IdahoIdaho law bars in-person student instruction on election days
Starting January 1, 2028, Idaho schools may not teach students in person on election days unless the district and county clerk jointly agree that student-occupied buildings will not be polling places.
What it does
Starting January 1, 2028, Idaho schools may not teach students in person on election days. A district and county clerk may jointly allow it if buildings occupied by students will not be polling places.
Argument forKeeping students away from polling-place buildings could reduce overlap between school activities and voting, while allowing eligible students to vote or work at the polls.
Argument againstStudents could lose access to in-person instruction on election days, even when their school buildings are not used as polling places.
More detail
Starting January 1, 2028, Idaho law bars in-person student instruction on dates when elections may be held under state law. The rule applies to school districts in Idaho. The text includes staff training, professional development, extracurricular activities, and sports in its description of instruction or activities. School boards may choose other instruction or activities if they do not require or encourage students to be inside a building used as a polling place. Boards may encourage eligible students to vote or serve as poll workers. In-person instruction may occur if the county clerk and school district jointly agree that buildings occupied by students will not be polling places. The law takes effect January 1, 2028. The restriction applies on dates when elections may be held under Idaho law.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed 1st Chamber
- Passed 2nd Chamber
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Apr 1Reported Signed by Governor Brad Little on March 31, 2026 Session Law Chapter 244 Effective: 01/01/2028Became Law
- Mar 30Delivered to Governor at 12:31 p.m. on March 30, 2026To Governor
- Mar 30Returned Signed by the President; Ordered Transmitted to GovernorMinor
- Mar 30Signed by President; returned to HouseMajor
- Mar 30Received from the House enrolled/signed by SpeakerMajor
- Mar 27Reported Enrolled; Signed by Speaker; Transmitted to SenateMajor
- Mar 26Returned from Senate Passed; to JRA for EnrollingMinor
- Vote recorded Read third time in full –. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 26Read third time in full – PASSED - 30-4-1AYES – Adams, Anthon, Bernt, Bjerke(Bjerke), Blaylock, Burtenshaw, Carlson, Cook, Den Hartog, Foreman, Grow, Guthrie, Harris, Hart, Keyser, Kohl, Lakey, Lenney, Lent, Nichols, Rabe, Ricks, Ruchti, Shippy, Taylor, Toews, VanOrden, Ward-Engelking, Wintrow, WoodwardNAYS – Galloway, Okuniewicz, Zito, ZuiderveldAbsent and excused – SemmelrothFloor Sponsor - GuthrieTitle apvd - to HousePassed 2nd Chamber
- Mar 24Read second time; filed for Third ReadingMinor
- Mar 23Reported out of Committee with Do Pass Recommendation; Filed for second readingMinor
- Mar 13Introduced, read first time; referred to: State AffairsMinor
- Mar 13Received from the House passed; filed for first reading
- Mar 12Read Third Time in Full – PASSED - 54-14-2AYES – Alfieri, Berch, Bingham, Boyle, Bruce, Burgoyne, Cannon, Cheatum, Cornilles, Crane(13), Dygert, Egbert, Ehardt, Ehlers, Erickson(Larsen), Fuhriman, Furniss, Galaviz, Gannon, Garner, Green, Hall(Stone), Handy, Harris, Haws, Healey, Hill, Holtzclaw, Manwaring, Mathias, McCann, Mickelsen, Miller, Mitchell, Monks, Nelsen, Palmer, Petzke, Pickett, Pohanka, Raybould, Raymond, Redman, Rubel, Sauter, Scott, Shepherd, Shirts, Tanner(13), Vander Woude, Veile, Weber, Wheeler, Mr. SpeakerNAYS – Barbieri, Beiswenger, Cayler, Crane(12), Hawkins, Hostetler, Leavitt, Marmon, Mendive, Price, Rasor, Tanner(14), Thompson, WisniewskiAbsent – Church, SkaugFloor Sponsor - RaybouldTitle apvd - to SenatePassed 1st Chamber
- Vote recorded Read Third Time in Full –. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 11Read second time; Filed for Third ReadingMinor
- Mar 10Reported out of Committee with Do Pass Recommendation, Filed for Second ReadingMinor
- Mar 6Reported Printed and Referred to State Affairs
- Mar 5Introduced, read first time, referred to JRA for PrintingIntroduced
Education