Idaho House passes a slate of bills including changes to licensing, funeral benefits and event exemptions

BOISE, Idaho — The Idaho House of Representatives approved a series of bills on Feb. 17, 2025, advancing measures affecting professional licensing, state collection powers, workers' compensation rules, burial benefits for workplace deaths, and a carve-out for charity mixed-martial-arts events.

The chamber completed second- and third-reading business and recorded roll-call votes on bills delivered from committee. Several measures were enacted by clear majorities; a handful drew more substantive debate before passage.

Votes at a glance

- House Bill 62 — authorizes the Department of Health and Welfare to enter written agreements with the Tax Commission to obtain state tax records to expedite recovery of public-assistance fraud and abuse. Passed the House (69 yeas, 1 excused).

- House Bill 107 — clarifies how new professional licenses and fees are established and confirms Idaho licensing boards set standards of care for licensees. Passed the House (62 yeas, 8 nays).

- House Bill 64 — amends Idaho Code on workers' compensation liability to confirm that limited liability company managers and members may be liable for obtaining workers' compensation coverage. Passed the House (68 yeas, 2 absent).

- House Bill 66 — allows the Idaho Industrial Commission to send hearing notices electronically when a party is represented by counsel, retaining mailed notice for unrepresented parties. Passed the House (68 yeas, 2 abstentions reported during roll-call procedure).

- House Bill 67 — raises the maximum burial expense benefit for workers who die on the job from $6,000 to $10,000, as requested by the Idaho Industrial Commission. Passed the House (68 yeas, 2 absent).

- House Bill 16 — creates a limited exemption from State Athletic Commission rules for charitable mixed-martial-arts events (examples cited: Veterans Memorial fundraiser in Horseshoe Bend) subject to weight-class and medical screening requirements. Passed the House (62 yeas, 7 nays, 1 excused).

- House Bill 116 — repeals the Idaho Small Employer Health Insurance Availability Act (a pre-ACA statute) on the grounds it is no longer used; sponsors said there have been no participants since February 2021. Passed the House (68 yeas, 2 absent).

- House Bill 120 — removes licensure for retail dealers of thermal styling equipment (no active licensees since 2018) and eliminates an unused regulatory requirement. Passed the House (66 yeas, 3 nays, 1 absent).

- House Joint Memorial 3 — a memorial asking U.S. Congress to repeal the federal Corporate Transparency Act; approved by voice vote and ordered transmitted. (Voice vote: ayes prevailed.)

- House Bill 46 — updates law relating to licensed residential care facilities, registered children's institutions and youth crisis centers; passed the House (68 yeas, 1 nay, 1 abstention).

- House Bill 125 — amends the statutory penalties associated with the state's definition of "riot" to add a penalty for physical injury to a person in a riot context; passed the House (44 yeas, 26 nays).

Context and key points

Many bills were delivered to the House from standing committees and either placed on the second- or third-reading calendars or brought directly to the floor with unanimous-consent requests to dispense with further reading. Most measures drew little floor debate and passed by roll-call majorities after committee reports. A few items — notably House Bill 125 (riot penalty language) and House Bill 16 (charitable combat-sport exemption) — prompted extended floor remarks for and against before final votes.

Where debate occurred, members raised questions about statutory scope and possible unintended consequences. On House Bill 125, several members said the existing statutory definition of "riot" dates to 1972 and they supported applying an equivalent penalty where physical injury occurred; others warned the proposed language was too broad and could sweep in nonserious incidents. On House Bill 16, sponsors described a local charity event that had been canceled after regulatory questions, and supporters said the narrow exemption would preserve safety checks while allowing charitable fundraisers to proceed.

What the House did not decide today

Several bills and resolutions were referred to committees for printing or placement on later calendars; those items were not debated to final votes during this session. Enrolled bills returned from the Senate were referred to the proper committee for delivery to the governor as required by House rules.

Ending

Bills approved by the House will be transmitted to the Senate or, where appropriate, forwarded for enrollment or transmittal to the governor. The House adjourned until 11 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025.