H0724 • 2026

CHILD CARE LICENSING – Adds to existing law to provide for a notice of safety-related rights for foster children.

Children

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: HEALTH AND WELFARE COMMITTEE
Last action: 2026-03-26
Official status: LAW
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.

CHILD CARE LICENSING – Adds to existing law to provide for a notice of safety-related rights for foster children.

What This Bill Does

CHILD CARE LICENSING – Adds to existing law to provide for a notice of safety-related rights for foster children.

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

2026-03-26 Idaho State Legislature
Reported Signed by Governor on March 25, 2026 Session Law Chapter 132 Effective: 03/25/26
2026-03-20 Idaho State Legislature
Delivered to Governor at 4:32 p.m. on March 19, 2026
2026-03-19 Idaho State Legislature
Received from the House enrolled/signed by Speaker
2026-03-19 Idaho State Legislature
Signed by President; returned to House
2026-03-19 Idaho State Legislature
Returned Signed by the President; Ordered Transmitted to Governor
2026-03-18 Idaho State Legislature
Returned from Senate Passed; to JRA for Enrolling
2026-03-18 Idaho State Legislature
Reported Enrolled; Signed by Speaker; Transmitted to Senate
2026-03-17 Idaho State Legislature
Read third time in full – PASSED - 30-3-2 AYES – Adams, Anthon, Bernt, Bjerke(Bjerke), Blaylock, Burtenshaw, Carlson, Cook, Den Hartog, Foreman, Galloway, Grow, Guthrie, Harris, Hart, Lakey, Lenney, Nichols, Okuniewicz, Ricks, Ruchti, Semmelroth, Shippy, Taylor, Toews, VanOrden, Ward-Engelking, Wintrow, Woller(Rabe), Woodward NAYS – Kohl, Zito, Zuiderveld Absent and excused – Keyser, Lent Floor Sponsor - Harris Title apvd - to House
2026-03-16 Idaho State Legislature
Read second time; filed for Third Reading
2026-03-13 Idaho State Legislature
Reported out of Committee with Do Pass Recommendation; Filed for second reading
2026-03-10 Idaho State Legislature
Received from the House passed; filed for first reading
2026-03-10 Idaho State Legislature
Introduced, read first time; referred to: Health & Welfare
2026-03-09 Idaho State Legislature
Read second time; Filed for Third Reading
2026-03-09 Idaho State Legislature
Rules Suspended: Ayes 65 Nays 0 Abs/Excd 5, read in full as required – PASSED - 58-7-5 AYES – Barbieri, Beiswenger, Berch, Bingham, Boyle, Burgoyne, Cannon, Cayler, Cheatum, Church, Cornilles, Crane(12), Crane(13), Dygert, Egbert, Ehardt, Ehlers, Erickson(Larsen), Fuhriman, Furniss, Galaviz, Gannon, Garner, Hall(Stone), Handy, Harris, Haws, Hill, Holtzclaw, Mathias, Mendive, Mickelsen, Miller, Mitchell, Monks, Nelsen, Palmer, Petzke, Pickett, Pohanka, Rasor, Raybould, Raymond, Redman, Rubel, Sauter, Scott, Shepherd, Shirts, Skaug, Tanner(13), Tanner(14), Vander Woude, Veile, Weber, Wheeler, Wisniewski, Mr. Speaker NAYS – Alfieri, Bruce, Hostetler, Leavitt, Marmon, Price, Thompson Absent – Green, Hawkins, Healey, Manwaring, McCann Floor Sponsor - Wheeler Title apvd - to Senate
2026-03-06 Idaho State Legislature
Reported out of Committee with Do Pass Recommendation, Filed for Second Reading
2026-02-19 Idaho State Legislature
Reported Printed and Referred to Health & Welfare
2026-02-18 Idaho State Legislature
Introduced, read first time, referred to JRA for Printing

Official Summary Text

CHILD CARE LICENSING – Adds to existing law to provide for a notice of safety-related rights for foster children.

