Every Monday, I’m bringing you updates from the Idaho Legislature to help you stay involved. Follow along for bill coverage and statuses. In this issue, we’re covering criminal justice, education, free speech and media, housing and welfare, immigration, LGBTQ+ issues, medicine and voting.
Criminal Justice
HB 467 allows eligible incarcerated individuals — those with “any term other than life or a sentence of death” — to earn “credits” toward reduction of sentence, probation or parole from prosocial behavior, rehabilitation, or educational or career skills programs. The bill prohibits any individuals serving a sentence for convictions related to the following: crimes against children; battery against certain public employees; or murder.
The bill was introduced and read for the first time March 28, sponsored by Speaker Mike Moyle, R-Star.
Education
HB 461 aims to amend parts of the Idaho Code related to the Idaho Launch Grant Program and the In-Demand Careers Fund. For Idaho Launch, the bill changes eligibility for students, expenses and institutions. It also creates an advisory board for the program.
Primarily, the bill, if passed, will limit eligible programs to very few that are not limited to associate degrees or two-year programs. “Beginning with the spring 2026 graduating class, eligible coursework shall mean only the education, certification, or training necessary for the completion of a participant’s declared in-demand career: (i) Requiring no more than an associate degree; (ii) Requiring a certificate or training of two (2) years of full-time equivalent time or less; (iii) Requiring an apprenticeship in the trades; or (iv) That is a health care, engineering, or information technology career that does not require a postbaccalaureate degree,” according to the bill text.
As for the In-Demand Careers Fund, the bill adds that the fund is only to be used “for eligible students pursuing health care careers.” The bill was sponsored by Rep. Steve Miller, R-Fairfield, and Rep. Lance W. Clow, R-Twin Falls. It passed the House March 28 and was read for the first time in the Senate March 31.
SB 1198 seeks to prohibit the establishment of DEI offices and employees at public higher education institutions. It also bans diversity trainings, bias reporting systems and certain required courses.
According to the bill’s statement of purpose, it aims to protect “the pursuit of knowledge … by freeing students and faculty from compulsory ideological training.” It will not affect centers and scholarships for Native American students. The bill also gives the state attorney general the power to investigate and seek civil penalties of “up to two percent (2%) of the amount of the … operating expenses for the offending division, office, center or unit.”
The bill is co-sponsored by Sen. Ben Toews, R-Coeur d’Alene, and Rep. Judy Boyle, R-Midvale. It was introduced March 26 and, as of March 31, was reported out of committee and filed for a second reading.
HB 368, introduced in the House Education Committee March 5 by Rep. Dustin Manwaring, R-Pocatello, was read for the third time in the Senate March 31 and passed 55-15. It was amended by the Senate March 21 to create a working group to develop a medical education plan for Idaho. You can find The Argonaut’s coverage of the bill here.
On March 31, Sen. Cindy J. Carlson, R-Riggins and Rep. Elaine Price, R-Coeur d’Alene, introduced SB 1209. The bill, among other fiscal adjustments, attempts to cut $2 million each in one-time reductions from the University of Idaho and Boise State University. The bill has been read for the first time in the Senate.
As of March 31, HB 240 has been signed by Governor Brad Little. The “Protecting Campus Free Speech in Higher Education Act” aims to protect freedom of expression on public college campuses. The act prohibits public institutions of higher education from creating “free speech zones” that otherwise limit protected expressive activity, defined as “noncommercial speech or conduct protected by the first amendment.” The law will come into effect July 1.
SB 1046 adds “human growth and development instruction in public school” by requiring detailed fetal development animation or renderings and ultrasound footage. This is required in any class that discusses human biology, contraception or sexually-transmitted infections. The bill was signed into law March 27 and will come into effect July 1, 2025.
In a similar fashion, HB 239 requires parental permission for human sexuality instruction in schools. It also adds the definition of human sexuality as “sexual conduct, sexual pleasure, sexual intimacy, sexual abuse, sexual violence, eroticism, pornography, deviant sexual behavior, sexual attraction, sexual orientation, or any form of sexual identity, gender identity, gender ideology or gender conversion.” Parents would have to “opt-in” for their children to participate in classroom instruction on topics including sexual and gender identity.
“It is not the intent of the legislature that instruction regarding human sexuality … shall be included or required in Idaho public schools,” the bill also said. The bill is sponsored by Rep. Barbara Ehardt, R-Idaho Falls. It was reported delivered to the governor on March 28.
HB 397 was read for the second time in the Senate on March 26. The bill will increase civics education in K-12, emphasizing citizen involvement and the importance of voting. It was sponsored by Rep. Tony Wisniewski, R-Post Falls, and Sen. Carlson.
HB 352 provides certain provisions for parental rights in education, including academic accommodations, policies for parental involvement and access to education and health records. It also prohibits instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity that is “not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate.” The bill was delivered to the governor March 26.
