Idaho Legislation

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• Legislative Session: 2024
• Bill Status: Signed into Law
• About This Bill: This legislation allows enrollees to receive up to a six (6) month supply of prescribed contraceptives if they so choose or if they are on an established prescription already. Currently, many insurance plans reimburse for only a one (1) to three (3) month supply of contraceptive supplies. This legislation will require any health benefit plan issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2025, which covers contraceptives approved by the Federal Food and Drug Administration, to provide reimbursement for up to a six (6) month refill supply obtained at one time by the enrollee. The exception is if the enrollee has never been prescribed prescription contraception; then the provider shall provide a smaller supply.

Press Coverage:

• Idaho governor signs bill into law to extend contraceptive access | Idaho Capital Sun – March 19, 2024
• Idaho House narrowly passes bill increasing access to contraceptives, sends to governor for signature | Idaho Press – March 11, 2024

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• Legislative Session: 2024
• Bill Status: Signed into Law
• About This Bill: This bill creates a legal and compassionate pathway to take someone with a major neurocognitive disorder in an acute crisis, and a danger to themselves or others, to a hospital emergency room for a medical assessment to determine if an undiagnosed medical reason is the cause of the acute crisis.

Press Coverage:

• Idaho Legislature widely approves bill to allow holds for neurological crisis situations | Idaho Capital Sun – March 25, 2024

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• Legislative Session: 2024
• Bill Status: Signed into Law
• About This Bill: This bill is a product of the recommendations of the Human Trafficking report required by H.B. 341a (2023). That report recommended the development of standardized training, screening, and assessment tools for Human Trafficking victims, which this bill provides. The Idaho Department of Juvenile Corrections (IDJC) will collaborate with counties to support the development of the screening.

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• Legislative Session: 2024
• Bill Status: Signed into Law
• About This Bill: This bill consolidates the “brew pub” license and “retail” license into one license, a “brewer’s retail” license. This bill also provides that a brewery can maintain their retail privileges should they exceed 30,000 barrels of annual production, provided that it has continuously maintained a physical presence and continuously brewed beer in Idaho for at least five (5) years. The brewery will not lose its ability to operate a pub at its brewery or one remote retail location, provided the brewer has a clean record with no major violations from the Idaho State Police – Alcohol Beverage Control Division, and the Idaho State Tax Commission.

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• Legislative Session: 2024
• Bill Status: Signed into Law
• About This Bill: This bill expands Idaho’s licensure program for internationally-trained physicians. It creates a pathway to licensure for high-quality, international physicians who have attended a recognized medical school and have already completed a residency or other post-graduate training. To qualify, physicians must have a job offer from an Idaho healthcare provider and must have practiced abroad or have experience in the U.S. medical system. After three years of successful practice under a provisional license, an international physician will be eligible to apply for a full license.

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• Legislative Session: 2024
• Bill Status: Held
• About This Bill: This legislation adds the words “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” to the Idaho Human Rights Act, provides definitions for these terms, and amends the stated purpose of the Act consistent with the legislation’s other amendments.

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• Legislative Session: 2024
• Bill Status: Stuck on House floor
• About This Bill: This bill requires cities with a population of more than one hundred thousand, to hold a city election for an unopposed office where only one person filed a declaration of intent of candidacy for mayor and/or city council member, and publish the candidate’s name on the ballot.

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• Legislative Session: 2023
• Bill Status: Signed into Law
• About This Bill: This legislation would extend a temporary license and registration, usually applied to U.S. Medical School graduates for residency training in Idaho, to experienced International Medical Graduates who are forcibly displaced persons to address the severe doctor shortage while simultaneously putting experienced physicians to work. Boise and Twin Falls are refugee resettlement locations and we see physicians escaping war torn areas resettling in Idaho. This is a creative and effective way to increase the number of practicing physicians in the state (something drastically needed) while we connect families resettling in our country to their communities and to their professions. 

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• Legislative Session: 2022
• Bill Status: Signed into Law
• About This Bill: This bill allows homeowners to remove racially restrictive covenants that still exist in the chain of title for many Idaho homes in Idaho. During the twentieth century, both redlining and racial covenants were widely used tools to ensure housing disparities based on race. Developers and private landowners embedded racial covenants in property deeds, prohibiting all non-whites from owning, renting, or occupying property – unless doing so as a domestic servant. This bill allows a homeowner or tenant to file a modification document in their county clerk’s office to be clear that these are null and void. This is so important for anyone purchasing a home; this sends the message that this practice is illegal and that everyone is welcome to own a home in our state

Does your deed or covenant contain racist language? Search below and file a free request for removal

• Follow These Steps:
  1. Review the CC&R’s for your home
  2. If discriminatory language is found, please download the modification form here
  3. Complete the modification form.
     1. The legal description for your property can be found on your most recent tax bill.
  4. Bring completed form to your county recorder’s office; there is no fee to record this form.
  5. Keep the recorded form for your records.

