LEGISLATIVE UPDATE | WEEK ELEVEN
MARCH 17 - 21, 2025
It’s one thing for us to describe just how busy things are here in the 2025 Idaho Legislature. It’s quite another when statistics do the talking. Each Friday during the session, the Legislative Services Office (LSO) posts a running tally of bills, resolutions, and measures, along with comparisons dating back to 2020. Last Friday’s report shows lawmakers are setting a new standard again this year.
LSO has tallied 890 pieces of new legislation and 243 additional amendments for a total of 1,133, up from the previous high of 1,067 set last year. As of last week, 584 bills had been introduced in both chambers, up from 550 in 2024 and 523 at this time in 2020. There have been 72 introductions of resolutions, memorials, and proclamations, which is also a five-year high. At the same time, fewer bills have passed both houses and been signed into law – at least at this point.
This record churn can be traced to the growing influence of out-of-state think tanks treating Idaho as a “bill mill.” In other words, Idaho is seen as fertile testing ground for injecting ideas into the broader legislative bloodstream. Once introduced in Boise, D.C. policy wonks can use the traction here to push it nationally. This tactic has become a brutal distraction, an annoyance to many, spawning the introduction of record numbers of predatory bills.
This trend also helps explain the ongoing length of the session, calendar bloat in the House and Senate and the fraying patience and goodwill of legislators over the last month. At times, it can be hard to discern one bill from another, but it’s become glaringly obvious that many of these are simply tradeoffs for increased campaign donations and PAC spending, which has also soared to record levels. This new normal for bill tallies and increased super PAC engagement throughout the year means our part-time lawmakers have so much more to do with limited staff and support systems.
Ok, on to some legislative news. The Senate passed and sent to the Governor’s desk HB 304, which cuts $100 million from local government units as property tax relief. Gov. Little signed the comprehensive reform to Idaho’s Medicaid program, which includes changes to Medicaid Expansion. He also signed legislation allowing physicians to refuse certain types of care if it violates their beliefs.
The budget writing committee members rolled up their sleeves and passed more than three dozen agency budgets, including transportation, education, natural resources, IT, and many more enhancement budgets. Despite JFAC approval, these big agency budgets still need a greenlight from the House and Senate. Meanwhile, budgets for smaller departments continue to get shot down in the quest for savings, including a handful Friday morning sure to be tweaked next week. Generally speaking. However, budget writers are signaling they’re about done with the games and acrimony and are intent on setting passable budgets and getting out of town.
Amid the chaos, we are witnessing a dizzying amount of back-room negotiations and horse-trading, meaning a steady flow of new or revamped bills continue to move through the pipeline. We are also seeing a few bills resurrected after undergoing major overhauls, including a huge new urban renewal bill, a community infrastructure district bill, and a new utility wildfire mitigation/liability bill. At this point, bills like these seem to have a predetermined outcome and are moving swiftly; yet another signal Sine Die is near.
As we enter the final turn of the session, tensions remain high. Legislators and staff are exhausted. Some of our competitors are no longer showing up, while others seem spent and content just milling about the halls. We remain vigilant and are already looking forward by engaging lawmakers now on potential policy ideas and solutions for 2026.
