IdahoIdaho law protects dogs trained to sniff out electronic storage devices
Dogs that officers use to find electronic storage devices by scent count as police dogs under Idaho’s animal protection law, both on and off duty.
What it does
Dogs trained to find electronic storage devices by scent count as police dogs. Those used by law enforcement officers receive the law’s protections both on and off duty.
Argument forProtecting these dogs from deliberate interference could help officers keep using them to find electronic storage devices.
Argument againstPeople who intentionally and maliciously cause serious injury to these dogs without legal justification could face up to five years in prison.
More detail
The law includes dogs trained to find electronic storage devices by scent in its definition of police dogs. Coverage applies to dogs used by law enforcement officers, including corrections officers performing their duties. The law’s protections apply both on and off duty. The law took effect on July 1, 2026.
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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
- Mar 30Reported Signed by Governor Brad Little on March 26, 2026 Session Law Chapter 179 Effective: 07/01/2026Became Law
- Mar 26Delivered to Governor at 12:58 p.m. on March 26, 2026To Governor
- Mar 26Returned Signed by the President; Ordered Transmitted to GovernorMinor
- Mar 25Signed by President; returned to HouseMajor
- Mar 25Received from the House enrolled/signed by SpeakerMajor
- Mar 25Reported Enrolled; Signed by Speaker; Transmitted to SenateMajor
- Mar 24Returned from Senate Passed; to JRA for EnrollingMinor
- Vote recorded Read third time in full –. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 24Read third time in full – PASSED - 34-0-1AYES – Adams, Anthon, Bernt, Blaylock, Burtenshaw, Carlson, Cook, Den Hartog, Foreman, Galloway, Grow, Guthrie, Harris, Hart, Keyser, Kohl, Lakey, Lenney, Lent, Nichols, Okuniewicz, Rabe, Ricks, Ruchti, Semmelroth, Shippy, Taylor, Toews, VanOrden, Ward-Engelking, Wintrow, Woodward, Zito, ZuiderveldNAYS – NoneAbsent and excused – Bjerke(Bjerke)Floor Sponsor - RuchtiTitle apvd - to HousePassed 2nd Chamber
- Mar 18Read second time; filed for Third ReadingMinor
- Mar 17Reported out of Committee with Do Pass Recommendation; Filed for second readingMinor
- Feb 24Introduced, read first time; referred to: Judiciary & RulesMinor
- Feb 24Received from the House passed; filed for first reading
- Feb 23Read Third Time in Full – PASSED - 67-0-3AYES – Alfieri, Barbieri, Beiswenger, Bingham, Boyle, Bruce, Burgoyne, Cannon, Cayler, Cheatum, Cornilles, Crane(12), Crane(13), Dygert, Egbert, Ehardt, Ehlers, Erickson, Fuhriman, Furniss, Galaviz, Gannon, Garner, Green, Hall(Stone), Handy, Harris, Hawkins, Healey, Hill, Holtzclaw, Hostetler, Leavitt, Manwaring, Marmon, Mathias, McCann, Mendive, Mickelsen, Miller, Mitchell, Monks, Nelsen, Palmer, Petzke, Pickett, Pohanka, Price, Rasor, Raybould, Raymond, Redman, Rubel, Sauter, Scott, Shepherd, Shirts, Skaug, Tanner(13), Tanner(14), Thompson, Vander Woude, Veile, Weber, Wheeler, Wisniewski, Mr. SpeakerNAYS – NoneAbsent – Berch, Church, HawsFloor Sponsor - VeileTitle apvd - to SenatePassed 1st Chamber
- Vote recorded Read Third Time in Full –. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 20U.C. to hold place on third reading calendar until Monday, February 23, 2026
- Feb 19Read second time; Filed for Third ReadingMinor
- Feb 18Reported out of Committee with Do Pass Recommendation, Filed for Second ReadingMinor
- Feb 13Reported Printed and Referred to Judiciary, Rules & Administration
- Feb 12Introduced, read first time, referred to JRA for PrintingIntroduced
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