All Roll Calls
Yes: 104 • No: 0
IdahoH 00092025 regular legislative sessionHouse
IDAHO ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE ACT – Amends, repeals, and adds to existing law to revise the procedures for the conducting of contested cases.
Sponsored By: JUDICIARY, RULES AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE
Signed by Governor
IDAHO ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE ACT
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this bill means for your household, plus every other piece of legislation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
8 provisions identified: 6 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.
Agency review rights and emergency limits
Beginning July 1, 2025, parties generally have 14 days after service to request review of a preliminary agency order. The agency head must review a timely request unless another law limits review or review authority has been delegated. Agency heads may also start a review themselves. Emergency orders can last no more than 120 days and end sooner when a final order takes effect.
Clearer evidence records for hearing participants
Beginning July 1, 2025, presiding officers must ensure a hearing record is created for each contested case. Records include recordings, filings, rulings, evidence, objections, proposed findings, requested orders, and any prepared transcript. They also include required disclosures about communications outside the hearing process. Parties may agree on facts, and the presiding officer may request more information needed to decide the case. Testimony must be given under oath or affirmation.
Consistent rules for environmental hearing participants
Beginning July 1, 2025, Idaho’s environmental board must use contested-case rules consistent with state administrative procedure rules. The board’s rules must also follow other laws governing the department. This aligns procedures for people challenging environmental decisions.
Easier public access to agency decisions
Beginning July 1, 2025, agencies must post indexed final orders and guidance on one webpage organized by subject. The page must provide direct links. The index must include currently effective orders answering legal questions, called declaratory orders, unless law bars their inclusion. Agencies must remove information they are legally allowed to keep confidential.
Updated hearing rules for licensed professionals
Beginning July 1, 2025, architecture discipline cases must follow state administrative procedure law, statewide hearing rules, and licensing division rules. The same requirement applies to discipline cases under Idaho Code chapter 54-53. The law removes references to Attorney General’s office rules.
Federal safeguards for Medicaid hearing transfers
Beginning July 1, 2025, Health and Welfare must promptly submit materials needed for federal approval of the state hearing office. These include Medicaid plan changes, waivers, and agreements as required by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The Governor may delay the hearing transfer until federal approval. Attorney General’s office hearing officers serving Health and Welfare cases on December 31, 2023, have an appointment option for transfers beginning on or after January 1, 2024. They must meet qualifications, and an employee or contractor position must be available.
Agency guidance falls outside rule procedures
Beginning July 1, 2025, written agency statements explaining a rule or documenting compliance are not treated as rules. This excludes those statements from the state procedure law’s definition of a rule. People affected by them may have fewer procedural protections than formal rules provide.
Hearing officers gain guarded outside-work options
Beginning July 1, 2025, contractor hearing officers may work or practice law outside their hearing role. They must disclose outside work and other required information, avoid conflicts, and receive conduct waivers only without conflicts. If a failure is reported within 30 days after an order, the chief judge must void it within 14 days. During investigation, the chief may pause an order only if it involves a financial transaction. The chief judge may also teach as an adjunct faculty member when that role does not conflict with official duties.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
JUDICIARY, RULES AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE
Affiliation unavailable
Cosponsors
Chris Bruce
Republican • House
James D. Ruchti
Democratic • Senate
Roll Call Votes
Senate vote • 3/18/2025
Senate Floor Vote
Yes: 35 • No: 0
House vote • 3/7/2025
House Floor Vote
Yes: 69 • No: 0
Actions Timeline
Reported Signed by Governor on March 24, 2025 Session Law Chapter 151 Effective: 07/01/2025
3/25/2025Delivered to Governor at 11:33 a.m. on March 21, 2025
3/24/2025Returned Signed by the President; Ordered Transmitted to Governor
3/21/2025SenateSigned by President; returned to House
3/20/2025SenateReceived from the House enrolled/signed by Speaker
3/20/2025SenateReported Enrolled; Signed by Speaker; Transmitted to Senate
3/20/2025HouseReturned from Senate Passed; to JRA for Enrolling
3/19/2025HouseRead third time in full – PASSED - 35-0-0
3/18/2025SenateRead second time; filed for Third Reading
3/14/2025SenateReported out of Committee with Do Pass Recommendation; Filed for second reading
3/13/2025SenateIntroduced, read first time; referred to: Judiciary & Rules
3/10/2025SenateReceived from the House passed; filed for first reading
3/10/2025SenateRead third time in full as amended – PASSED - 69-0-1
3/7/2025HouseRead second time as amended; Filed for Third Reading
3/6/2025HouseRead first time as amended; filed for Second Reading
3/5/2025HouseReported Engrossed; Filed for First Reading of Engrossed Bills
3/5/2025HouseBill as Amended Referred to JRA for Engrossing
3/4/2025HouseAmendments Referred to the JRA for Printing
3/4/2025HouseReported out without recommendation as amended
3/4/2025HouseReferred to the Committee of the Whole
3/4/2025HouseRetained on General Orders
2/20/2025HouseReported out of Committee, Recommend place on General Orders
2/10/2025HouseReported Printed and Referred to Judiciary, Rules & Administration
1/15/2025HouseIntroduced, read first time, referred to JRA for Printing
1/14/2025House
Bill Text
Amendment
Bill Text
Engrossment 1
Related Bills
H 0253, PUBLIC RECORDS – Amends existing law to provide additional time to respond to requests for public records from nonresidents and to allow a different fee schedule to fulfill nonresident requests.
S 1181, PUBLIC DEFENSE – Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding the Office of the State Public Defender and indigent public defense in this state.
H 0148, CONSTITUTIONAL DEFENSE COUNCIL – Adds to existing law to provide assistance to individuals litigating against the federal government.
S 1066, IDENTITY THEFT – Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding disclosure of breach of personally identifiable information and to require that agencies, individuals, and commercial entities offer free credit monitoring services in certain situations.
S 1219, APPROPRIATIONS – STATE TAX COMMISSION – Relates to the appropriation to the State Tax Commission for fiscal year 2026.
S 1142, EDUCATION – Amends and repeals existing law to transfer funds from the Empowering Parents Grant Program Fund to the General Fund and to repeal the Empowering Parents Grant Program.