This bill amends Idaho state law to revise the structure, duties, and funding rules for the Idaho Digital Learning Academy, a public school-choice program that offers online courses to students. It establishes the Academy as a distinct governmental entity rather than a state department, outlines the responsibilities of its Board of Directors, and sets specific requirements for course offerings, staffing, and accreditation. Key provisions include limiting administrative staff to 30% of the budget, exempting teachers from certain employment classifications, defining course fees with a $40 cap for graduation-required classes, and allowing the Academy to contract with service providers for 24/7 online course delivery. The legislation also clarifies definitions for terms like "host district" and "custom section," while declaring an emergency to ensure immediate implementation of these changes.
This bill modifies Idaho's tax exemptions for data center operations, extending a sales tax exemption for data center equipment and revising property tax rules for capital investments. It requires businesses to invest at least $250 million in data center facilities and create 30 new full-time jobs within specific timeframes to qualify for the exemptions. The legislation also introduces new requirements for companies starting construction on or after April 1, 2026, including electricity rate agreements and water consumption planning with local providers. Businesses that fail to meet these investment and job creation requirements must pay the taxes that would have otherwise been owed.
This bill amends Idaho's open meetings law to allow the public to record government meetings, including capturing audio, video, or photographs. It applies to all public agency governing bodies except for specific executive sessions and meetings held in correctional facilities or by the pardons and parole commission. The legislation also clarifies that recording cannot be used as a reason to remove or exclude attendees, while still permitting agencies to take reasonable steps to maintain order during meetings. Additionally, the bill permits meetings to be conducted via telecommunications devices like video conferencing, as long as at least one member remains physically present and communications remain audible to the public.
This bill amends Idaho law to create a new Division of Career Technical Education within the state board of education, led by an appointed administrator. The division will coordinate career technical education efforts, develop virtual course options, and maintain a list of pathways that can be delivered online, in person, or through a mix of both. It also establishes new criteria for issuing teaching certificates to career technical education instructors, allowing individuals with industry certifications, significant professional experience, or relevant degrees to qualify if they complete approved training. Additionally, the bill ensures that postsecondary credits earned in career technical programs transfer at full value between public Idaho colleges and universities.
S 1299 (Idaho Code §67-2364) prohibits Idaho state agencies and public entities from requiring digital identification for any government service, benefit, or access. It ensures physical identification remains valid, bans denial of services for refusing digital ID, and prevents agencies from tracking individuals or retaining digital ID data beyond a single transaction. The bill also protects device privacy by prohibiting forced device unlocking and restricting digital ID use to immediate verification only. Violations allow affected residents to seek damages of $500-$2,500 per incident or file lawsuits for service denial.
The Conversational AI Safety Act (S 1297) requires operators of public conversational AI services - like chatbots - to clearly disclose when users interact with artificial intelligence, especially for minors under 18. It mandates operators to provide crisis resources for users expressing suicidal thoughts, prevent AI from claiming to offer professional mental health care, and block harmful content such as sexually explicit material or simulated romantic interactions with minors. For minors, the law requires persistent disclosure at session start and every three hours, prohibits engagement rewards targeting youth, and mandates privacy tools for minors and their guardians. Violations could trigger civil penalties up to $500,000 per operator, enforced by Idaho’s Attorney General, with the law taking effect July 1, 2027.
This bill amends Idaho law to update the powers and duties of the Office of Information Technology Services, giving it greater authority to control and coordinate IT equipment purchases across state government departments. The legislation requires the office to conduct technical and financial analyses before approving IT acquisitions, allows for third-party broker assistance under specific ethical guidelines, and exempts smaller purchases under $15,000 from certain procurement rules. Key provisions include mandatory cybersecurity measures like multi-factor authentication for all state systems, requirements for criminal background checks on IT staff in specific roles, and directives to implement cybersecurity training and best practices across all state agencies. The bill also establishes the office's role in overseeing cybersecurity policies, managing federal IT funds, and coordinating public outreach efforts to protect personal information from cyber threats.
This bill establishes an interim committee to study sextortion, a crime where predators threaten to share intimate images in exchange for money, sexual content, or other favors. The committee will focus on understanding the crime's impact on victims, particularly minors, and review ways to strengthen current laws and support systems. It includes representatives from the Attorney General's Internet Crimes Against Children Unit, the Department of Education, and the Crisis and Suicide Hotline to gather input from relevant stakeholders. The committee must submit its findings and recommendations by January 31, 2027, without receiving reimbursement for expenses.
This bill consolidates Idaho's STEM education programs under the Workforce Development Council by repealing the separate Idaho STEM Action Center structure. It transfers responsibilities like computer science education initiatives, STEM funding oversight, and program coordination to the Council. The key change revises references from "STEM Action Center" to "Workforce Development Council" in all relevant laws, streamlining oversight of K-12 computer science programs and STEM education funding.
H 742 amends Idaho law to allow electronic motor vehicle records as proof of ownership, reducing the need for paper documents during title transfers. It authorizes Idaho vehicle dealers to directly cancel or remove liens from vehicle titles when loans are paid off, without requiring owners to seek separate assistance. These changes streamline the process for buying and selling vehicles by simplifying lien removal and enabling digital record-keeping.