Using your HOA to collectively address discriminatory language:

• Eliminating discriminatory CC&Rs
• Delete discrimination grant program

Press Coverage:

• Bill to remove racially restrictive covenants passes Senate floor | KIVI – February 8, 2022
• Acknowledging Boise’s past: Student research helped create law to allow removal of race covenants | Idaho Capital Sun – July 5, 2022
• Removing racial covenants in Idaho | Boise State Public Radio – July 7, 2022
• Legislature’s vote ‘to rebuke racially restrictive covenants’ encouraging | Idaho County Free Press – July 10, 2022

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• Legislative Session: 2022
• Bill Status: Signed into Law
• About This Bill: Domestic and sexual violence programs are required to maintain confidentiality under their federal funding sources. Unfortunately, because there is no similar state-level protection, program employees and volunteers and records are sought. Programs must then divert their limited resources to respond to protect client information instead of providing services. This bill closes a loophole and makes is clear that the state law also protects the confidential communication of victims getting help from staff members of domestic and sexual violence programs. It’s essential to ensure that victims know that they can come forward without fear that personal information is shared which could put the victim at further harm; lack of protection also could have a chilling effect on victims who would like to seek services but fear for their safety and protection.

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• Legislative Session: 2022
• Bill Status: Signed into Law
• About This Bill: This legislation would allow someone who is the homeowner of a Certified Family Home to apply for the “circuit breaker” property tax relief program by exempting the payment they receive from the state for caring for someone 24/7 in their home from the income counted toward the application. In order to keep people with disabilities out of institutions, Idaho like other states in our country, allow people to become licensed to care for someone in their home and receive payments for caring for their health and well-being. This saves the state many thousands of dollars; on average someone in a CFH is compensated $53 per day versus $265 per day in an institution. I believe that low income folks should be able to apply for property tax relief without this compensation counting against them when they apply for property tax relief.

Press Coverage:

• Property tax break for family care homes passes Legislature | Idaho Press – March 26, 2022
• How One Caregiver’s Persistence Led to the Amendment of an Existing Property Tax Law in Idaho | Idaho Caregiver Alliance – April 19, 2022

• View Legislative Text
• Legislative Session: 2022
• Bill Status: Killed on the HOUSE floor
• About This Bill: This legislation allows women to receive up to a 6 (six) month supply of prescribed contraceptives if they so choose. Currently, many insurance plans reimburse for only a 1 (one) to 3 (three) month supply of contraceptive supplies, which can create unnecessary barriers for women. This bill merely increases accessibility to contraceptive medicine to help women in their own medication regimes. This was the fourth try to pass this bill, but within 20 minutes of this bill to increase access to contraception and the House passed to date the most restrictive abortion ban (S1309). If the majority party wanted to decrease the need for abortion, the #1 best practice would be to increase access to birth control.

Press Coverage:

• Idaho Senate passes bill requiring insurers to provide longer supply of contraceptives | Idaho Capital Sun – February 22, 2022
• House Kills Increased Access to Contraceptives Bill | Idaho Press – March 14, 2022
• The bill that Idaho’s Legislature should have passed | Idaho State Journal – April 15, 2022

• View Legislative Text
• Legislative Session: 2021
• Bill Status: Killed on the Senate floor
• About This Bill: This legislation allows women to receive up to a 12 (twelve) month supply of prescribed contraceptives if they so choose. Currently, many insurance plans reimburse for only a 1 (one) to 3 (three) month supply of contraceptive supplies, which can create unnecessary barriers for women. This bill merely increases accessibility to contraceptive medicine to help women in their own medication regimes.

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• Legislative Session: 2021
• Bill Status: Referred to Commerce and Human Resources on 02/15/21
• About This Bill: This legislation clarifies the duration of time in which a junior lien holder may bring an action for deficiency resulting from the sale of a secured property. Idaho Code does not specify the time period in which such action may be brought; the results are extremely inequitable situations where junior lien holders are able to bring such actions at any point during the duration of an installment contract which could be up to 30 years. This bill was brought to me by a constituent who is an attorney and has directly observed how this loophole has created surprising and very traumatic consequences for people.

