Rating: +1

Bill Summary:

Senate Bill 1031, as amended (S1031E1), revises Section 39-414 of Idaho Code to limit the powers of Idaho’s public health district boards and enhance local accountability. The bill specifies that district boards of health may only take actions that are necessary and reasonable for preserving and protecting public health, and only if such actions are supported by scientific evidence.

Crucially, the bill requires that any public health order applying to all persons in a county or district must be approved by the county commissioners within seven days. If approved, such orders are only valid for thirty days and must be re-approved for each additional thirty-day period. Other board powers, including contracting, budgeting, and intergovernmental cooperation, remain intact. The bill includes an emergency clause and takes effect July 1, 2025.

Reason for Rating:

S1031E1 strongly aligns with the Idaho Republican Party Platform’s core principles of limited government, local control, and individual liberty. It curtails the ability of unelected public health officials to impose sweeping, open-ended mandates without consent from elected county officials. By mandating that all broad health orders be based on scientific evidence and subject to democratic review, the bill directly addresses the type of bureaucratic overreach that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. It ensures that emergency powers are exercised with transparency and restraint, restoring constitutional checks and balances in local health governance. For these reasons, the bill earns a positive rating.