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House committee sends reckless‑driving bill to General Orders after questions about "active" zones
Summary
The House Judiciary and Rules Committee moved H570, which would make driving 20 mph over the limit in an active school or construction zone reckless driving, to General Orders for clarifying language after members raised concerns about the term "active." The roll‑call vote passed with one recorded no.
The House Judiciary and Rules Committee voted to send House Bill 570 to General Orders for additional drafting after committee members said the bill’s key term — "active" — needs clarification.
Representative Mike Pohanka, sponsor of the bill, told the committee H570 would make it a misdemeanor to drive "at a speed greater than 20 miles per hour over the posted speed limit in an active" school or construction zone. He cited Idaho Transportation Department figures showing work‑zone crashes at 649 in 2022, 757 in 2023 and 904 in 2024 and said fatalities have ticked up as well.
Several members asked whether "active" means only when workers or children are visibly present or whether the posted signs/cones alone would trigger the enhanced penalty. Representative Josh Ehart asked whether the statistics presented represented crashes during active times or overall counts. Representative Pohanka responded that the numbers were provided by ITD and that the sponsor did not have 2025 data yet: "I do not, the gentleman that emailed me from ITD did not have the 2025 stats yet." (Representative Mike Pohanka)
Multiple law‑enforcement witnesses, including Rex Ingram, Chief of Police in Caldwell, urged support. Ingram described local incidents in which children sustained serious injuries and argued the bill would give officers a clear charging option: "With this bill, if it becomes a law, it would be considered a misdemeanor, reckless driving." (Rex Ingram)
After a period of questioning and public testimony, Representative Scott offered a substitute motion to send H570 to General Orders so the committee could refine the bill's language. The committee took a roll‑call vote; the motion passed and Representative Pohanka recorded a No. The committee did not finalize statutory text; the referral sends the bill back for revised language and further consideration.
Next steps: the bill will return to the committee or floor calendar after clarifying edits are prepared and reported out under General Orders.
