What happened to that Idaho bill? Stay updated on latest with this 2024 tracker
This story will continue to be updated throughout the 2024 legislative session. It was last updated at 4:50 p.m. on April 10.
The Idaho Statesman provides in-depth coverage of bills as they’re introduced and passed on the House or Senate floors.
But a bill goes through a lengthy process before it becomes law. The more measures introduced in one legislative session, the more difficult it is to keep them straight.
The legislative process starts in the chamber in which it was introduced, then moves to the other chamber. For example, a House bill must typically:
- get introduced;
- be referred to a House committee;
- have a public hearing;
- get sent to the House floor and pass;
- pass through a Senate committee;
- get sent to the Senate floor and pass;
- and get signed by the governor.
Here, we have a list of the most high-profile pieces of legislation and provide updates on where they landed at the end of this year’s legislative session.
Education
Blaine Amendment: House Joint Resolution 1 would have removed a section of the Idaho Constitution, known as the Blaine Amendment, that prohibits directing state funds to religious institutions. It did not get through the House State Affairs Committee.
Concealed guns in schools: House Bill 415 would have allowed public school employees with concealed weapons permits to bring concealed firearms to school grounds. The House passed the bill, but it never made it through the Senate.
Senate Bill 1418 was a second bill aimed at replacing the House bill and would have allowed local entities to impose stricter firearm training requirements. It failed to get out of the Senate State Affairs Committee.
Senate Bill 1228 would have allowed concealed weapons at public universities and colleges. It also failed to get through the Senate State Affairs Committee.
Recalled trustees: Two bills would have changed quorum requirements for school boards to apply only to currently filled seats: Senate Bill 1239 and House Bill 420. Both bills would have allowed for a majority of sitting school board members to constitute a quorum when there are vacancies, but the House bill would have also forbid a trustee subject to a recall effort from participating in board meetings between the date of the recall election and the day the results are official.
The Senate bill was passed by the Senate and referred to the House Education Committee, where it died, and the House bill didn’t make it through the House State Affairs Committee.
House Bill 645 replaced those bills and became law. It allows a majority of school board members to constitute a quorum when there are vacancies and prevents members subject to recall elections from voting on major board actions until the results of the election are determined.
School vouchers: House Bill 447 would have allowed $50 million in state funds to go toward private education. Most of the money would have been available as tax rebates, and families whose children do not attend public school could have applied for $5,000 per student. Children with disabilities could have received $7,500, and low-income families $5,000 per child as a grant. The funds would have been awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. The bill was held in the House Revenue and Taxation Committee.
Charter schools: House Bill 422 makes major changes to the state’s charter school law, including how charter schools are approved and regulated. It has been signed into law.
School facilities: House Bill 521 provides $1.5 billion over 10 years in additional funding to school districts and redirects $500 million for repairing and replacing their dilapidated school buildings. It also eliminates August elections for school bonds and levies and lowers the income tax rate. It’s been signed into law.
School facilities trailer bills: Lawmakers proposed nine trailer bills for House Bill 521, some of them with competing proposals, that would address concerns they have about the distribution of funding and impact on school districts that are on four-day weeks.
Only one passed. House Bill 766 softens the requirement in House Bill 521 for school districts to certify that they provide the minimum number of instructional time by letting districts use days, which must be set by the State Board of Education, or hours, which are already set by the state. It also delays implementation of the instructional time requirement to 2025, redirects misused funds to rural school districts, and provides more money to public charter school facilities. It’s been signed into law.
Other proposed changes to House Bill 521 failed to become law:
- Senate Bill 1438 and Senate Bill 1440 would have created a minimum amount of money school districts receive through House Bill 521 of $100,000 and cap the maximum amount at $100 million. The Senate passed Senate Bill 1440, but it didn’t get a hearing in a House committee.
- Senate Bill 1439 would have repealed the provision of the bill that requires school districts to certify that they provide the minimum number of instructional days set by the State Board of Education. It would have also removed the requirement to submit for school districts to submit 10-year facilities plans and to attest that they won’t require job applicants to sign diversity statements. The bill didn’t get a Senate vote.
- Senate Bill 1441 would have delayed implementation of House Bill 521 for a year. It also didn’t get a Senate vote.
Two-thirds threshold for bonds: House Joint Resolution 2 would have started the process of lowering the requirement to have two-thirds of voters support a bond for it to pass. The resolution would have placed a ballot measure to lower the requirement to 55% support for bonds that are held during election years with statewide races. It was referred for amendments and never made it to a House vote.