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• Legislative Session: 2021
• Bill Status: Signed into law
• About This Bill: The purpose of this bill is to repeal a portion of Idaho law that provides exceptions to the criminal definition of rape based on the relationship of the parties (spouse), which is unnecessary and inappropriate. This bill updates Idaho law to define rape the same regardless of who is involved, by repealing in its entirety Section 18-6107. This law was originally introduced in 1977 and has evolved overtime. I was a little shocked that this law was still on the books. Most of my colleagues seem very supportive of removing it. There should be no defense for raping someone because they are your spouse. Idaho Code 18-6101 addresses rape and everyone should be accountable to the law regardless of relationship.
• Press Coverage: House votes unanimously to roll back Idaho’s spousal rape exceptions, by Idaho Press April 8, 2021

• View Legislative Text
• Legislative Session: 2021
• Bill Status: Killed on the House floor
• About This Bill: This legislation would allow someone who is the homeowner of a Certified Family Home to apply for the “circuit breaker” property tax relief program by exempting the payment they receive from the state for caring for someone 24/7 in their home from the income counted toward the application. In order to keep people with disabilities out of institutions, Idaho like other states in our country, allow people to become licensed to care for someone in their home and receive payments for caring for their health and well-being. This saves the state many thousands of dollars; on average someone in a CFH is compensated $53 per day versus $265 per day in an institution. I believe that low income folks should be able to apply for property tax relief without this compensation counting against them when they apply for property tax relief.
• Press Coverage: House kills 2 bills…, by Betsy Russel, Idaho Press, Feb 25, 2021

• Legislative Session: 2021
• Bill Status: Denied a hearing
• About This Bill: This bill would have added FACES of Hope Victim Center in Boise to the list of charities where donors could receive a tax credit to incentivize their contribution and double the impact for the organization. Unfortunately, the committee chair would not allow a hearing at this time.

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• Legislative Session: 2020
• Bill Status: Passed into law
• About This Bill: This bill ended a practice that allowed private towing/booting companies to boot vehicles solely on the basis of expired vehicle registration. Complaints were being filed where tenants were parked in their assigned parking spots, but getting booted for expired tags. The average bill for booting is about $85.00, and that can add up! This had the potential to be a money making scheme for landlords or private companies, so Melissa worked with stakeholders and Rep. Ricks from Eastern Idaho to pass this legislation. It’s a simple bill with far reaching positive impacts to tenants, especially, who were being booted solely for expired tags. We felt that was an overreach and had many negative consequences for renters in particular.

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• Bill Status: Chair denies a vote due to special interest
• About This Bill: The purpose of this legislation is to expand the ability of the court to provide a legal means for victims of sexual assault to petition for a civil protection order. Protection orders are widely used legal interventions to reduce the risk of future harm by one person considered to be a threat to another. Currently, Idaho Code does not allow for a protection order to be granted for most people who have been sexually assaulted, unlike people who have been victims of domestic violence, stalking and telephone harassment. This legislation would clear up existing confusion for these victims and finally provide a means for them to seek legal protection through the courts. This legislation was heard in House Judiciary and Rules, but was held in committee when the NRA voiced concerns that may impact firearm possession for someone accused of sexual assault, even though there was an Attorney General’s Opinion to the contrary and wide support from stakeholders including defense attorneys, prosecutors, law enforcmeent and victim advocacy groups. Many GOP colleagues were not willing to stand up to the NRA, even though their claim was unsubstantiated and unfounded, so the bill couldn’t get out of committee. As Rep Wintrow has shown in the past, she keeps getting up even when knocked down. She will continue to work on this bill and try to persuade many of those GOP colleagues that this bill is an essential element of protection for victims of sexual assault.
• Press Coverage: NRA lobby efforts kill civil protection order bill for Idaho rape victims, advocates say, by Ruth Brow, Idaho Statesman, March 5, 2020