Free Speech and Media
HB 158, soon to be Section 9-714, Idaho Code, Media Source Confidentiality, serves as Idaho’s media shield law, which protects journalists from compulsion to testify about confidential sources. The bill was signed by the governor and will come into effect July 1.
HB 96 seeks to limit government entities to only display certain flags. Sponsored by Rep. Heather Scott, R-Blanchard, the bill has been signed by the Senate president and returned to the House on March 31. The bill lists permitted flags as those of the United States; government organizations; states; military branches; POW/MIA; Native American tribes; on special occasions, other countries; and schools.
Notably, this would prohibit public entities from displaying flags such as Pride flags. The ACLU of Idaho commented on the bill, saying, “By restricting which flags can be displayed, the bill raises serious free speech concerns and serves as a thinly veiled attempt to censor LGBTQ+ voices and erase affirming spaces, reinforcing a culture of exclusion rather than belonging.”
HB 271 makes the act of willfully publishing any commercial advertisement in Idaho for illegal drugs a misdemeanor, with a fine of $500 per violation. The bill specifically lists “marijuana, narcotics or other psychoactive substances that are illegal under Idaho code.” This is a significant difference from the previous language, which broadly prohibited “advertising illegal products and services.” The bill has been read in full as amended for the third time and passed 50-20 as of March 31.
Housing and Welfare
SB 1141 prohibits “public camping or sleeping” in the state of Idaho, defined as “lodging or residing in a temporary outdoor habitation … which includes sitting, lying or sleeping for a prolonged amount of time, and may be evidenced by the erection of a tent or other temporary shelter, including a motor vehicle … or a recreational vehicle,” on “public property, public building grounds or public roads or rights-of-way.”
The bill explicitly keeps clear of camping for recreational or educational purposes “on property designated for such purpose” or otherwise authorized. Co-sponsored by Sen. Codi Galloway, R-Boise, Sen. Kelly Arthur Anthon, R-Rupert, and Rep. Bruce D. Skaug, R-Nampa, the bill was reported delivered to the governor March 27.
HB 109 requires the director of the state Department of Health and Welfare request a waiver from the USDA to exclude candy and soda from SNAP eligibility. The bill was co-sponsored by Sen. Toews, Sen. Carlson, Sen. Dan Foreman, R-Moscow, Sen. Todd M. Lakey, R-Nampa, Sen. Brandon Shippy, R-New Plymouth, Sen. Tammy Nichols, R-Middleton, and Rep. Jordan Redman, R-Coeur d’Alene. The amended version of the bill was passed 48-20 on March 31.
Immigration
HB 83, the “Immigration Cooperation and Enforcement Act,” was signed by the governor March 27. It outlines definitions such as “alien,” “illegal alien” and “dangerous illegal alien,” and lists potential punishments for illegal entry and reentry into the state.
Additionally, it requires compliance with federal authorities and determination of immigration status upon detainment. HB 83 grants law enforcement officers immunity in related actions and makes “trafficking a dangerous illegal alien” a felony.
A lawsuit was filed March 27 against the law, resulting in a temporary restraining order.
LGBTQ+
HB 264, titled “Protecting the Privacy of Women,” requires certain entities to designate restrooms, changing rooms and sleeping quarters “for the exclusive use by either females or males.” Covered entities include domestic violence shelters, correctional facilities and state educational institutions.
Co-sponsored by Rep. Ehardt and Sen. Carlson, the amended bill has passed the Senate and been returned to the House as of March 31.
Medical
The first of two bills regarding abortion, SB 1171, allows various family members of an unborn fetus — not just the parents — to file lawsuits against medical professionals who have attempted or performed an abortion on the fetus in violation of Idaho law.
The bill has been read for the first time in the House and was referred to the House Committee of State Affairs. It was co-sponsored by Sen. Lakey and Rep. Skaug and will be up for consideration by State Affairs April 1.
SB 1184 was introduced March 21, co-sponsored by Sen. Jim Woodward, R-Sagle, and Rep. Mark Sauter, R-Sandpoint. The bill specifies circumstances under which abortions may not be considered a criminal act, such as a newly-defined “lethal fetal anomaly,” medical emergencies or cases of rape or incest.
Voting
HB 441, introduced by Speaker Moyle March 24, proposes changes to identification on absentee ballots. New requirements for voters would include writing their driver’s license or state photo ID number and the last four digits of their social security number. It also requires that the Secretary of State design a system to prevent this personal information from being visible from the outside of the envelope, which “will likely be either a large-flap two-envelope system or a three-envelope system,” according to the Statement of Purpose.
Other
Finally, HB 386 doesn’t quite fit into any of these categories, as it calls for updated boundary descriptions for the Latah and Shoshone counties. The changes are minor, intended to fix “two small scrivener errors made by the County surveyor” in 2024, according to the Statement of Purpose. The bill was signed into law March 25. The new boundaries will be effective July 1.
Dakota Steffen can be reached at arg-news@uidaho.edu.