Right to private education: Senate Joint Resolution 105 would have proposed an amendment to the Idaho Constitution to add the right to home-schooling or private education under the law that requires public school attendance. It was sent to the Senate floor but never voted on.
Teachers unions: House Bill 602 would have barred any public funds from paying for teachers union dues. It failed in the House.
University of Phoenix purchase: House Concurrent Resolution 26 would have authorized the Idaho Legislature to pursue legal action over the University of Idaho’s purchase of the University of Phoenix. It was adopted by the House but never made it through the Senate State Affairs Committee.
Senate Bill 1450 would have converted the nonprofit to manage the University of Phoenix, Four Three Education, into a body politic and required two lawmakers appointed by legislative leaders and six community members without a financial interest in the corporation to serve on the 11-member board that would have overseen Four Three Education. It failed on the Senate floor. Its failure endangers the transaction.
Health care
Maternal mortality: House Bill 399 allows the Idaho Board of Medicine to collect and report maternal mortality rates in the state. It’s been signed into law.
Meanwhile, House Bill 423 would have reinstated the state’s Maternal Mortality Review Committee to investigate deaths through July 2030. It didn’t make it out of the House Health and Welfare Committee.
Mask mandates: House Bill 493 would have banned state agencies or “political subdivisions” from mandating masks. It passed in the House but never made it out of the Senate State Affairs Committee.
Health districts: House Bill 392 would limit the powers of health districts to implement public health measures. It’s been referred to the House Health and Welfare Committee.
“Preborn child”: House Bill 400 replaced House Bill 381. It would have changed references to “fetus” in state laws to “preborn child.” The bill died in the House State Affairs Committee.
Rape and incest abortion exceptions: Senate Bill 1229, a personal bill, would have removed abortion ban exceptions for rape or incest reported to law enforcement. It was never heard in the Senate State Affairs Committee.
Abortion ban repeal: House Bill 721, a personal bill, would have repealed Idaho’s abortion bans. It did not get a committee hearing.
In vitro fertilization protection: House Bill 737, a personal bill, would have codified protections for IVF. It was never referred to a committee.
Medicaid expansion repeal: House Bill 419 would have started many new conditions for the state to implement Medicaid expansion after July 2025, including work requirements, to qualify for Medicaid, and removed coverage of gender-affirming care under Medicaid. It was held in the House Health and Welfare Committee.
House Bill 685 created a savings fund for state Medicaid expenses. It has become law.
House Concurrent Resolution 30 asks the federal government to approve work requirements for Medicaid recipients. It passed in both chambers.
House Bill 398 requires legislative approval for waivers and other changes to state welfare programs. Gov. Brad Little signed the bill into law in April, but warned that without additional changes it could cause drastic cuts to welfare programs.
Contraception: Senate Bill 1234 requires health insurance plans to reimburse patients for up to a six-month supply of contraceptives at a time. It’s been signed into law.
COVID-19: Senate Concurrent Resolution 110 would have authorized the Legislative Council to start a committee to study Idaho’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It died in the Senate State Affairs Committee.
Fentanyl testing strips: House Bill 441 legalizes fentanyl testing strips by removing it from the definition of “drug paraphernalia.” It’s been signed into law.
Needle exchanges: House Bill 617 eliminates the state’s needle exchange program, offered through contracts between the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare and organizations around the state. It’s been signed into law.
Medicaid postpartum coverage: House Bill 633 extends postpartum coverage under Medicaid to a full year after childbirth. It’s been signed into law.
Parents
Social media age verification: Senate Bill 1417 would have allowed parents to sue companies that don’t obtain parental consent before letting children open social media accounts. It would also have given the attorney general authority to investigate such companies. The bill failed to make it out of the Senate State Affairs Committee.
“Harmful” library materials: Senate Bill 1289, which combined elements of House Bill 384 and Senate Bill 1221, would have let guardians sue a public or school library to seek damages if their child is exposed to material that was deemed “harmful” by a review committee and not relocated, or if their challenge to material was denied even after an internal appeals process. It would have required libraries and schools to create a committee to review challenged material, hold public hearings and issue decisions. It failed in the Senate.
House Bill 710, a replacement bill, allows lawsuits for uncapped civil damages after a parent provides 60 days written notice to a library asking them to move a “harmful” book to an adult-only section. It’s been signed into law.
