# Idaho S 1257: CHILD PROTECTION – Amends existing law to establish provisions regarding visitation and termination of parental rights. Idaho S 1257, CHILD PROTECTION – Amends existing law to establish provisions regarding visitation and termination of parental rights., is a 2026 regular legislative session Senate bill sponsored by HEALTH AND WELFARE COMMITTEE; status signed, last action 2026-03-26 (Signed by Governor on 03/25/26 Session Law Chapter 131 Effective: 07/01/2026) (as of 2026-10-11). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ID-S1257-2026 - As of: 2026-10-11 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Idaho S 1257 - State: Idaho - Session: 2026 regular legislative session - Title: CHILD PROTECTION – Amends existing law to establish provisions regarding visitation and termination of parental rights. - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2026-02-04 - Last action: 2026-03-26, Signed by Governor on 03/25/26 Session Law Chapter 131 Effective: 07/01/2026 - Sponsor: HEALTH AND WELFARE COMMITTEE - Cosponsors: 2 - Subjects: CHILD PROTECTION - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 2 (68 yes, 30 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 4 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - No termination over vaccines alone: benefit, low. The court cannot end your parental rights just because of your child’s immunization status. Vaccination alone cannot be the only reason for termination. - New child protection rules start 2026: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, the child protection changes in this act take effect statewide. The act declares an emergency and is in full force on and after that date. - More grounds to end parental rights: mixed, high. A court can end the parent‑child legal relationship when it finds that doing so is in the best interest of both the parent and the child. The law also adds a ground for termination based on incarceration. The parent must be jailed at the hearing and has been, or is likely to stay, jailed for a subs… - Parents face strict visit rules after abuse: mixed, high. The law defines visits to include in-person, video, phone, and written contact. When the Department substantiates sexual or physical abuse by a parent, in-person visits are not allowed. A court can allow them only if it finds they are in the child’s best interest and writes safety rules. A claim is… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: HEALTH AND WELFARE COMMITTEE - Cosponsor: Josh Wheeler (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Melissa Wintrow (Democratic), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-03-17 | House | House Floor Vote | pass | 44 | 24 | | | 2026-02-27 | Senate | Senate Floor Vote | pass | 24 | 6 | | ## Actions (16) - 2026-03-26: Signed by Governor on 03/25/26 Session Law Chapter 131 Effective: 07/01/2026 - 2026-03-23: Reported delivered to Governor at 4:34 p.m. on 03/19/26 - 2026-03-19: Reported signed by the Speaker & ordered delivered to Governor - 2026-03-19: Received from Senate; Signed by Speaker; Returned to Senate (House) - 2026-03-18: Reported enrolled; signed by President; to House for signature of Speaker (Senate) - 2026-03-18: Returned From House Passed; referred to enrolling (Senate) - 2026-03-17: Rules Suspended: Ayes 66 Nays 0 Abs/Excd 4, read in full as required – PASSED - 44-24-2 (House) - 2026-03-17: Read second time; Filed for Third Reading (House) - 2026-03-16: Reported out of Committee with Do Pass Recommendation, Filed for Second Reading (House) - 2026-03-02: Read First Time, Referred to Health & Welfare (House) - 2026-03-02: Received from the Senate, Filed for First Reading (House) - 2026-02-27: Read third time in full – PASSED - 24-6-5 (Senate) - 2026-02-20: Read second time; filed for Third Reading (Senate) - 2026-02-19: Reported out of Committee with Do Pass Recommendation; Filed for second reading (Senate) - 2026-02-05: Reported Printed; referred to Judiciary & Rules (Senate) - 2026-02-04: Introduced; read first time; referred to JR for Printing (Senate) ## Bill text - Bill Text: [PDF](https://legislature.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/sessioninfo/2026/legislation/S1257.pdf) ## Related bills - H 0939: HUNTING – Amends existing law regarding the use of certain technologies. (signed) - H 0810: ELECTIONS – Amends existing law to provide certain physical presence requirements for state representatives and senators. (signed) - S 1356: SINGLE COUNTYWIDE HIGHWAY DISTRICTS – Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding the election of commissioners in certain single countywide highway dis… (signed) - S 1359: VIRTUAL CURRENCY KIOSK FRAUD PREVENTION ACT – Adds to existing law to establish the Virtual Currency Kiosk Fraud Prevention Act. (vetoed) - S 1362: APPROPRIATIONS – PUBLIC SCHOOLS – Relates to the appropriation to the Public Schools Educational Support Program for fiscal year 2027. (signed) - S 1448: MINORS – Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding material harmful to minors. (signed) ## Sources - [Bill Text (PDF)](https://legislature.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/sessioninfo/2026/legislation/S1257.pdf) ## Related - [H 0939: HUNTING – Amends existing law regarding the use of certain technologies.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ID-H0939-2026) - [H 0810: ELECTIONS – Amends existing law to provide certain physical presence requiremen…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ID-H0810-2026) - [S 1356: SINGLE COUNTYWIDE HIGHWAY DISTRICTS – Amends existing law to revise provisions…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ID-S1356-2026) - [S 1359: VIRTUAL CURRENCY KIOSK FRAUD PREVENTION ACT – Adds to existing law to establish…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ID-S1359-2026) - [S 1362: APPROPRIATIONS – PUBLIC SCHOOLS – Relates to the appropriation to the Public Sc…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ID-S1362-2026) - [S 1448: MINORS – Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding material harmful to…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ID-S1448-2026) - [Idaho bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/idaho/bills) - [Idaho state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/idaho) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ID-S1257-2026 (as of 2026-10-11).