Public Policy

The Coeur d’Alene Regional Chamber’s Public Policy Committee provides this legislative bill tracker as a resource for members to stay informed during the 2026 Idaho Legislative Session. The tracker highlights select bills with potential relevance to the regional business community, including bill status, alignment with Chamber priorities, and recorded votes by Kootenai County legislators.

Members are encouraged to connect directly with their elected officials. Legislator names included below are hyperlinked to contact information and additional details about each legislator. This resource is updated weekly to reflect the most current information available.

 

State Legislators of Kootenai County

 

2026 Bill Tracker

Bill	Statement of Purpose	Committee	Sponsors	Bill Status	Kootenai County Legislator Votes
H491	Adds mental health and suicide emergency first aid to immunity from damage claims.	Judiciary, Rules and Administration	Representative Marco Erickson	Passed out of House, headed to Senate	Ayes: Nays: NONE
H509	Allows vehicles subject to inspection to operate 72 hours between inspections, balancing safety with productivity for truck traffic.	Transportation and Defense	Representative Shawn Dygert Senator Mark Harris	Reported and Printed to Transportation and Defense	Ayes: Nays:
H511	Raises maximum forest land surcharge from $40 to $100 to fund wildland fire preparedness and address funding shortfalls.	Resources and Conservation	Michele Andersen Idaho Department of Lands	Ordered Transmitted to Governor	Ayes: Bjerke, Mendive, Okuniewicz, Toews, Wisniewski Nays: Alfieri, Barbieri, Hart, Hawkins, Price, Redman, Scott
H515	Ensures families are notified of serious bullying incidents at school so they can respond appropriately.	House Education	Representative Chris Mathias	Signed by Governor Effective: 7/1/2026	Ayes: Nays: NONE
H516	Removes language regarding age or developmental appropriateness inadvertently left in prior draft.	House Education	Representative Dale R. Hawkins	Passed the House and reported to committee in the Senate	Ayes: Nays: None
H517	Repeals Idaho’s membership in the Pacific Northwest Economic Region agreement.	State Affairs	Representative Heather Scott	Reported Printed and Referred to State Affairs	Ayes: Nays:
H526	This legislation changes requirements for new food businesses by allowing small sellers earning under $5,000 to sell time- and temperature-controlled foods more easily.	Health and Welfare	Representative Jeff Ehlers	Passed the House, Passed out of Senate Health and Welfare with do-pass recommendation Referred to 14th Order for amendment	Ayes: Nays: None
H519	Updates Idaho income tax code to conform to federal 2025 changes, clarifying R&E deductions and credits.	Judiciary, Rules and Administration	Representative Jeff Ehlers	Reported Printed and Referred to Judiciary, Rules and Administration	Ayes: Nays:
H546	To require retail and service establishments in Idaho with employee only restrooms to allow individuals with qualifying medical conditions access to their restrooms.	Business	Representative Jeff J. Cornilles	Reported, Printed and Referred to Business	Ayes: Nays:
H557	The Uniformity in Local Antidiscrimination Ordinances Act would stop cities and counties from adopting antidiscrimination rules beyond state law, aligning local policies with existing state standards. It also allows the Attorney General, businesses, property owners and residents to challenge local ordinances that exceed state law.	Local Government	Representative Bruce D. Skaug	Passed the House, headed to Senate	Ayes: Alfieri, Barbieri, Hawkins, Mendive, Price, Redman, Scott, Wisniewski Nays:
HJR008	This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment updating how state endowment and public lands are managed. It revises management priorities, continues to allow land sales or exchanges and outlines how future federally transferred lands would be handled, while maintaining existing uses, legal obligations and the current Land Board structure.	State Affairs	Representative Britt Raybould	Referred to State Affairs	Ayes: Nays:
S1225	Codifies process for president searches at state institutions, including 10-day public posting for sole finalist.	Senate Education	Senator Lori Den Hartog Representative James Petzke	Signed by Governor Effective: 2/23/26	Ayes: Nays:
S1227	Guides responsible AI use in K–12 schools with safety, transparency, privacy, local control, teacher involvement, and AI literacy.	Senate Education	Senator Kevin Cook	Passed out of the House	Ayes: Nays: None
S1231	This legislation creates a new liquor license category for established caterers, defining eligibility requirements and limiting use to catered events. The license is nontransferable, does not count toward population-based limits and includes an annual license fee.	State Affairs	Senator Brandon Shippy	Referred to State Affairs	Ayes: Nays:
S1247	This legislation creates the Idaho E-Verify Act, requiring state and local public agencies to use the federal E-Verify program when hiring new employees. Certain private employers that contract with state or local governments would also be required to use E-Verify. Enforcement provisions are included to support compliance.	State Affairs	Senator Mark Harris	Passed the Senate	Ayes: Nays: Bjerke, Okuniewicz, Toews
S1253	This legislation establishes the Idaho Rural Health Transformation Program in state law, creates a dedicated fund for federal and state rural health transformation dollars, and forms a legislative oversight committee to guide fund use, reporting and sustainability. The committee sunsets after funds are expended, and the bill includes an emergency clause for timely implementation.	Health and Welfare	Senator Kevin Cook, Senator	Reported to Health and Welfare	Ayes: Nays:
SJR102	Proposes constitutional amendment protecting federally acquired public lands via separate trust and dedicated revenues.	State Affairs	Senator Ben Adams	Reported and Referred to State Affairs	Ayes: Nays:
SJR103	This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment to distinguish state endowment lands from federally acquired public lands, place certain future federal lands in a protected trust and limit their sale. It outlines management priorities and directs related revenues to a public lands trust fund for land management, county support, public access and education facilities.	State Affairs	Senator Ben Adams Representative Jordan Redman	Referred to state Affairs	Ayes: Nays:
SCR114	Adds joint rule 24 to manage legislative bill volume, improve quality, and speed turnaround for bill drafters and committees.	Judiciary and Rules	Senator Jim Guthrie	Reported out of Committee with Do Pass Recommendation	Ayes: Nays:

Last updated: 3/15/26