(Bannock County Press Release, February 20, 2026; Cover photo credit: Bannock County)
With the 2026 legislative session officially underway, several new bills have caught the eye of our county officials. While this isn’t an exhaustive list of everything we’re tracking, these highlights focus on the proposals that would most directly impact our daily county operations.
This legislation increases the daily reimbursement the State of Idaho pays counties for housing state-committed inmates and parole violators in county jails before transfer to state facilities. It raises the rate to a flat $80 per day, up from the current $55 for the first seven days and $75 thereafter, helping close the gap with counties’ average daily cost of $106.37.
Sheriff Manu says: I support this legislation as a way to shift the cost of housing state-committed inmates from county taxpayers to the state, easing the financial burden on local governments.
This legislation would allow citizens to carry weapons into when entering city or county buildings, including courthouses, while maintaining that firearms are not allowed within courtrooms.
Sheriff Manu says: I do not support this legislation because it has the potential of costing our county more than $1 million to set up the courthouse to safely protect each courtroom separately. Each county should have the ability to decide how to provide a safe environment within their own jurisdiction.
This bill requires mosquito abatement districts to obtain permission from property owners before spraying chemicals on a private property. It outlines legal recourse and financial penalties for districts that are not in compliance.
Commissioner Hough says: I do not support this legislation because it amounts to an unfunded mandate by creating a burden county abatement districts to track opt-out properties. It would also reduce the effectiveness of mosquito control, resulting in uneven, patchwork protection against mosquitoes and mosquito-borne diseases.
This Joint Memorial opposes any Utah proposal to tax transportation fuels sold outside its borders, finding it would unfairly raise fuel costs for Idaho families, farmers, and businesses and raise constitutional and interstate tax concerns.
Commissioner Bullock says: I support this memorial as a way to discourage Utah from imposing a fuel tax that would unfairly burden Idaho and Arizona residents.
The purpose of this legislation is to exempt photographs or images of decedent individuals from public disclosure.
Coroner Danner says: I support this legislation as a means of protecting the privacy of decedents and their families.
This legislation removes the requirement to display registration stickers on vehicles. It establishes that a valid license plate and registration are sufficient for legal operation on Idaho roads.
Assessor Hymas says: I am mixed on this legislation because it reduces administrative costs and streamlines compliance through the removal of physical stickers, but it simultaneously creates enforcement challenges by making it harder for officers to identify expired registrations at a glance.
Proposed legislation not yet assigned a bill number:
- Consolidating Elections
This legislation would combine the May Election in odd numbered years into the November Elections in odd numbered years.
Clerk Dixon says: I do not support this legislation because merging these cycles would create overly complex ballots that confuse voters and lead to “voter fatigue.” Furthermore, it would place an unsustainable burden on election staff by creating a singular, massive operational peak that disrupts consistent year-round administration.
- Legal Notices in Newspapers
This bill would require local governments to publish legal notices on a state-run website instead of paying local newspapers to publish them.
Commissioner Moser says: I support this legislation because it expands public access to notices by using widely used government websites and reduces taxpayer costs currently spent on newspaper advertisements.