Cellphone filters: Senate Bill 1253 would have required cellphone providers to automatically turn on filters against “obscene” materials when the phone is registered to a minor. It passed in the Senate but didn’t make it out of the House State Affairs Committee.
Internet filters: House Bill 498 makes internet distributors liable if children are not prevented from viewing pornography. It has become law.
Child protective services: Senate Bill 1232 would have added code that requires the Department of Health and Welfare to notify parents of their rights during a child protection investigation. It’s been signed into law.
Meals for low-income kids: Senate Bill 1445, a welfare division budget, would have used half a million state dollars to administer a new USDA program to use $16 million in federal funds to provide meals for low-income children over the summer. The bill failed on the Senate floor, and lawmakers later passed a replacement welfare division budget, Senate Bill 1460, that excluded the meals program.
Taxes
Homestead exemption: House Bill 449 penalizes residents who try to use a homestead exemption for more than one property. It’s been signed into law.
Cash payments: House Bill 417 requires state agencies to accept cash payments. It’s been signed into law.
Crime
Death penalty crimes: House Bill 515 would have let Idaho pursue the death penalty for those who have been convicted of lewd conduct with a minor under 12 years old. The House passed the bill, which then died in the Senate Judiciary and Rules Committee.
Fentanyl mandatory minimums: House Bill 406 implements mandatory minimum sentences for fentanyl trafficking and adds a drug-induced homicide crime to Idaho law. The bill has been signed into law.
“Deepfakes”: House Bill 391 would have made it a misdemeanor to use “deepfakes,” AI-generated photos or videos, to harass or sexually extort someone. It died in the House Judiciary, Rules and Administration Committee.
“Domestic terrorism”: Senate Bill 1220 would have defined “domestic terrorism” to be “done in cooperation with any foreign terrorist organization,” excluding homegrown extremist groups. It was passed by the Senate but died in the House Judiciary, Rules and Administration Committee.
A replacement bill, House Bill 623, would have also redefined “domestic terrorism” in the same way but retained a prohibition against civil disorder. That bill also died in the House Judiciary, Rules and Administration Committee.
Cannibalism: House Bill 522 would have expanded the state’s ban on cannibalism to prohibit providing flesh or blood to another person without that person’s knowledge or consent. The House passed the bill, which then didn’t make it out of the Senate State Affairs Committee.
Marijuana penalties: House Bill 695, which replaced House Bill 606, would have added a $300 fine for possessing less than 3 ounces of marijuana. Minors would have been exempt from the fine. It failed to make it out of the House Judiciary, Rules and Administration Committee.
Two bills would have made it illegal to advertise for illegal products, including marijuana. House Bill 613, which replaced House Bill 495, passed in the House but failed in the Senate.
Vehicular manslaughter: Senate Bill 1369 would have imposed mandatory 10-year prison sentences for people convicted of vehicular manslaughter after having previously been convicted of driving under the influence. It passed in the Senate but failed to make it through the House Judiciary, Rules and Administration Committee.
Housing
Eviction records: Senate Bill 1327 seals records of eviction cases that have been dismissed after three years. It’s been signed into law.
Homeless youth shelters: Senate Bill 1328 prevents licensed homeless youth shelters from being charged with misdemeanors for housing youth under certain circumstances. It’s been signed into law.
Section 8: House Bill 545 prohibits local governments from requiring landlords to consider accepting tenants with federal housing vouchers. Boise passed a renter protection law last year that prohibits income-based discrimination. The House bill has been signed into law.
Short-term rentals: House Bill 506 would have barred local governments from measures that restrict homeowners’ ability to turn their properties into short-term rentals or require registration. Boise has a law that requires short-term rentals to pay a fee and register for a license with the city, and the owner must designate a local representative. The bill was referred for amendments and never got a House vote.
Government
Private militias: Senate Bill 1240 would have eliminated Idaho’s prohibition on private militias. It didn’t make it past the Senate State Affairs Committee.
Attorney general investigations: House Bill 390 would have let the attorney general investigate city and county elected officials. It passed in the House but failed in the Senate.
Land Board legal representation: Senate Bill 1292 removed the Idaho Attorney General from his role as the legal representative for the Idaho Department of Lands. It has become law.
Special sessions: Senate Joint Resolution 104 would have placed a measure on the ballot to create a time limit of 20 days on special sessions called by legislators. It was adopted by the Senate but failed to make it through the House State Affairs Committee.
