House approves bill to establish ABLE savings accounts in Idaho

BOISE, Idaho — The Idaho House of Representatives on Feb. 10, 2025, passed House Bill 26 to enable ABLE-style savings accounts for people with disabilities, voting 56–13 in favor.

Supporters said the legislation lets eligible families save without jeopardizing benefits and will be run through a state program that participants pay to join. The bill passed third reading after roughly 30 minutes of debate and was transmitted to the Idaho Senate.

Supporters said the bill establishes a state-run ABLE program that can join a multistate consortium so participants pay lower fees than if they used out-of-state programs. Representative (District 10) said the state would not subsidize accounts: “They're just gonna be the fees that pass through that are paid by the people who are in the program to cover any cost that might be in the advertising of that type of thing and education,” the representative said during debate.

Opponents focused on two provisions that they said created uncertainty: language in the bill saying certain activities are “subject to appropriation” and a clause establishing an advisory board. Representative (District 14) asked, referring to page 2: “It says subject to appropriation. And looking at the fiscal note on there, it didn't say there was any cost impact.” Representative (District 13) said he was “not in favor of creating an advisory board that's gonna cost the taxpayers money, especially when the fiscal note says there is no cost.”

Proponents and other members said committee discussion had already clarified those concerns. Representative (District 14) later noted the bill references Idaho Code section 59-5-009(a) and said that code “specifically says that all members of the board shall serve without honorarium or any pay of any kind.” Representative (District 15), who served on the Health and Welfare Committee, said the treasurer’s office would staff and administer the program using existing personnel and that the advisory group would be internal to the treasurer’s office rather than a new paid board.

Debate also covered program details sponsors said are built into the bill: participant fees to cover administrative and outreach costs; lower in-state fees estimated “as low as 0.19%” versus out-of-state fees the sponsor described as “up to 0.59%”; and the expectation that federal eligibility rules would expand the ABLE age threshold in future years (the speaker said the federal eligibility age was expected to increase from 26 to 46, but did not specify an effective date). The sponsor described ABLE accounts as “very much like” college savings accounts and said they help families that cannot otherwise accumulate savings for care and emergencies.

The House Clerk recorded the final vote as 56 ayes and 13 nays; the presiding officer announced that the bill passed and would be sent to the Senate.

House Bill 26: Votes at a glance — Passed the House, 56–13. Bill transferred to the Senate for further consideration.