The 2025 Idaho Legislative Session is Complete
The 2025 Idaho state legislative session wrapped up on Friday, April 4. We started the session with high hopes for our work in tobacco prevention but quickly realized there would be significant work needed to defend our past work on Medicaid and Medicaid Expansion.
The session brought substantial attacks on Medicaid Expansion, and Medicaid in general.
Multiple bills were introduced that ranged in aiming to repeal expansion in it’s entirety, to limiting access and the benefits covered.
- Full repeal in House Bill 58, we were able to stop before a hearing.
- HB 138, proposed work requirements, enrollment caps, lifetime limits, and other changes that demanded a short timeline for implementation and would have the likely resulted in the repeal of Medicaid expansion. HB 138 made it through the House of Representatives on a narrow vote of 38-32, but we were able to work with the Senate Healthcare Committee Chair to stop it.
We were unable to stop HB 345. This bill makes changes to the Medicaid expansion program in Idaho that we believe will have a significant negative impact on coverage for people currently in the program.
Changes include:
- Mandated work requirements,
- Added burdensome renewal requirements which could result in people losing coverage.
- Cost sharing, meaning low-income Idahoans may be required to pay premiums and co-pays.
Despite having conversations with legislators early we were unable to get our tobacco package legislation heard in committee.
The tobacco package that would have:
- Increased the taxes on tobacco and nicotine products
- Create a statewide smoke-free law, and
- Strengthened tobacco retail license enforcement mechanisms.
While we were unable to move our tobacco package we were able to stop a bad tobacco registry bill. We also saw the Idaho Clean Indoor Air Act moved into statute. We tried to amend the Clean Indoor Air Act to remove current exemptions, like bars and hotels, and include electronic smoking products, however we were unsuccessful.
Next Steps:
We will be leaning into the conversation around Cardiac Emergency Response Plans in schools and athletic facilities. We are looking at funding avenues and legislation from other organizations to give us a better idea of what legislators might support and who we can work with to bring something forward in the 2026.
We’re also eager to see the changes being made to our Emergency Medical Services agency which is moving into the Idaho Military Division. We are hopeful increased funding for system upgrades will help improve our systems of care services, particularly around telecommunicator CPR.
While it was a tougher than usual session, we continue to be inspired by our amazing advocates who show up for us, and provide the reason for the work we do everyday. To join our efforts in improving health care access in Idaho, please join us and register to be an advocate at You’re the Cure.