“Don’t Tread on Me”: Senate Bill 1317 creates “Don’t Tread on Me” specialty license plates, some proceeds of which will go to a gun safety education program. It’s been signed into law.
Idaho Transportation Department building sale: Lawmakers proposed several bills that aimed to block the sale of an Idaho Transportation Department building to developers.
House Bill 409 would have repealed a law outlining the process for the sale of state administrative facilities. The House passed the bill, which then didn’t get a Senate vote after it was referred for amendments.
House Bill 723, a bill to set ITD’s budget, would have directed the highway agency to renovate the existing headquarters for $32.5 million and revoke the sale of the building to developers as soon as the bill became law. The House passed the bill, but it failed in the Senate.
The latest version, House Bill 770, revokes the sale and became law without Little’s signature. In a letter to lawmakers, he said canceling the agreed-on sale was “unfair.”
Border security: Senate Joint Memorial 102 calls on the president and Congress to secure the southern border and prohibit amnesty for undocumented immigrants. It’s been adopted by the Legislature.
House Bill 464 would have given the governor the power to create a compact with other states to enforce border security. It passed in the House but died in a Senate committee.
Convention of the states: Senate Concurrent Resolution 112 would have called for a convention of the state to change the U.S. Constitution and further limit the powers of the federal government. It was referred for amendments and never received a vote.
Congressional term limits: Senate Concurrent Resolution 114 would have called for a convention to propose an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would set a limit on the number of terms an elected official can serve in Congress. It was referred for amendments but never voted on.
Committee hearings: House Concurrent Resolution 21 would have required that any legislation passed by one chamber in the Legislature be given a public hearing in the other chamber within seven legislative days. It died in the House Judiciary, Rules and Administration.
Annexation: Senate Bill 1293 prevents forced annexation by cities by requiring two-thirds of property owners in the area to consent to the annexation. It’s been signed into law.
Partisan Ada County Highway District: House Bill 637 would have dissolved the existing five-member ACHD board and replaced it with a seven-member partisan board with redrawn boundaries overseen by Ada County commissioners. It was referred for amendments and never received a vote.
Road expansion: House Bill 728 would have required that roads improvements built by highway districts like ACHD be for the “primary benefit of motorists,” and would only have allowed the districts to expand travel lanes, instead of allowing them to “change” road designs. It did not get a hearing in a House committee.
Road funds only for cars: House Bill 729 adds to a law enacted last year to specify that highway district revenues must be used to make improvements that primarily benefit cars. It has become law.
Knife regulations: House Bill 620 prohibits local governments from restricting where citizens can carry knives, except in locations like schools, jails and courtrooms. The bill has been signed into law.
Gold and silver: Senate Bill 1314 would have allowed the state treasurer to invest a portion of Idaho’s idle state funds into gold and silver. The bill passed in the House and Senate but was vetoed by Little.
LGBTQ+ issues, racial harassment
“Add the words”: Senate Bill 1237, a personal bill, would have added sexual orientation and gender identity as classes protected against discrimination. It didn’t get a hearing in the Senate State Affairs Committee.
Removing “gender”: House Bill 421 defines “gender” as synonymous with “sex” in state law. It’s been signed into law.
Public funds to gender transition: House Bill 668, which replaced House Bill 520, prohibits public funds, including the use of Medicaid, from going to gender-affirming treatment or surgeries. It was signed into law.
Recognition of “traditional family values”: House Concurrent Resolution 35 declares Mother’s Day through Father’s Day as Traditional Family Values Month in Idaho and includes celebrating “marriage between a man and a woman.” It’s been adopted by the House and referred to the Senate State Affairs Committee.
Pride flags in classrooms: Senate Bill 1362 would have limited the kinds of flags or banners allowed to be displayed in classrooms and banned pride flags and other displays “regarding a political party, race, sexual orientation, gender, or a political ideology.” It’s been passed by the Senate but was held in a House committee.
Preferred pronouns: House Bill 538 prohibits public agencies from requiring employees to use students’ pronouns without written permission from their parents. It also lets public employees sue if they face repercussions for refusing to use preferred pronouns. It’s been signed into law.
Denouncing racism: After a high-profile incident in Coeur d’Alene, where a visiting women’s college basketball team was harassed with racial slurs, a resolution, Senate Concurrent Resolution 135, condemned the incident and all forms of racism. It passed in the Senate but did not get a hearing in the House.
