" in multiple sections, and removing outdated or surplus text that no longer serves a legal purpose. Key provisions include redesignating chapter and section numbers to align with recent legislative changes, correcting code references to ensure accurate citations, and eliminating obsolete language that could cause confusion in legal proceedings. The bill does not create new laws or alter substantive legal standards but instead streamlines the state code for clarity and accuracy.
This bill creates a new public shotgun sporting complex in north Idaho adjacent to Farragut State Park to replace the current skeet and trap range that may no longer have available land. The Idaho Fish and Game Commission is directed to develop a long-term plan for the new facility, which must include six trap and skeet fields, 15 sporting clay stations with 60 mechanical target throwers, and supporting infrastructure like a clubhouse and parking. The existing range in Kootenai County must continue operating while the new complex is built, with the department responsible for managing it if no private concessionaire is found. The new facility must open to the public by December 31, 2040, using federal Pittman-Robertson funds and state matching funds previously appropriated for this purpose.
This bill updates Idaho law to allow accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in single-family homes and restricts restrictions that would ban them. It prohibits homeowner associations from enforcing rules that strictly forbid ADUs, except when property owners agree in writing to such restrictions. For cities with populations over 10,000, the bill requires local governments to allow one internal or detached ADU per lot in single-family zones by February 2027. Local governments must also stop imposing higher fees, stricter parking rules, or smaller size limits on ADUs compared to primary homes. The law ensures ADU projects are approved automatically if they meet standard zoning requirements, while still allowing cities to adopt less restrictive rules if they choose.
