Idaho Bills

This Idaho bill (S 1075) changes how municipal councils are elected based on city population. Cities with 25,000 residents or fewer may choose to elect council members by geographic districts, while cities with more than 25,000 residents must use district-based elections. The law requires cities to establish districts using contiguous voting precincts and ensure each district has roughly equal population, with districts set at least 120 days before elections. It directly affects all Idaho cities, altering their council election structure depending on size. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025.

H 168 establishes a dedicated cybersecurity and resiliency fund in Idaho's state treasury to address the state's needs for information technology infrastructure and cybersecurity technology. The fund, which will be financed through existing legislative appropriations, requires the Office of Information Technology Services to create and annually update a five-year plan for replacing IT systems and enhancing cybersecurity. It specifically covers network security, data protection, endpoint security, and related technologies to reduce vulnerabilities in state systems. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025, and applies directly to state agencies managing IT infrastructure.

This bill revises the composition of Idaho's Broadband Advisory Board and changes how broadband grant funds are distributed. It specifies that the board will include three House members, three Senate members, two industry experts (nonvoting), and three public members appointed by the governor. Crucially, it requires that all grant award decisions be managed by an independent third party, not the board itself, to ensure impartiality. The board retains responsibility for creating and updating the statewide broadband plan to prioritize funding for underserved areas. The changes take effect July 1, 2025.

Idaho's S 1074 creates a new property tax exemption for homeowners with school-age children not enrolled in public schools. It exempts the homestead (primary residence) from school property taxes if occupied by at least one child aged 5-18 who is privately educated (in a private school or homeschooled by a parent/guardian) and not receiving state education aid. The exemption applies to all school levies under Idaho law, building on the existing $125,000 homestead exemption. Homeowners must certify their eligibility to the county assessor, confirming the child's education status and primary residence use.

Idaho's S 1072 creates a new "Too Great for Hate" special license plate option for drivers. The bill adds Section 49-420T to Idaho law, establishing an initial $35 fee and $25 annual fee for this plate, with funds deposited into the state highway account to cover program administration costs. This plate directly affects Idaho residents who choose to display the anti-hate message on their vehicle registration, providing an optional alternative to existing special plates. The bill does not change vehicle registration fees or require any specific group to use the plate.

H 164 establishes the Idaho Education Opportunity Program (IEOP), providing state-funded financial support for eligible Idaho students. It creates accounts administered by the State Department of Education to cover qualified educational expenses - including tuition at approved schools, textbooks, transportation, and assistive technology - for students who have attended Idaho public schools for at least 90 days (with limited exceptions) and reside in the state. Funds come from legislative appropriations, donations, and interest, and cannot be drawn from the public education stabilization fund. The program explicitly excludes entertainment devices and homeschooling students from eligibility, and requires parents to apply annually by June 15.

Idaho's H 162 would require daily, uninterpreted Bible reading in all public school classrooms using the King James, New King James, or Revised Standard Bible versions. It mandates that schools complete reading the entire Bible sequentially over 10 years, without teacher commentary or student discussion during readings. The bill provides exemptions for teachers who object on religious grounds (replaced by another staff member) and for students whose parents submit written requests. This policy directly affects all Idaho public school students and teachers, with implementation set for July 1, 2025.

Idaho's S 1059 defines a "preborn child" as a living human being from fertilization, expanding criminal and civil protections to embryos and fetuses. It amends laws to include preborn children in wrongful death suits and crimes like aggravated battery (Section 18-907) and homicide (Sections 18-926 and 18-4018), removing prior exemptions for abortions, medical treatments, and maternal actions. The bill specifies that these provisions apply only prospectively (not retroactively) and exempts unintentional fetal death from life-saving medical procedures or miscarriages. It repeals Section 18-4016, which previously prohibited prosecuting certain abortion-related actions. The law aims to align legal protections for preborn children with those for born individuals under Idaho's equal protection clauses.

This Idaho bill (S 1060) establishes new rules for water distribution between districts. It prohibits reducing surface water use in one district to satisfy claims from another district unless affected users can seek relief within their own district. The bill requires both surface and groundwater districts to be fully operational before applying the "first in time, first in right" priority system and conjunctive management rules to all water sources. It directly affects water users and districts managing cross-district claims, effective July 1, 2025.

H 167 amends Idaho's eminent domain law to allow the use of eminent domain for building electric distribution and transmission lines, but only if at least 75% of the electricity generated from those lines is sold to Idaho consumers at state market rates. This directly affects utility companies seeking to expand power infrastructure and property owners whose land may be taken for these projects. The key provision adds a specific requirement to the list of authorized eminent domain uses, ensuring most generated electricity benefits Idaho residents. The bill, set to take effect on July 1, 2025, also includes technical corrections to existing law.

H 155 creates two new offenses in Idaho law: "impeding a strategic facility" (blocking operations causing damage) and "strategic facility trespass" (entering without permission). It applies to critical infrastructure like power plants, water treatment facilities, pipelines, and refineries - defined in detail within the bill. Penalties range from misdemeanor fines up to $1,000 for first-time trespass to felony charges with up to 10 years in prison for repeat offenses or significant damage. Exceptions include property owners, legal challenges, and bona fide access disputes, while protecting constitutionally protected free speech on public land.

H 154 amends Idaho's building code to allow live virtual inspections for most construction projects (excluding buildings three stories or taller), requiring inspectors to verify locations during the inspection. It sets a 15-business-day deadline for inspections; if missed, permit holders can hire a certified third-party inspector at the government's expense. The bill also requires a 10% refund of fees if an inspection fails without a written explanation provided within three days. These changes aim to improve efficiency and accountability in building code enforcement, effective July 1, 2025.