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.
724
BY
HEALTH
AND
WELFARE
COMMITTEE
AN
ACT
1
RELATING
TO
FOSTER
CARE;
PROVIDING
LEGISLATIVE
INTENT;
AMENDING
CHAPTER
2
12,
TITLE
39,
IDAHO
CODE,
BY
THE
ADDITION
OF
A
NEW
SECTION
39
-
1212,
3
IDAHO
CODE,
TO
ESTABLISH
PROVISIONS
REGARDING
FOSTER
CHILD
SAFETY;
AND
4
DECLARING
AN
EMERGENCY.
5
Be
It
Enacted
by
the
Legislature
of
the
State
of
Idaho:
6
SECTION
1.
LEGISLATIVE
FINDINGS
AND
INTENT.
The
Legislature
finds
that
7
children
in
foster
care
are
among
the
most
vulnerable
individuals
under
the
8
care
and
supervision
of
the
Idaho
Department
of
Health
and
Welfare.
It
is
9
the
intent
of
the
Legislature
to
ensure
their
safety,
health,
and
welfare
by
10
articulating
certain
protections
guaranteed
to
such
children.
It
is
further
1
1
the
intent
of
the
Legislature
that
this
act
govern
the
treatment
and
safety
12
of
children
while
in
the
care
or
custody
of
the
state
and
not
be
construed
to
13
expand
general
government
authority
or
diminish
parental
rights
beyond
what
14
is
necessary
to
ensure
the
safety,
health,
and
welfare
of
the
child.
15
SECTION
2.
That
Chapter
12,
Title
39,
Idaho
Code,
be,
and
the
same
is
16
hereby
amended
by
the
addition
thereto
of
a
NEW
SECTION
,
to
be
known
and
des
-
17
ignated
as
Section
39
-
1212,
Idaho
Code,
and
to
read
as
follows:
18
39
-
1212.
FOSTER
CHILD
SAFETY.
(1)
All
children
placed
in
foster
care
19
shall
have
the
following
safety
-
related
rights:
20
(a)
The
right
to
reside
in
a
safe
and
healthy
environment;
21
(b)
The
freedom
from
physical,
sexual,
emotional,
or
other
abuse.
This
22
includes
the
freedom
to
be
placed
away
from
other
children,
siblings,
or
23
individuals
known
to
pose
a
credible
threat
of
physical
or
sexual
abuse
24
to
the
foster
child,
either
because
of
the
foster
child's
own
risk
fac
-
25
tors
or
those
of
the
other
children,
siblings,
or
individuals;
26
(c)
The
right
to
timely
and
appropriate
medical
assessments
and
foren
-
27
sic
testing
when
a
child
discloses
sexual
abuse
to
a
mandatory
reporter,
28
consistent
with
applicable
Idaho
law
and
mandatory
reporting
require
-
29
ments;
30
(d)
The
right
to
adequate
and
appropriate
basic
essentials,
including
31
food,
shelter,
clothing,
and
personal
necessities;
32
(e)
The
right
to
limit,
restrict,
suspend,
or
deny
visitation
by
court
33
order
because
visitation
would
be
contrary
to
the
safety
and
well
-
being
34
of
the
child.
Substantiated
safety
concerns
shall
be
considered
by
the
35
court
to
limit,
restrict,
suspend,
or
deny
visitation.
The
court
may
36
consider
any
relevant
factors,
including:
37
(i)
Safety
and
risk
assessments;
38
(ii)
Placement
and
supervision
decisions;
39
(iii)
Protective
plans;
40

