Idaho Bills

This bill updates Idaho's state procurement laws by clarifying definitions, revising the roles of purchasing officials, and modifying how contracts are awarded and managed. It directly affects state agencies, the Division of Purchasing, and vendors who sell goods or services to the state government. Key changes include new definitions for terms like "multiple-award contracts" and "environmental, social, and governance standards," a preference for recycled paper products, and stricter rules against frivolous challenges to procurement decisions. The bill also adjusts provisions related to vendor disqualification, ethics requirements, and the process for appealing contract awards.

This bill allocates $235,800 in state funds to the Office of the Secretary of State for fiscal year 2027, covering personnel costs and operating expenses. The money comes from the General Fund and is designated for use between July 1, 2026, and June 30, 2027. The legislation includes an emergency clause to allow immediate implementation of the funding on the specified date. This appropriation directly supports the operational budget of the Secretary of State's office without changing existing laws or responsibilities.

This bill directs $5 million from the Idaho High Needs Student Fund to the Public Schools Educational Support Program's Division of Student Support for fiscal year 2027 to help fund student support services. It also transfers $1 million from the Idaho Career Ready Students Program Fund and $4 million from the Driver Training Account into the Idaho High Needs Student Fund to provide the necessary money for this appropriation. The legislation clarifies the funding source for these expenditures and sets the effective date as July 1, 2026, with an emergency declaration to ensure immediate implementation.

This Idaho bill requires health insurance companies to allow patients to pay discounted cash prices for covered medical services directly to providers. When patients pay these negotiated lower prices out of pocket, the amounts count toward their insurance deductibles and annual out-of-pocket limits, provided they submit proof to their insurer. The law applies to most health plans but excludes specific types like Medicaid, Medicare supplements, dental, vision, and short-term insurance. It also ensures providers accept the cash payment as full payment and cannot bill patients or insurers for additional amounts.

This bill strengthens Idaho's state preemption laws by explicitly prohibiting counties, cities, and other local governments from creating or enforcing their own regulations on the sale, ownership, possession, or storage of firearms and ammunition. It allows local governments to regulate firearm discharge only in specific circumstances, such as hunting, self-defense, or on designated shooting ranges, while maintaining state authority over all other firearm-related rules. The legislation includes a $10,000 penalty for local jurisdictions that knowingly violate these restrictions and establishes a legal process allowing individuals or organizations to sue for damages or injunctions if local laws conflict with state preemption. The bill also ensures that any part of the law found unconstitutional will not invalidate the remaining provisions.

This bill allocates $11.1 million to Idaho's Department of Health and Welfare for fiscal year 2027, primarily funding the Division of Indirect Support Services and the Domestic Violence Council. While it adds new funding from various state funds, it simultaneously reduces the overall budget for Indirect Support Services by over $10 million and cuts authorized staff positions by 58 full-time equivalents. The legislation also allows certain licensing funds to transfer money for personnel costs and benefits, and it takes effect on July 1, 2026.

This bill provides an additional $63,000 in state funding to the Idaho State Police for their Forensic Services Program during fiscal year 2027. The money is designated for operating expenses and will be drawn from the state's General Fund. The legislation includes an emergency declaration to ensure the funding takes effect immediately on July 1, 2026. This appropriation directly supports the forensic analysis work conducted by Idaho State Police personnel.

This bill appropriates state and federal funds to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare and the State Independent Living Council for fiscal year 2027, covering programs like Medicaid, child welfare, mental health services, and substance abuse treatment. It establishes specific funding amounts for various divisions including youth safety, early learning, family partnerships, and benefit payments, while also limiting the number of authorized full-time equivalent positions. The legislation includes requirements for program integrity, monthly Medicaid tracking reports, and cost-sharing for certain services, and directs how specific funds must be used for initiatives like smoking cessation, opioid response, and rural physician incentives.

This Idaho bill establishes the Pediatric Secretive Transitions Parental Rights Act, which requires healthcare providers and schools to inform parents if their child seeks sex transition procedures or social transitions. The law mandates that covered entities notify parents within 72 hours of receiving a minor's request to use different pronouns, names, or facilities, and prohibits these entities from facilitating such transitions without parental written consent. Parents who believe their rights were violated can sue for damages and attorney fees, while the state attorney general may investigate violations and impose civil penalties of up to $100,000. The bill defines social transition as changes in name, pronouns, appearance, or dress that do not correspond to a person's biological sex, and applies to children under 18 who are not married or emancipated.

This bill limits the legal liability of property owners who allow their land to be used as a polling place during elections. It removes the duty of care these owners owe to voters entering the property and clarifies that they do not assume responsibility for injuries or damages that occur there. The legislation also updates tax exemption rules to confirm that using tax-exempt property for voting purposes does not affect its tax status. Additionally, it streamlines the process for applying for property tax exemptions by setting specific deadlines and appeal procedures.

This bill allows Idaho school districts and public charter schools that meet specific performance and financial standards to gain more control over how they spend state education funds. To qualify, districts must rank in the top 20% for test scores or exceed state averages by significant margins, maintain strong graduation rates, and demonstrate three years of clean financial audits. Participating schools gain flexibility to allocate money for salaries, programs, and other expenses as they see fit, while being exempt from many state reporting requirements. The law includes safeguards that allow the state to revoke this flexibility if schools fail to meet academic benchmarks for two consecutive years or have serious financial audit issues. A report on the program's impact will be submitted to the legislature in 2029.

This bill updates election procedures for single countywide highway districts in Idaho, primarily affecting voters and candidates in counties with over 200,000 residents who have chosen to establish such districts. The law requires these larger districts to be divided into five subdistricts of roughly equal population, where commissioners must reside in and represent their specific subdistrict, while also prohibiting certain elected officials like mayors and city council members from running for these positions. The bill establishes new rules for write-in candidates, requiring them to gather a minimum of five votes and file a declaration of intent with the county clerk before their names can appear on ballots. Additionally, it mandates that primary elections for highway district commissioners begin in 2028 and sets salary limits for commissioners, with the district president receiving up to $1,400 per month.