• View Legislative Text
• Legislative Session: 2020
• Bill Status: Killed by GOP majority in the House
• About This Bill: The purpose of this legislation is to define a process for a landlord and tenant to conduct a walkthrough of the premises being rented by the tenant at the time of move in and move out. It also requires landlords to “show their work” regarding what portion of the security deposit they are keeping, and to provide an itemized receipt of charges they want to assess and the actual cost of repairs or cleaning. I have heard horror stories about tenants being assessed charges when they didn’t damage the property they are renting. I worked in college student housing for many years, and the best way to avoid problems is to do an inventory of the conditions of the property at move in and move out and then require the landlord to provide a written statement/assessment of damages. This keeps everyone “honest” and decreases conflicts between renters and landlords. Former Idaho Supreme Court Justice read about my bill and identified it as a bill that would make a big difference in Idaho. He even came to committee to testify in favor of the bill. My GOP colleagues blocked this in the House and it didn’t pass. I will continue to work on this simple but very important legislation. In her work on the Governor’s Coronavirus Financial Advisory Committee, Rep Wintrow led a proposal to provide rental assistance to Idahoans hardest hit by COVID0-19. When the Governor closed businesses to prevent the spread of the virus, that meant many people couldn’t work, which means they couldn’t pay their bills. Rep Wintrow did her homework while reviewing US Treasury Guidance and over a 4 week period pursued this proposal which was passed and the Governor supported. The committee approved up to 15 million dollars of federal CARES Act funds to support he Rental/Utility Assistance Program. If you are an Idahoan struggling to pay the bill due to COVID19, apply on line through the Idaho Housing and Finance Association (June 15 – December 15).
• Press Coverage: Inside the Statehouse: New bill addresses security deposits and late fees, by Madeline White, KIVI-TV, February 14, 2020
• Press Coverage: Legislative issues worth consideration in the 2020 session, by Jim Jones, MagicValley Times News

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• Legislative Session: 2020
• Bill Status: Voted down in House
• About This Bill: Adds to and amends existing law to provide a certain requirement for a landlord and to provide a certain requirement for a security deposit.

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• Legislative Session: 2019
• Bill Status: Killed by GOP majority in the House
• About This Bill: I partnered with the Idaho Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence to introduce House Bill 98. The purpose of the bill is to prevent forced or coerced marriages, the trafficking of children and to limit marriage to those with the legal and practical ability to protect themselves from abuse. The legal age to marry in our state is 18, but we currently grant exceptions to this age which allows children of any age to be married, and many times to adults much older than they are. This bill aligns marriage laws with our statutory rape laws and would permit minors who are 16 or 17 years of age to marry only if they consented to the marriage, have written consent from parents or legal guardian, permission from the court, and are appropriately mature and self-sufficient to enter into a marriage contract. Unfortunately this bill failed on the House floor on a 28-39 vote. Please read my news page for more information on this issue.
• Press Coverage: An Idaho Bill Ending Child Marriage Before Age 16 Was Voted Down In The State House, By Madhuri Sathish Bustle, February 2019

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• Legislative Session: 2019
• Bill Status: Passed into law
• About This Bill: Congratulations, Hy Kloc and Idaho Human Society, for working so hard to pass our new Pet Friendly Plate. Proceeds from the sales of the plates will be granted to Idaho veterinarians, animal shelters or rescue groups in low income areas to help fund spay and neuter services to assist lower income families. Get ready to buy your plate on July 1, 2019!

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• Legislative Session: 2019
• Bill Status: Passed into law
• About This Bill: This legislation amends our current law to test all sexual assault evidence kits with only rare exceptions. In the past, there have been several legal exceptions to testing kits, which resulted in a growing number of kits not being tested. Thankfully, we established a first of its kind tracking system in 2016, which led us to identify issues and address them, which we are doing with this legislation. This is very important public safety policy because the more kits we can enter into the national database, the greater chance we have to identify a “serial” rapist and hold them accountable.
• Press Coverage: Bill that would mandate testing of nearly all sexual assault kits moves to Idaho House, By Ruth Brown Idaho Statesman, February 7th, 2019

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• Legislative Session: 2019
• Bill Status: Passed the House, was read for the first time in the Senate and referred to Judiciary and Rules on 3/15/20
• About This Bill: This legislation amends existing law to provide that a person convicted of the crime of sexual battery of a minor child sixteen or seventeen years of age shall not have certain rights restored under certain circumstances.

