House Business Committee introduces seven RS measures on licensing, title insurance, inspections and mortgage solicitations

BOISE — The Idaho House Business Committee on Feb. 5 introduced seven request statutes (RS) addressing a range of issues including consumer privacy for mortgage solicitations, married persons’ ability to sell sole-and-separate property, state title-insurance policy, occupational-licensing reporting, board cash management tools, electrical-licensing reciprocity and a pilot for virtual building inspections.

The measures were introduced by voice votes during the committee’s Feb. 5 meeting and were placed in the committee’s files for potential hearings and drafting. Committee members asked technical and policy questions during short presentations; no formal roll-call votes were recorded in the transcript.

Representative Bruce presented RS32003, described as an amendment to provisions of Idaho law to address “mortgage trigger leads.” Bruce said the proposal would define the term and prohibit certain solicitation practices or require additional disclosure, including that solicitors state they are not the applicant’s current lender and that they purchased the consumer lead. "This bill seeks to amend chapter 31 title 26 of Idaho code by adding a new section ... aimed at enhancing consumer privacy in the mortgage applications," Representative Bruce said. The motion to introduce RS32003 was made and carried by voice vote.

Representative John Shirts introduced RS31937, a proposal to amend state code provisions affecting married persons’ ability to sell or encumber property they hold as sole and separate property without spousal consent. Shirts said the change is intended to prevent situations in which title can be held "hostage" by a spouse in some divorce or title disputes and that it would not alter community-property rules or affect proceeds from such sales. The committee voted to introduce RS31937.

Shirts also presented RS31939, a house concurrent resolution that the transcript describes as supporting Idaho’s state-based system for regulating title insurance and urging the federal government not to impose changes on that system. The committee voted to introduce RS31939.

Representative Jaren Crane presented RS31955, which would repeal and replace Idaho Code section 67-9407 and establish new reporting requirements for state licensing authorities to improve transparency, consumer protection and accountability. Crane told the committee that most licensing boards already provide much of the requested information voluntarily and that the change should not create a fiscal impact on the state budget. The committee voted to introduce RS31955.

Representative Jeff Ehlers introduced RS32142, a measure aimed at improving oversight of licensing boards’ finances and standardizing renewal cycles. Ehlers said the bill would require quarterly reporting of revenues and expenditures for boards with unusually high or low cash reserves, allow a fee holiday option for a board that is holding an excessive cash balance, and implement technical corrections from a prior bill (House Bill 505). The committee voted to introduce RS32142.

Representative Kyle Harris presented RS32160 addressing electrical licensing. Harris said the measure would allow issuance of a journeyman card alongside a master electrician license so that electricians who become masters preserve reciprocity with other states. A question about the fee amount on the bill was noted as one to ask the primary sponsor; the committee voted to introduce RS32160.

Representative Raybould presented RS32162 to permit local governments to authorize virtual or visual inspections for certain building inspections. Raybould said the draft limits virtual inspections for structural reviews of buildings taller than three stories and leaves implementation decisions to local jurisdictions. Committee members voiced safety and liability concerns — one member said he would vote to introduce but may press for changes at a later hearing to ensure inspectors do not forgo on-site checks entirely. The committee voted to introduce RS32162.

The meeting concluded with scheduling notes: the committee plans to meet again Friday for one RS and one bill hearing; two RSs related to wildfire mitigation and study are pending drafting and may appear on Friday's agenda if ready. The clerk recorded no formal roll-call tallies in the transcript; each RS introduction was advanced by voice vote and the chair announced the motions carried.

Votes at a glance: RS32003 (mortgage-trigger-lead disclosure) — introduced (voice vote); RS31937 (married-person sole/separate property sales) — introduced (voice vote); RS31939 (title-insurance state system concurrent resolution) — introduced (voice vote); RS31955 (occupational-licensing reporting; Idaho Code §67-9407 replacement) — introduced (voice vote); RS32142 (licensing-board cash oversight/fee-holiday authority) — introduced (voice vote); RS32160 (electrical-licensing reciprocity/journeyman card) — introduced (voice vote); RS32162 (virtual inspections for certain building inspections) — introduced (voice vote).

Representative names and roles in discussion are recorded in the committee transcript; detailed hearings, fiscal notes and statutory drafting will follow if the measures are granted print or a full hearing.