H0685 • 2026

CRIMES AND PUNISHMENT – Adds to existing law to prohibit the use of a mask or disguise during a criminal offense and to provide for a sentencing enhancement.

Crime

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: JUDICIARY, RULES AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE
Last action: 2026-03-06
Official status: S Jud
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

CRIMES AND PUNISHMENT – Adds to existing law to prohibit the use of a mask or disguise during a criminal offense and to provide for a sentencing enhancement.

What This Bill Does

CRIMES AND PUNISHMENT – Adds to existing law to prohibit the use of a mask or disguise during a criminal offense and to provide for a sentencing enhancement.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2026-03-06 Idaho State Legislature
Received from the House passed; filed for first reading
2026-03-06 Idaho State Legislature
Introduced, read first time; referred to: Judiciary & Rules
2026-03-05 Idaho State Legislature
Read Third Time in Full – PASSED - 38-31-1 AYES – Alfieri, Bingham, Boyle, Bruce, Cornilles, Crane(12), Crane(13), Dygert, Erickson, Garner, Hall(Stone), Handy, Healey, Hill, Holtzclaw, Manwaring, McCann, Mickelsen(Athay), Miller, Mitchell, Nelsen, Palmer, Petzke, Pickett, Pohanka, Raybould, Raymond, Redman, Sauter, Shepherd, Shirts, Skaug, Tanner(14), Vander Woude, Veile, Weber, Wheeler, Mr. Speaker NAYS – Barbieri, Beiswenger, Berch, Burgoyne, Cannon, Cayler, Cheatum, Church, Egbert, Ehardt, Ehlers, Fuhriman, Furniss, Galaviz, Gannon, Harris, Hawkins, Haws, Hostetler, Leavitt, Marmon, Mathias, Mendive, Monks, Price, Rasor, Rubel, Scott, Tanner(13), Thompson, Wisniewski Absent – Green Floor Sponsor - Skaug Title apvd - to Senate
2026-03-04 Idaho State Legislature
U.C. to hold place on third reading calendar one legislative day
2026-03-03 Idaho State Legislature
Read second time; Filed for Third Reading
2026-03-02 Idaho State Legislature
Reported out of Committee with Do Pass Recommendation, Filed for Second Reading
2026-02-17 Idaho State Legislature
Reported Printed and Referred to Judiciary, Rules & Administration
2026-02-16 Idaho State Legislature
Introduced, read first time, referred to JRA for Printing

Official Summary Text

CRIMES AND PUNISHMENT – Adds to existing law to prohibit the use of a mask or disguise during a criminal offense and to provide for a sentencing enhancement.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

LEGISLATURE
OF
THE
STATE
OF
IDAHO
Sixty-eighth
Legislature
Second
Regular
Session
-
2026
IN
THE
HOUSE
OF
REPRESENTATIVES
HOUSE
BILL
NO.
685
BY
JUDICIARY,
RULES
AND
ADMINISTRATION
COMMITTEE
AN
ACT
1
RELATING
TO
CRIMES
AND
PUNISHMENT;
AMENDING
CHAPTER
9,
TITLE
18,
IDAHO
CODE,
2
BY
THE
ADDITION
OF
A
NEW
SECTION
18
-
915D,
IDAHO
CODE,
TO
PROHIBIT
THE
USE
3
OF
A
MASK
OR
DISGUISE
DURING
A
CRIMINAL
OFFENSE,
TO
PROVIDE
FOR
A
SEN
-
4
TENCING
ENHANCEMENT,
TO
PROVIDE
AN
EXEMPTION,
AND
TO
PROVIDE
FOR
OTHER
5
APPLICABLE
LAW;
PROVIDING
SEVERABILITY;
AND
DECLARING
AN
EMERGENCY
AND
6
PROVIDING
AN
EFFECTIVE
DATE.
7
Be
It
Enacted
by
the
Legislature
of
the
State
of
Idaho:
8
SECTION
1.
That
Chapter
9,
Title
18,
Idaho
Code,
be,
and
the
same
is
9
hereby
amended
by
the
addition
thereto
of
a
NEW
SECTION
,
to
be
known
and
des
-
10
ignated
as
Section
18
-
915D,
Idaho
Code,
and
to
read
as
follows:
1
1
18
-
915D.
USE
OF
MASK
OR
DISGUISE
DURING
CRIMINAL
OFFENSE
-
-
SENTENC
-
12
ING
ENHANCEMENT.
(1)
It
shall
be
unlawful
for
any
individual
to
wear
a
mask
or
13
other
device
that
covers,
hides,
or
conceals
any
portion
of
the
individual's
14
face
while
committing
or
attempting
to
commit
a
felony
crime
or
misdemeanor
15
assault,
battery,
indecent
exposure,
sexual
exploitation
of
a
child,
or
sex
-
16
ual
battery.
17
(2)
A
person
who
violates
the
provisions
of
this
section
while
commit
-
18
ting
or
attempting
to
commit
another
criminal
offense
may,
upon
conviction,
19
be
subject
to
an
enhanced
penalty
in
addition
to
the
sentence
imposed
for
the
20
underlying
offense.
Such
enhancement
shall
consist
of
an
additional
fine
21
not
to
exceed
two
thousand
five
hundred
dollars
($2,500),
an
additional
term
22
of
imprisonment
not
to
exceed
one
(1)
year,
or
both
such
fine
and
imprison
-
23
ment.
24
(3)
The
provisions
of
this
section
shall
not
apply
to
a
law
enforcement
25
officer
who
wears
a
mask
or
other
device
that
covers,
hides,
or
conceals
any
26
portion
of
the
officer's
face
while
operating
within
the
scope
and
course
of
27
the
officer's
employment.
28
(4)
The
provisions
of
this
section
shall
not
be
construed
to
preclude
29
prosecution
or
penalties
under
any
other
applicable
law.
30
SECTION
2.
SEVERABILITY.
The
provisions
of
this
act
are
hereby
declared
31
to
be
severable
and
if
any
provision
of
this
act
or
the
application
of
such
32
provision
to
any
person
or
circumstance
is
declared
invalid
for
any
reason,
33
such
declaration
shall
not
affect
the
validity
of
the
remaining
portions
of
34
this
act.
35
SECTION
3.
An
emergency
existing
therefor,
which
emergency
is
hereby
36
declared
to
exist,
this
act
shall
be
in
full
force
and
effect
on
and
after
37
July
1,
2026.
38