Elections
Donations: Senate Bill 1218 would have required campaign finance disclosures for expenditures and donations under $50. It failed in the Senate.
Political “deepfakes”: House Bill 664, which replaced House Bill 426, allows political candidates impersonated with “deepfakes” to take the perpetrator to court. It’s been signed into law.
Electioneering: Senate Bill 1244 extends the Election Day prohibition on electioneering from a distance of 100 feet from polling locations to 250 feet. The bill also adds a fine for violating the law and a misdemeanor offense if done three times. It’s been signed into law.
Convicted elected officials: Senate Bill 1256 would have prevented elected officials who are convicted of a crime from running for office again. They would have been allowed to complete their current terms. It died in the Senate State Affairs Committee.
Uncontested council candidates: Senate Bill 1260 makes cities with populations over 100,000 people hold elections in uncontested races. It’s been signed into law. The law was a response to a measure passed a few years ago that led to uncontested races in two Boise City Council elections being left off the ballot in 2023.
Library trustee terms: Senate Bill 1235 reduces library board trustees’ terms from six years to four years. It’s been signed into law.
Federal PACs: Senate Bill 1251 requires federal political action committees to follow Idaho campaign finance reporting requirements. It’s been signed into law.
Republican presidential primary: Senate Bill 1371 would have reinstated the Republican presidential primary and moved all primaries to be held on the third Tuesday of April. It passed in the Senate but died in the House State Affairs Committee.
Senate Bill 1415 would have created a “preferential” presidential primary, also in April. That vote would not have binded parties to endorse particular candidates at their national conventions but indicated voters’ preferences. The bill passed in the Senate but died in the House State Affairs Committee.
Ranked-choice voting prohibition: House Joint Resolution 4 would have required that all primary and general elections hold only one round of voting to determine the winning candidate, which would have banned ranked-choice voting. It failed in the House.
Absentee ballots: House Bill 667 would have restricted allowing absentee ballots only for voters who are unable to vote in person on Election Day or during early voting days because they’re traveling or have a disability. It was referred for amendments and never voted on.
Initiatives: House Bill 652 would have created a public review period of the signatures submitted for an initiative petition, allowed more time for voters to change their minds about signing a petition and required monthly updates on signature gathering. The House passed the bill, which failed to make it through the Senate State Affairs Committee.
Ballot collections: House Bill 599 prohibits people from collecting voters’ ballots to turn into drop boxes or elections offices, with exceptions if they’re a family member, caregiver, postal worker or someone paid by the voter to deliver the ballot. It was signed into law.
Judges’ salaries: House Bill 713 would have increase pay for judges and prohibit the governor from appointing new judges to fill vacancies, and instead required that the seat be left vacant until after the next election. It failed to make it out of the House Judiciary, Rules and Administration Committee.
House Bill 746 increased judicial salaries and also offers judges $25,000 bonuses if they choose to retire at the end of a term, when their position will be filled by an election rather than an appointment. It has become law.
Environment
Wildlife data: House Bill 404 allows the state to deny public records requests for GPS data, trail camera locations and radio telemetry frequencies that can pinpoint the location of wildlife if the agency believes the information is being used for hunting or intervening in hunts. It’s been signed into law.
Pesticide manufacturers: House Bill 653, which replaced Senate Bill 1245, would have protected pesticide manufacturers from lawsuits over their products’ health risks. It died in the House Business Committee. A third bill, Senate Bill 1432, proposed the same protections but would have added a sunset to end the law in 2027. It did not get a hearing in a Senate committee.
Snake River dams: Senate Joint Memorial 103 states the Idaho Legislature’s opposition to removing the four Snake River dams along the Snake River in Washington. It’s been adopted.
Fossil fuel boycotts: Senate Bill 1291 bans companies that do business with the state from boycotting energy industries, including fossil fuels, and the firearm industry. The bill has become law.
Business
Anti-ESG: House Bill 669 would have banned the largest banks and credit card companies from financial “discrimination” against any person or entity on the basis of “social credit scores” that consider their views on religion, climate targets or gun regulation. The bill would have only applied to banks with more than $100 billion in assets and to payment processing companies that handle over $100 billion annually. The House passed the bill, which never got a hearing in the Senate State Affairs Committee.
We’ve tracked high-profile legislation for the past three years. Check out our 2022 and 2023 bill trackers if you’re looking for an older bill.
This story was originally published January 23, 2024 at 4:00 AM.
