WeVote
Log In

Bill

Bill

H 379

An Act modernizing protections for consumers in automobile transactions

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Carlos González

Idaho H 379 requires certain statewide officials and candidates to publicly report travel paid by others outside campaign or personal funds, within 30 days of return.

Hearing rescheduled to 10/14/2025 from 10:00 AM-11:30 AM in A-2 and Virtual Hearing updated to New End Time
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · H 379

Summary of Idaho House Bill H 379 – Transparency in State Official Travel

Overview

  • Bill: H 379
  • Title: Transparency in Travel by State Officials
  • Purpose: To promote public confidence and transparency by requiring certain statewide officials, nominees, and officer-elects to disclose travel paid for by others not funded by themselves.
  • Status: Retained on General Orders (as of 2025-04-04)
  • Introduced: March 6, 2025
  • Effective date: July 1, 2025 (emergency clause in place)

What the bill would do

  • Create a new Chapter 8 within Title 74 (Transparency in Government) to establish reporting requirements for travel paid by third parties.
  • Scope of reporting targets:
    • Candidates for statewide office who will appear on the general election ballot
    • Statewide elected officials
    • Officer-elect of statewide offices who have prevailed in a general election but have not yet taken the oath of office
  • Travel subject to reporting:
    • Travel outside Idaho that is reasonably related to a governmental purpose or to state, national, or international public policy
    • Travel paid by another individual or entity
  • Exclusions:
    • Travel paid through campaign funds (reported under existing Idaho Code provisions for campaign finance)
    • Travel paid solely with the state official’s personal funds
  • Reporting requirements (within 30 days of return):
    • Destination of travel
    • Travel dates
    • Purpose of travel
    • Name and address of the payer, including whether the travel was a campaign contribution
    • For current state officials: whether the travel occurred in the official’s capacity as a state official
  • Penalty for non-compliance:
    • Late fee of $25 per day until the report is filed
    • Late fees deposited into the public school income fund

Key provisions and structure

  • Section 74-801: Legislative intent to promote transparency by requiring certain state officials and candidates to report paid travel.
  • Section 74-802: Detailed reporting and penalty framework:
    • (1) Definition of who must report and what travel is covered, with exemptions for campaign-funded or personal-fund travel.
    • (2) Required reporting content within 30 days of travel return.
    • (3) Late filing penalty ($25/day) and allocation of penalties to the public school income fund.
  • Section 2: Emergency clause and effective date specifying full force and effect on July 1, 2025.

Who is affected

  • Affects statewide candidates and officials, including those who have won a statewide race but have not yet taken the oath.
  • Travel that is paid by outside individuals or entities and relates to governmental purposes or public policy.
  • Does not apply to travel funded by campaigns or personal funds.

Fiscal note and implementation

  • Secretary of State’s Office estimates a one-time filing portal addition on their website to support travel disclosures, costing about $5,000.
  • The portal would facilitate the required reporting process and public access.

Procedural timeline and status

  • Introduced: March 6, 2025
  • March 11, 2025: Reported out of Committee with Do Pass (per provided actions)
  • March–April 2025: Various “UC to hold place on third reading calendar” actions, leading to General Orders
  • April 4, 2025: Retained on General Orders (status update)
  • Current status: Retained on General Orders; not yet enacted into law

Potential impact

  • Increases transparency around travel funded by third parties for high-level state actors.
  • Creates a public-facing record of travel relationships and potential influence.
  • Establishes a monetary penalty to incentivize timely disclosures and adds a small administrative cost for implementation.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

Sign in to ask a question.