Idaho Senate adopts amendments to five bills in committee of the whole; sends measures to Judiciary and Rules

The Idaho Senate’s committee of the whole on Feb. 13 adopted amendments to five bills and reported those measures to the Judiciary and Rules Committee for engrossing and printing.

The action moves Senate Bill 1027 (transparency and financial services), Senate Bill 1023 (Idaho Medical Freedom Act), Senate Bill 1030 (attorneys and counselors at law), Senate Bill 1042 (rental application fees), and Senate Bill 1025 (public education provisions) forward after the committee approved a series of targeted amendments and then the full Senate adopted the committee report.

The committee considered an amendment to Senate Bill 1027 that its sponsor described as a single-word insertion. Senator Daniel Anthon, sponsor of the amendment, said, “Have you ever seen such a simple amendment? 1 word added to the bill. This is a debanking bill. It's a lit this is adding to the list of businesses that cannot be used to debank, and it adds 1 word, a a business that uses knives.” The committee adopted that amendment by voice vote and later moved to report SB 1027 as amended.

Senator Grant Foreman spoke about changes to Senate Bill 1023, saying, “The amendment to section 3 of senate bill 10 23 deletes lines 9 through 11 of the bill and adds text to sub paragraph 3. This adds an expanded definition of the term medical intervention. This amendment was done to broaden and clarify the definition to refine the intent and meaning of senate bill 10 23.” The committee adopted multiple clarifying amendments to sections 3 and 4; Foreman said the changes refine the scope and clarify that the bill does not seek to alter established workplace safety standards, including Occupational Safety and Health Administration requirements.

Senate Bill 1030 received an amendment correcting terminology and restoring a class of membership inadvertently omitted from the printed bill concerning attorney classifications and bar dues. Senator Mark Leahy explained the changes and the amendment was adopted by voice vote.

On Senate Bill 1042, Senator Raby (Riggs was identified as participating in moving/seconding the amendment) described three small changes in response to stakeholder feedback. He summarized them as: requiring advertising rather than written tenant acknowledgment for future-availability units; clarifying that fees may be charged to each legal adult in a household; and removing a specification of a fixed fee so industry practice can govern that detail. The committee adopted the amendment by voice vote.

Senate Bill 1025 also drew a sequence of amendments that deleted and replaced multiple sections, including revisions to definitions related to homeschooling and verification steps tied to the Department of Education. Senator Lent presented the package of deletions and additions; the committee adopted the amendments and later approved a correction to the bill title.

After debate in the committee of the whole, committee members moved that the committee report that it had “had under consideration” each bill and return the bills “as amended without recommendation.” Those motions were seconded and approved by voice votes. The Senate then adopted the committee report and referred the amended bills to the Judiciary and Rules Committee for engrossing; the Judiciary and Rules Committee reported the amendments had been correctly printed and that the bills had been incorrectly engrossed and referred them for reintroduction and proper processing.

The Senate also handled routine business on Feb. 13: roll call showed 33 senators present with two absent and excused (Senator Woodward was noted as formally excused); the body approved referrals for multiple other bills and received a gubernatorial appointment referral to the Judiciary and Rules Committee.

Votes at a glance

- Senate Bill 1027 (Transparency and Financial Services Act): Amendment adopted in committee of the whole; committee reported bill as amended and it was referred to Judiciary and Rules for engrossing. Motion to report moved by Senator Toews; second recorded. Outcome: adopted (voice vote; “ayes have it”).

- Senate Bill 1023 (Idaho Medical Freedom Act): Multiple amendments adopted (sections 3 and 4); committee reported bill as amended and it was referred to Judiciary and Rules for engrossing. Outcome: adopted (voice vote; “ayes have it”).

- Senate Bill 1030 (Attorneys and counselors at law): Amendment adopted to replace an inadvertent omission (restoring senior attorney classification); committee reported bill as amended and it was referred to Judiciary and Rules for engrossing. Outcome: adopted (voice vote; “ayes have it”).

- Senate Bill 1042 (Rental application fees): Amendment adopted clarifying advertising requirements, who may be charged, and removing specific fee language; committee reported bill as amended and it was referred to Judiciary and Rules for engrossing. Outcome: adopted (voice vote; “ayes have it”).

- Senate Bill 1025 (Public education provisions): Series of deletions and replacements to multiple sections; amendment to title adopted; committee reported bill as amended and it was referred to Judiciary and Rules for engrossing. Outcome: adopted (voice vote; “ayes have it”).

What happens next

The amended bills were referred to the Judiciary and Rules Committee for engrossing and printing of the amendments; the Judiciary and Rules Committee then reported those prints and returned the bills to the second-reading calendar for further consideration. No roll-call tallies were recorded in the transcript for the amendment votes; adoption was recorded by voice vote with the clerk announcing “ayes have it.”