RULES OF THE ROAD – Amends existing law to exempt UTVs that are equipped with a roll cage and seat belts from safety helmet requirements.
H 13 amends Idaho law to exempt UTVs (utility task vehicles) equipped with both a roll cage and seat belts from mandatory safety helmet requirements for riders. The bill directly affects UTV operators and passengers, particularly those under 16 who must now wear seat belts while the vehicle is moving. Key provisions include requiring safety restraints for riders under 16, imposing a $50 fine for violations (not affecting insurance rates or driver points), and making the exemption effective July 1, 2025. This change applies only to UTVs meeting the specific safety equipment standards, not all off-road vehicles.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Mar 2025
House Passage
Mar 2025
Senate Passage
Mar 2025
Signed into Law
Mar 2025
Introduced Jan 15, 2025
Signed Mar 17, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison
What changed between versions
Bill Text
→
Engrossment 1
·
4 edits
MODERATE
The bill was amended to add requirements for safety restraint use in UTVs for passengers 16 and under, establish specific citations and fines for violations, and clarify the title to reflect these new provisions. The emergency declaration and effective date remain unchanged.
Scope change
The bill's scope expanded from only addressing safety helmet requirements to also include mandatory safety restraint use for younger UTV occupants.
REQUIREMENT
Added requirement for operators or passengers 16 years or younger in UTVs equipped with safety restraints to wear properly fastened safety restraints at all times while the vehicle is in motion.
ENFORCEMENT
Added authority to issue citations to occupants 16 and under who fail to wear safety restraints, and to operators whose passengers 16 and under fail to comply.
Established a $50 fine for violations and specified that convictions will not result in violation points or affect insurance rates.
TECHNICAL
Updated bill title to reflect new safety restraint requirements and added subsections to the statute text.
Floor votes · Senate Mar 5, 2025 · House Jan 23, 2025
How they voted
30–3
Passed · 2 other
Total votes 35
Mar 5, 2025
D
Democratic5
40% Yea
R
Republican30
93% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
29
Key actions
9
Committee
5
Amendments
3
Mar 17, 2025
Signed into law
Reported Signed by Governor on March 14, 2025 Session Law Chapter 73 Effective: 07/01/2025
lower
Mar 12, 2025
Upper · Passed
Signed by President; returned to House
upper
Mar 12, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported Enrolled; Signed by Speaker; Transmitted to Senate
lower
Mar 6, 2025
Committee
Bills as Amended Referred to JRA for Engrossing
lower
Mar 6, 2025
Lower · Passed
House Concurred in Senate Amendments
lower
Mar 6, 2025
Introduced
Returned from the Senate Amended; Held at Desk
lower
Mar 5, 2025
Senate · Passed
Senate Vote: pass (30-3-2)
senate
Feb 20, 2025
Introduced
Amendments reported printed
upper
Feb 20, 2025
Introduced
Amendments ordered printed
upper
Feb 20, 2025
Upper · Passed
Placed in the Committee of the Whole
upper
Jan 31, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported out of committee; to 14th Order for amendment
upper
Jan 24, 2025
Introduced
Introduced, read first time; referred to: Transportation
upper
Jan 23, 2025
Lower · Passed
Read Third Time in Full – PASSED - 59-9-2AYES – Achilles, Alfieri, Andrus, Barbieri, Beiswenger, Boyle, Bruce, Burgoyne, Cannon, Cayler, Cheatum, Clow, Cornilles, Crane(12), Crane(13), Dygert, Ehardt, Ehlers, Erickson, Fuhriman, Furniss, Handy, Harris, Hawkins, Healey, Hill, Holtzclaw, Horman, Hostetler, Leavitt, Manwaring, Marmon, McCann, Mendive, Mickelsen, Mitchell, Monks, Palmer, Petzke, Pickett, Pohanka, Price, Rasor, Raybould, Raymond, Redman, Sauter, Scott, Shepherd, Shirts, Skaug, Ta
lower
Jan 21, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported out of Committee with Do Pass Recommendation, Filed for Second Reading
lower
Jan 16, 2025
Committee
Reported Printed and Referred to Transportation & Defense
lower
Jan 15, 2025
Introduced
Introduced, read first time, referred to JRA for Printing
lower
0 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
No sponsor information available.
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