2
(iv)
Medical,
behavioral
health,
and
developmental
evaluations;
1
and
2
(v)
Reunification
plans
and
case
plans;
and
3
(f)
The
right
to
reasonable
consideration
of
the
child's
safety
during
4
transitions
between
foster
care
placements
when
practicable
and
con
-
5
sistent
with
the
safety
of
the
child.
Nothing
in
this
paragraph
shall
6
be
construed
to
delay
an
emergency
placement
or
supersede
a
court
order
7
or
immediate
safety
determination.
In
evaluating
safety,
the
court
may
8
consider
factors
relevant
to
the
child's
circumstances,
including
age,
9
developmental
needs,
emotional
or
behavioral
health,
prior
trauma,
and
10
the
reasons
for
the
placement
change.
1
1
(2)
The
department
shall
develop
a
written
notice
of,
at
a
minimum,
the
12
rights
enumerated
in
this
section.
The
department
shall
provide
each
child
13
with
such
written
notice
at
the
time
of
initial
placement
in
foster
care,
14
at
each
placement
change,
and
at
least
annually.
Foster
homes
licensed
by
15
the
department
shall
post
the
notice
in
a
place
where
children
have
access.
16
Failure
to
provide
or
post
such
notice
shall
not,
by
itself,
create
a
cause
of
17
action
or
constitute
a
violation
of
law.
18
(3)
The
rights
in
this
section
are
a
broad
expression
of
the
rights
of
19
children
in
foster
care,
are
not
exhaustive,
and
shall
be
interpreted
and
ap
-
20
plied
consistent
with
the
best
interests
of
the
child.
21
(4)
Nothing
in
this
section
shall
be
construed
to
expand
the
author
-
22
ity
of
the
state
or
the
department
beyond
that
which
is
otherwise
provided
by
23
law
or
be
construed
to
create
a
private
cause
of
action
or
a
cause
of
action
24
against
the
state,
the
judiciary,
the
department,
or
any
employee,
agent,
or
25
contractor
thereof.
Implementation
of
this
section
shall
occur
through
ex
-
26
isting
court
proceedings
and
department
processes
and
shall
not
require
new
27
enforcement
mechanisms,
agencies,
reporting
structures,
or
appropriations.
28
(5)
Alleged
violations
of
the
rights
enumerated
in
this
section
may
be
29
raised
within
the
child's
ongoing
juvenile
proceeding
pursuant
to
chapter
30
16,
title
16,
Idaho
Code,
by
the
child's
attorney,
guardian
ad
litem,
court
-
31
appointed
special
advocate,
the
department,
or
another
party
to
the
proceed
-
32
ing
already
granted
standing
under
existing
Idaho
law
or
by
a
foster
par
-
33
ent
through
any
of
the
aforementioned.
Reports
or
information
submitted
by
34
a
mandatory
reporter
pursuant
to
Idaho
law
may
be
brought
to
the
attention
35
of
the
court
through
any
such
party
and
considered
by
the
court
in
determin
-
36
ing
whether
a
violation
of
these
rights
has
occurred.
Upon
such
notice,
the
37
court
shall
consider
the
allegation
and
may,
within
its
discretion,
order
38
appropriate
remedies
within
the
juvenile
proceeding
to
promote
the
safety
39
and
welfare
of
the
child.
Nothing
in
this
subsection
shall
be
construed
to
40
require
the
initiation
of
a
separate
action
or
to
expand
the
jurisdiction
of
41
the
court
beyond
existing
law.
Relief
under
this
subsection
shall
be
limited
42
to
corrective
orders
within
the
juvenile
proceeding
pursuant
to
chapter
16,
43
title
16,
Idaho
Code.
44
(6)
The
department
shall
make
reasonable
efforts
to
ensure
that
all
45
reports
received
pursuant
to
mandatory
reporting
laws
related
to
a
child
46
subject
to
a
juvenile
proceeding
pursuant
to
chapter
16,
title
16,
Idaho
47
Code,
are
documented
and
made
available
for
consideration
by
the
court
48
within
that
proceeding
in
a
manner
consistent
with
existing
confidential
-
49
ity,
evidentiary,
and
due
process
requirements.
50

3
(7)
Nothing
in
this
section
shall
be
construed
to
limit
the
ability
of
a
1
child,
the
child's
representative,
a
foster
parent,
or
a
party
to
the
juve
-
2
nile
proceeding
pursuant
to
chapter
16,
title
16,
Idaho
Code,
to
contact
the
3
health
and
social
services
ombudsman
regarding
concerns
related
to
the
im
-
4
plementation
of
this
section.
Any
review
or
recommendation
by
the
health
and
5
social
services
ombudsman
shall
be
advisory
in
nature
and
shall
not
create
a
6
cause
of
action
or
alter
the
authority
of
the
court
or
the
department.
7
SECTION
3.
An
emergency
existing
therefor,
which
emergency
is
hereby
8
declared
to
exist,
this
act
shall
be
in
full
force
and
effect
on
and
after
its
9
passage
and
approval.
10