This Idaho bill (H 516) prohibits public school staff from providing classroom instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity to students in kindergarten through grade 12. It requires schools to adopt policies banning such instruction unless it is age-appropriate and developmentally suitable per state standards. The law directly affects Idaho public schools and their curriculum decisions for all K-12 students. Key mechanisms include mandating school policies that prevent classroom lessons on these topics, while allowing age-appropriate discussions that align with educational standards. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026.
Idaho's H 542, the "Stop Harms from Addictive Social Media Act," targets major social media platforms (those earning $1+ billion in global ad revenue) operating in Idaho. It directly affects children under 16 by restricting platforms' use of specific "addictive interface features" like infinite scrolling, auto-play videos, and profile-based feeds. The law triggers two usage-based restrictions: after 25 cumulative hours in six months, platforms must notify parents; after 50 hours, they must disable addictive features for minors. The bill defines key terms and establishes enforcement mechanisms, focusing on protecting Idaho children's online experiences without banning social media use.
Idaho's S 1247, the Idaho E-Verify Act, requires specific employers to use the federal E-Verify program to confirm new hires' work authorization starting January 1, 2027. Covered employers include public agencies and private businesses with over 150 employees that hold public contracts worth $100,000+ paid with public funds. Employers must verify eligibility within three days of a new hire’s first paid workday and face enforcement actions - including civil lawsuits by the Idaho Department of Labor - for knowingly hiring workers without verified authorization. The law defers final determination of work authorization to federal authorities, as defined under federal law.
This bill updates Idaho election laws to improve how ballots are counted, adjudicated, and audited. It requires county clerks to wait until all voting places across both time zones have closed before releasing statewide election results, while allowing earlier release for counties with only one time zone. The legislation also mandates that overvotes on paper ballots processed by machines be reviewed and corrected to reflect voter intent using the same standards as hand counting. Additionally, it establishes a mandatory postelection audit system where the secretary of state selects specific ballots for a hand recount and comparison, with provisions for public observation and the ability to order additional audits if problems are found. These changes directly affect election officials, candidates, and voters by standardizing procedures and increasing transparency in the vote counting process.
This bill amends Idaho school law to prohibit in-person student instruction on election days, ensuring schools do not operate as polling places unless a specific agreement is made between the county clerk and school district. It directly affects school districts, students, and election officials by restricting classroom activities during election periods while allowing exceptions for activities that do not require students to be inside buildings used for voting. The law permits professional development, training, and extracurricular activities on election days as long as they do not involve students being present in designated polling locations, and it grants the state board of education authority to waive instructional hour requirements when election-related closures are necessary.
This bill establishes the Idaho Student Safety and Educator Disclosure Act to enhance student safety by requiring schools to verify the background and conduct history of all school employees. It mandates that school districts require job applicants to provide sworn statements about any past investigations, resignations during investigations, or disciplinary actions for misconduct, while non-district schools must obtain written authorization to contact an applicant's past employers for the last ten years to verify such information. The law also requires schools to report certain misconduct-related resignations or terminations to the Idaho Professional Standards Commission and clarifies that schools cannot delay reporting child abuse to law enforcement to conduct internal investigations. Additionally, it provides legal protections for employers who share information in good faith and outlines specific conditions under which private school employees can bring claims against their employers.
This Idaho bill requires cities with more than 10,000 residents to allow starter home subdivisions by February 1, 2027, which are residential developments on at least four acres featuring smaller lots up to 1,500 square feet and compact homes. The law prohibits cities from enforcing ordinances that ban these subdivisions and sets specific limits on lot sizes, setbacks, and fees to make development more affordable while maintaining neighborhood compatibility. Cities retain the ability to deny approvals if infrastructure cannot support the development and must still comply with existing health, safety, and environmental regulations. The measure applies only to incorporated cities and does not affect historic districts or properties designated as historic landmarks.
This bill allocates $46.1 million to Idaho's Office of Species, Minerals, and Energy Coordination for fiscal year 2027 while simultaneously reducing funding and staffing for two related offices. It sets a maximum of 23 full-time positions for the main office, cuts 11 positions from the Office of Energy and Mineral Resources, and reduces 16 positions from the Office of Species Conservation. The legislation also lowers operating budgets for the energy and minerals office and the species conservation office, while maintaining or increasing funding for the main coordination office from various state and federal sources.
This bill amends Idaho election law to remove a specific provision related to ballot preparation for general elections. The change affects the secretary of state, who will now have updated authority over how general election ballots are designed and printed. The revised law maintains that all candidates from each political party appear on a single ballot while allowing for write-in candidates and separate ballots for constitutional amendments or other issues. The bill takes effect on July 1, 2026, and was signed into law by the President and transmitted to the Governor.
This bill updates Idaho election laws to change how candidates file nomination petitions and what information they must include. It requires candidates to provide contact details like phone numbers and email addresses on their petitions and makes all petition information available to the public upon request. The bill also clarifies filing deadlines, requiring petitions to be submitted between 8:00 a.m. on the twelfth Monday before an election and 5:00 p.m. on the tenth Friday before the election. These changes directly affect candidates running for office in Idaho political subdivisions and the election officials who process their filings.
This bill eliminates the proration of Idaho's homestead property tax exemption, allowing homeowners to receive the full exemption amount for the entire tax year if they qualify. It applies to owners who use their primary residence as their main dwelling and meet specific eligibility requirements, including uniform property appraisal certification by the state tax commission. Under the new rules, the exemption is calculated based on the full market value reduction rather than being divided by the number of days the property is occupied, and applications must be submitted by the end of the county's business year to receive the full benefit. The law also clarifies that if a homeowner's eligibility status changes during the year, taxes will be prorated only for the period after the status change occurs.
This bill appropriates $18.1 million to Idaho's Department of Parks and Recreation for fiscal years 2026 and 2027, funding park operations, capital development, and personnel costs from various state and federal funds. It authorizes an increase of 2.95 full-time equivalent positions for the department and exempts certain trustee and benefit payments from program transfer limitations for fiscal year 2026. The legislation declares an emergency to take effect immediately upon signing, with most provisions becoming active on July 1, 2026.
