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H 180 Idaho House · 68th Legislature, 1st Regular Session (2025)

BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE – Amends, repeals, and adds to existing law to provide for the timing of the permitting process relating to broadband infrastructure.

Idaho's H 180 streamlines broadband infrastructure permitting by setting strict deadlines for local governments to approve or deny applications. It requires cities, counties, and highway districts to act within 60 days for most broadband permits (up to 150 days for new facilities), with automatic approval if deadlines are missed and applications are complete. The bill also replaces outdated pole attachment rules with new regulations governing how telecom companies attach equipment to utility poles. These changes directly affect broadband providers and local planning authorities by reducing approval delays that have hindered deployment despite state investments.
Issues: ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill streamlines broadband permitting to accelerate infrastructure deployment, directly expanding internet access as a core technology policy goal.95% confidence
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
Apr 2025
House Passage
Apr 2025
Senate Passage
Apr 2025
Signed into Law
Apr 2025
Introduced Feb 10, 2025 Signed Apr 4, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Bill Text → Engrossment 1 · 5 edits
MODERATE
This bill was amended to expand the entities subject to telecommunications siting rules to include highway districts, clarify the approval process for special permits and variances, and adjust the timeline for notifying applicants of incomplete applications from 10 to 21 business days.
Scope change
The bill's scope was expanded to include highway districts alongside cities and counties, and the approval process was refined to distinguish between applications requiring special permits/variances and those that do not.
SCOPE

Added highway districts to the list of local entities subject to telecommunications siting regulations, expanding the bill's applicability beyond just cities and counties.

REQUIREMENT

Clarified the approval process by distinguishing between applications requiring special use permits or variances (which require a public hearing) and those that comply with zoning ordinances (which are automatically approved if not acted upon in time).

Added specific requirements for automatic approval, mandating that applicants provide notice that the reasonable period has expired and that the application is deemed approved.

TIMELINE

Extended the time for notifying applicants of incomplete applications from 10 business days to 21 business days, giving applicants more time to respond.

ENFORCEMENT

Updated the judicial review timeline to apply to cities, counties, and highway districts, ensuring all affected entities have the same review rights.

Floor votes · Senate Apr 1, 2025 · House Feb 24, 2025

How they voted

24–8
Passed · 2 other
Total votes 34
Apr 1, 2025
D Democratic5
4 Yea 1
80% Yea
R Republican29
20 Yea 8 Nay 1
68% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
30
Key actions
10
Committee
5
Amendments
3
Apr 4, 2025
Signed into law
Reported Signed by Governor on April 14, 2025 Session Law Chapter 325 Effective: 07/01/2025
lower
Apr 3, 2025
Upper · Passed
Signed by President; returned to House
upper
Apr 3, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported Enrolled; Signed by Speaker; Transmitted to Senate
lower
Apr 3, 2025
Lower · Passed
Rules Suspended: Ayes 69 Nays 0 Abs/Excd 1, read in full as required – PASSED - 48-20-2AYES – Achilles, Alfieri, Andrus, Barbieri, Cannon, Cheatum, Cornilles, Crane(12), Crane(13), Dygert, Egbert, Ehardt, Ehlers, Erickson, Fuhriman, Furniss, Galaviz, Gannon, Garner, Handy, Healey, Hill, Holtzclaw, Horman, Manwaring, Mathias, McCann, Mendive, Mickelsen, Miller, Mitchell, Monks, Nelsen, Palmer, Petzke, Pickett, Pohanka, Raybould, Raymond, Rubel, Sauter, Shepherd, Shirts, Skaug, Vander Woude(Ha
lower
Apr 2, 2025
Committee
Bills as Amended Referred to JRA for Engrossing
lower
Apr 2, 2025
Lower · Passed
House Concurred in Senate Amendments
lower
Apr 2, 2025
Introduced
Returned from the Senate Amended; Held at Desk
lower
Apr 1, 2025
Senate · Passed
Senate Vote: pass (24-8-2)
senate
Mar 27, 2025
Introduced
Amendments reported printed
upper
Mar 27, 2025
Introduced
Amendments ordered printed
upper
Mar 27, 2025
Upper · Passed
Placed in the Committee of the Whole
upper
Mar 14, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported out of committee; to 14th Order for amendment
upper
Feb 25, 2025
Introduced
Introduced, read first time; referred to: State Affairs
upper
Feb 24, 2025
Lower · Passed
Read Third Time in Full – PASSED - 65-2-3AYES – Achilles, Alfieri, Andrus, Barbieri, Beiswenger, Boyle, Bruce, Burgoyne, Cannon, Cayler, Church, Cornilles, Crane(12), Crane(13), Dygert, Egbert, Ehardt, Ehlers, Erickson, Fuhriman, Furniss, Galaviz, Gannon, Garner, Green, Handy, Harris, Hawkins, Healey, Hill, Holtzclaw, Horman, Hostetler, Leavitt, Manwaring, Marmon, Mathias, McCann, Mendive, Mickelsen, Miller, Mitchell, Monks, Nelsen, Palmer, Petzke, Pickett, Pohanka, Rasor, Raybould, Raymond,
lower
Feb 19, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported out of Committee with Do Pass Recommendation, Filed for Second Reading
lower
Feb 11, 2025
Committee
Reported Printed and Referred to Local Government
lower
Feb 10, 2025
Introduced
Introduced, read first time, referred to JRA for Printing
lower
0 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

No sponsor information available.