Transportation and Defense

Idaho bill H 508 amends highway laws to clarify when bicycle and pedestrian facilities can be included in road projects. The bill specifies that such improvements may only be added as a secondary benefit to projects primarily designed for motor vehicles, or when funded by federal grants, or to enhance safety near schools/parks. It also requires highway projects to maintain minimum 50-foot right-of-way widths and prohibits reducing non-residential road widths except for federal requirements. These changes affect state transportation planning and project design under Idaho Code sections 40-605 and 40-117.

H 666 requires new Idaho residents to apply for an Idaho driver's license, register vehicles, and obtain a vehicle title within 30 days of establishing residency. This applies to all individuals who move to Idaho and establish domicile, including those with out-of-state licenses or registrations. The bill amends Idaho Code sections 49-301 (driver's license), 49-401A (vehicle registration), and 49-502 (vehicle title) to set this 30-day deadline. Failure to comply would be considered an infraction under the law.

H 507 updates Idaho's military justice system by revising outdated terminology to be gender-neutral and clarifying procedures for handling misconduct. It modifies rules around restraining military personnel, adjusts disciplinary actions short of court-martial, and updates requirements for legal officers (judge advocates) serving in the state military. These changes directly affect Idaho National Guard members, state military personnel on active duty, and their legal advisors under Idaho law. The bill modernizes legal language and processes without altering core military justice outcomes.

H 665 revises Idaho's Appaloosa license plate program by adjusting fees and directing funds. It requires a $35 initial fee and $25 annual renewal fee for these special plates, with $10 from each fee going to the state highway account and $25 (initial) or $15 (renewal) transferred to the Appaloosa horse club foundation. The funds must exclusively support youth horse programs and horse-related education in Idaho. This bill affects vehicle owners who choose Appaloosa plates, which are available for most registered vehicles (excluding heavy trucks over 26,000 pounds). The changes take effect July 1, 2026.

Idaho's H 667 eliminates the state's "nondomiciled CDL program," which previously allowed non-residents (people living outside Idaho) to obtain commercial driver's licenses (CDLs) or commercial learner's permits through Idaho. The bill removes specific definitions and provisions related to "nonresident" and "nondomiciled" CDLs from Idaho Code sections 49-115 and 49-306, and repeals the standalone section 49-336 governing nonresident commercial licenses. This change directly affects non-resident commercial drivers who could previously secure Idaho-issued CDLs without establishing residency. The law removes the legal framework enabling this program, requiring non-residents to obtain CDLs through their home states instead.