Idaho's S 1118 revises procurement thresholds for local governments (cities, counties, school districts) to reduce bureaucratic requirements for smaller purchases. It raises the dollar limits where competitive bidding is not required: public works construction under $100,000 (up from $50,000) and services/personal property under $100,000 (up from $75,000). For larger projects, it increases the threshold requiring full competitive bidding from $200,000 to $250,000 for construction. These changes streamline procurement processes for political subdivisions by allowing more purchases to bypass formal bidding procedures. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025.
H 227 amends Idaho Code to require the Secretary of State to establish standardized forms for financing statements used in secured business transactions, aligning them with the Uniform Commercial Code. This change directly affects businesses and lenders who file these documents, replacing outdated form requirements with a single, state-prescribed format. The law takes effect on July 1, 2025, streamlining the filing process for secured transactions across Idaho.
This bill increases annual license fees for Idaho attorneys. It raises fees for active attorneys (e.g., from $155 to $175 for those admitted before July 1, 2025) and all other categories (inactive, emeritus, senior members) starting in 2026. The changes affect all practicing attorneys in Idaho who must pay annual state bar fees, including those admitted recently and those aged 72+. Fees for attorneys over 72 remain low but increase slightly (e.g., from $60 to $70 annually). The bill updates the existing fee schedule without altering legal practice requirements or creating new programs.
H 299 (Idaho Broadband Advisory Board) revises the composition of Idaho's broadband advisory board and requires that grant scoring for broadband funding be conducted by an independent third party at the board's discretion. The bill changes how board members are appointed (including three legislative members each from the House and Senate, plus industry experts and public members) and mandates that any grant award process use an independent evaluator for scoring. This affects the board, state agencies involved in broadband planning, and communities applying for broadband grants funded through the Idaho Broadband Fund. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, after being signed by the governor.
This Idaho bill (H 278) revises multiple election deadlines and procedures across various local elections. It affects candidates, county clerks, and election officials by changing filing deadlines for declarations of candidacy (e.g., for magistrates, highway district commissioners, and library trustees), canvassing timelines, and vacancy procedures for political party slates. Key provisions include adjusting registration deadlines, technical corrections to election codes, and repealing one outdated section. The changes apply to county, municipal, recreation, library, and highway district elections, with an effective date of July 1, 2025.
Idaho's S 1091 transfers responsibility for distributing state funds to reimburse school districts for internet and certain service costs from the State Department of Education to the State Board of Education. The bill modifies Idaho Code §33-5605 to require the State Board of Education to manage these reimbursements using a methodology established by the Education Opportunity Resource Committee. School districts directly affected will now receive funding through this new process for eligible internet and service expenses. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, after being signed by the governor on March 19, 2025.
This bill establishes "Don't Tread On Me" license plates for Idaho vehicle owners, effective retroactively from January 1, 2025. Owners pay a $35 initial fee and $25 annual fee, with $22 and $12 respectively deposited into a new Firearms Safety Grant Fund. It also creates the Idaho Firearms Safety Education Committee to manage this fund, which will support firearms safety programs. The bill specifies the plate design (yellow background with Gadsden flag and rattlesnake imagery) and requires a prequalification process for future special license plates.
This bill (S 1061) requires Idaho's Water Resources Director to provide affected water users with notice and a hearing opportunity before issuing new or revised methodologies for calculating "material injury" under conjunctive water management rules. It applies directly to agricultural, municipal, and other water rights holders impacted by these methodology changes. The law mandates that any final order establishing such a methodology must be issued by December 1 prior to its effective year, with exceptions only for emergencies or informal dispositions. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025, ensuring procedural transparency before changes affect water rights administration.
This bill updates Idaho's Safe Haven law to allow parents to anonymously leave newborns (under 30 days old) at designated safe locations like hospitals, fire stations, or medical facilities without fear of prosecution. It expands the definition of "safe haven" to include fire stations and specific medical providers, requires confidentiality for parents who surrender children, and adds requirements to follow the Indian Child Welfare Act when placing Indian children. Safe havens must immediately notify authorities but cannot ask for parent identities, and staff are granted immunity from liability for good-faith actions under the law. The changes take effect July 1, 2025.
This bill requires Idaho's Medicaid agency (Department of Health and Welfare) to obtain legislative approval before implementing specific changes to Medicaid coverage or costs. It mandates approval for expansions (like work requirements for adults), cost-sharing rules, rural hospital reimbursement, managed care systems, and Medicaid program modifications that increase state costs. The law repeals an existing approval process and sets deadlines (e.g., July 1, 2026) for submitting new plans to federal authorities. It directly affects state agency operations and legislative oversight, with no changes to existing Medicaid programs implemented before July 1, 2025.
This Idaho bill (S 1034) establishes new health and safety standards for licensed foster homes and mandates foster parent training. It requires foster homes to maintain safe living conditions - including working smoke detectors, secure storage of hazardous materials, functional pools with safety barriers, and proper fire safety equipment - and prohibits co-sleeping with infants. Foster parents must complete training on trauma impact, child behavior, first aid, gun safety, and maintaining family connections. The bill also invalidates specific existing administrative rules (IDAPA 16.06.02) related to foster care licensing.
S 1035 amends Idaho law to strengthen oversight of children placed in congregate care settings (like group homes) under state custody. It requires the state child welfare agency to notify courts within 7 days of placement, restricts placements for children 12 or younger without specific written approval, and limits stays to two weeks unless emergency circumstances apply. The law mandates regular reviews - every 14 days for unlicensed facilities or every 90 days for licensed ones - to assess child safety, treatment progress, and whether less restrictive options exist. These changes directly affect children in state custody placed in congregate care, excluding foster homes, family placements, or correctional facilities, and take effect July 1, 2025.