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• Legislative Session: 2018
• Bill Status: Passed into law
• About This Bill: Prior to passage of this bill, Idaho Code 72-1019 directed Idaho’s Crime Victims Compensation Program (CVCP) to pay for sexual assault forensic evidence collection “after collection from any third party who has liability.” Therefore, an adult sexual assault victim’s health insurance plan may be billed for a sexual assault forensic evidence collection first, and then CVCP pays any remaining costs after the insurance claim is settled. Sexual assault was the only crime in Idaho where the victim’s insurance is billed for forensic evidence collection. This legislation takes a third party, insurance, out of the billing process for adult victims and directs Idaho’s Crime Victims Compensation Program to pay the entire amount of the cost of sexual assault evidence collection at a medical facility or justice center.
• Press Coverage: Bill aims to not have sex abuse victims file insurance claim to get a forensic exam, by Michael Sevren Kivitv, Jan. 14, 2018

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• Legislative Session: 2018
• Bill Status: Failed in the House by 5 votes
• About This Bill: This legislation provides that a person who is found guilty of or is convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence may not possess, own, or purchase a firearm. If a person who has been convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence is found in possession, owns, or purchases a firearm within two (2) years of the conviction, that person will be guilty of a misdemeanor. This legislation mirrors the Federal Gun Control Act of 1968 that prohibits individuals who are convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence from possessing a firearm. Currently there is not a state enforcement mechanism; this legislation would allow for state enforcement. Unfortunately this bill did not pass.
• Press Coverage: Joint Opinion: Give Idaho Law Enforcement the Tools to Keep Domestic Abuse Victims Safe, Feb. 26, 2018, BYU Idaho-Radio
• Press Coverage: Idaho House Rejects Bill to Keep Guns Away from Domestic Abusers, Besty Russell Spokesman Review, March 6, 2018

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• Legislative Session: 2017
• Bill Status: Passed into law
• About This Bill: H146 created some of the best standards in the country for preserving sexual assault evidence to support victims in the reporting process. The purpose of this legislation is to codify standards for sexual assault victims’ access to medical examinations, as well as standards for sexual assault evidence retention and preservation. It ensures victims of sexual assault are not denied medical examinations regardless of the ability to pay for said examination. Additionally, this legislation defines evidence preservation periods based on the classification of the crimes alleged and ensures proper notification to victims upon destruction.
• Press Coverage: Wintrow Leads the Fight Against Sexual Assault, Standard Journal, March 21, 2017
• Press Coverage: Idaho Has Come a Long Way in a Short Time Dealing with Sexual Assault, OP Ed with Chief of Police Kingsbury and Rep Wintrow, Oct. 22, 2017

• View Legislation Text
• Legislative Session: 2016
• Bill Status: Passed into law
• About This Bill: This legislation enacts legal standards to ensure that evidence collected in a sexual assault investigations will be tested in a timely manner, supporting victims and holding perpetrators accountable. This bill also created a first of its kind tracking system and requires information to be publicly posted and reported to the legislature annually. I worked with an interagency working group that included representatives from the Idaho State Police forensics laboratory, victim’s advocacy groups, law enforcement, crime victim’s compensation, prosecutors office, and public defense. This collaborative effort resulted in unanimous approval in both the House and Senate.
• Sexual Assault Kit Tracking System: This legislation paved the way for the Idaho State Police to develop a statewide tracking system that victims can access to track their evidence as it goes through the process of testing. This is a great tool to empower victims and create transparency in the system. It also serves as a great organization tool for law enforcement.
• Press Coverage: Legislator Proposes Changes in Rape Kit Testing Policy, by Ruth Brown,Idaho Press Tribune reporter, Feb. 15, 2016
• Press Coverage: Legislature Approves Funding for Rape Kit Tracking Bill, by Ruth Brown,Idaho Press Tribune reporter, March 10, 2016
• Press Coverage: Idaho becomes the First in the Nation with Online Tracking of Sexual Assault Evidence, by Emily Lowe, July 15, 2017
• Press Coverage: Idaho Releases First Report on Sexual Assault Kit Tracking, by Frankie Barnhill, Jan. 23, 2018
• Press Coverage: A New System to Ensure Sexual-Assault Cases Aren’t Forgotten, by Madeleine Carlisle, Apr. 7, 2019

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• Legislative Session: 2016
• Bill Status: Passed into law
• About This Bill: The Right to Try gives patients with a terminal diagnosis the right to try an investigational drug to save their lives. The FDA process can take upwards of 12-15 years to approve a new drug. Some patients, like those who have been diagnosed with ALS, may be given a very short little expectancy to live very long. This legislation allows a patient to work with their doctor to use an investigational drug as long as it has passed the PHASE 1 – Safety process. A constituent, John Knudsen, along with a research physician, Dr. James Quinn, contacted me to research and run this legislation. We worked as a team and even involved an attorney from the Goldwater Institute, who had drafted model legislation to assist state legislatures.