Here is a list of the bills filed during session

House Bills 

HB 412—Prohibiting Vaccine and Vaccine Passport Status Discrimination

This bill passed the House 48 to 22 and would have prohibited discrimination because of vaccine and vaccine passport status.  The bill contained exemptions for schools, daycares and those nursing homes that could not comply because of conflicting Medicare and Medicaid rules.  The bill was assigned to the Senate State Affairs Committee but was not heard and died there.   

HB 414—Religious Freedom for Mandated Medical Treatment

This bill passed the House 46 to 24.  It would have prohibited employers from questioning the sincerity of an employee’s religious objection to required medical treatment.  The bill was assigned to the Senate State Affairs Committee but was held there after its hearing and died.

HB 415—Exemptions from Workplace Vaccine Requirements

This bill passed the House 43 to 24 with three absent.  It would have provided employees medical, religious, philosophical, and natural immunity exemptions from workplace vaccine requirements.  The bill was not assigned to a Senate committee and died.

HB 417—Worker’s Compensation for Injuries from Employer Required Vaccines

This bill passed the House 67 to 3 and would have clarified that injuries arising from employer-mandated vaccinations are compensable under Idaho’s workers compensation laws.  I strongly favor this concept, but I could not accept portions of the bill which would have changed legal standards governing worker’s compensation claims and which would have imposed costs on Idaho employers.  I hope for the opportunity to participate in bringing back a modified bill in January.  The bill was assigned to the Senate State Affairs Committee, but was held there after its hearing and died.

HB 419—Barring Firings for Not Vaccinating

This bill passed the House 41-27, with two absent.  It would have created a "don't ask don't tell" policy to prevent Idahoans from being fired because of their COVID-19 vaccination decisions.  The bill was assigned to the Senate State Affairs Committee but was held there after its hearing and died.

HB 421—Prohibiting Requirements to Prove COVID-19 Vaccination or Test Results

This bill passed the House 50 to 18, with two absent, and would have codified and expanded the Governor’s executive order against requiring proof of a COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test.  Violators would have been subject to civil penalties.  The bill was not assigned to a Senate committee and died.

HB 429—Exemptions from School Mask and Other Mandates

This bill passed the House 42 to 28 and would have allowed school children to be exempted from public school mask, Plexiglas enclosure, or other medical mandates based on medical, religious, or personal reasons.  The bill was assigned to the Senate State Affairs Committee, but was not heard and died there.

Senate Bills

All seven Senate bills were printed in the Senate State Affairs Committee.  The Republicans in effect agreed to print the Democrats’ bill and the Democrats in effect agreed to print the Republican bills.  Two of the “bills,” Senate Joint Memorial 105 and SCR 113 went directly to a full Senate (more on those below).  It was essentially agreed that four of the remaining bills (including the Democrats’ bill) would be given an informational hearing but held in committee without a vote.  Two Republican bills did not receive an informational hearing and were also held in committee without a vote. 

SB 1222—Requiring the Use of Federal COVID-19 Funds

This bill was brought by the Senate Democrats to assure that all federal COVID-19 funding available to Idaho is put to good use.  Although Idaho has received $1.1 Billion of this money, it has only allocated 4% of it and only spent 1% of it.  The bill proposed to use the money to

• remove obstacles to voluntary vaccination;
• help protect employers and employees against costs associated with vaccination;
• assure that those needing or wanting COVID testing can obtain rapid tests;
• help with workforce issues created by the pandemic; and
• create a vaccine injury compensation program because the federal program is not working for COVID vaccinations.

We plan to improve this bill and bring it back in January.  

SB 1223—Clarifying the Idaho Health Freedom Act

This bill clarifies the Act as it relates to COVID-19 vaccinations and employment in Idaho.

SB 1224—Exemptions to Employer Required Vaccination

This bill allows medical, religious, and natural immunity exemptions from employer-required COVID-19 vaccinations and requires employers to notify employees of these exemptions.

SB 1225—Allowing Workers to Refuse Employer Required COVID-19 Vaccinations

This bill allows an employee to refuse an employer-required COVID-19 vaccination and requires employers to notify employees of this right.

SCR 113—Federal Overreach Legal Defense Fund

This resolution would have authorized the Speaker of the House and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate to hire lawyers to pursue lawsuits against the federal government with money from the fund.  When the legislation to put money into the fund failed in the Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee, the resolution became a dead letter and did not receive a vote in the Senate. 

SJM 105— Notice to Biden Administration of Opposition to Vaccine Mandates

This memorial notifies the Biden Administration that the Idaho Legislature strongly opposes the Biden Administration’s vaccine and testing mandates.  The memorial passed the Senate over the “no” votes of the Senate Democrats and then passed the House.