Legislative Update 4/18/2026

The 2026 Idaho Legislature wrapped up their session two weeks ago. The Bee has previously asked me to write about several bills I have either drafted or carried for this session as your representative. Here are the results of some of these conservative efforts:

HB562a

An above average number of our residents have received ‘non- renewal’ or cancellation letters from their property insurance carriers in the last year or two. While researching this issue, I learned state statute only requires insurance carriers to give 30 days before terminating coverage. I met with representatives of the insurance industry and drafted legislation to extend the time to find another carrier (or to come to an agreement with an existing carrier for fire mitigation purposes) to 60 days. HB562a was signed by the Governor and takes affect January 1, 2027.

HB 618

Property insurance is a lot like property tax, it’s something that effects almost all of us and something that we all pay. Property owners and Fire Districts want to make effective decisions with their time and funds. Insurance carriers want to reduce their risks to fires, especially large, catastrophic ones. HB618 sought to have insurance carriers provide what’s important to their risk evaluation process. I believe we asked for transparency of the ingredients, not the recipe. HB618 didn’t require insurance carriers to yield their proprietary information. Utah has successfully done something like HB618. I was not successful in getting this bill through committee.

HB765

We all want our Emergency Services to be done well, efficiently and cost effectively. This bill allows Fire Districts to adjust their boundaries without losing their revenues because of these actions. Existing state tax code didn’t allow this. I met with the tax commission, fire districts and cities/counties and drafted a bill to address this issue. There is a public meeting involved and a process for disputing the decisions of the elected fire boards if members of the public disagree. The Governor signed this bill.

HB766

Fire Districts have had the right to assess ‘impact fees’ on new development for over a decade. Most Idahoans agree that growth should pay for growth. However, getting all of the governmental agencies to agree on the collection and amount of these fees can take considerable time and costs. This bill empowers a fire district to hold a public meeting for the parties involved and to adopt the fee schedule. This bill saves public funds and promotes efficiency. It does not affect your taxes. The Governor signed this bill.

SB1397

Idaho regulates utilities like water, electricity, telephone, gas and underground lines. The concern is because of the cost of infrastructure and the potential monopoly involved; Idahoans need protection. Utility regulation has been in Idaho law for nearly 100 years. Sewer districts are not regulated. Recently, several large sewer districts have been purchased by investor groups. In some cases, rates have doubled. In other cases, hook-ups have been curtailed because the systems were not ready for the new demands. SB1397 addressed an issue that over 15,000 Idaho property owners are exposed to. It provided a process for those districts (with over 100 hook-ups) to pay for the costs of their own regulation and oversight. Industry did not fight against this bill; other states already include sewer districts in the regulatory process. This bill passed the Senate but failed on the House floor. This bill does not affect the taxes of those outside the ten sewer districts who asked for this bill.

HB 927

Highway safety is important for everyone. Locally, highway 95 is problematic. The traffic, condition of the road, and terrain team up to make it a dangerous corridor. The Idaho Department of Transportation has plans to make improvements but these projects cost millions of dollars and are years away. Last summer I learned Idaho has a significant number of drivers (estimated 125,000+) who have been cited for breaking traffic laws but have not paid their infraction fees. The estimate of unpaid traffic fines is now over $23 million. One of the problems is that in 2018, the legislature stopped suspending drivers’ licenses when traffic infractions were not paid. I worked with law enforcement, cities/counties, the courts and insurance companies to reinstate the suspension process. Drivers would still have an option of driving to work and back and for emergencies. My belief is HB927 addressed an Idaho problem backed by Idaho values. It holds people accountable for their actions with consequences for breaking traffic laws, it uses existing resources to improve a highway safety situation now, and it funds vital services (cities/counties, Courts, law enforcement). HB927 failed in the Senate Transportation Committee.

All these bills directly impact Bonner and Boundary Counties. These bills were opposed by members of the Idaho Freedom Caucus. I want to continue to responsibly represent the residents of our district. We have more conservative work to do. We can improve our public safety and rural healthcare services, but it takes Idaho values like hard work and effort. The above-mentioned issues, and more, deserve our attention and will make our community safer and more prosperous.

It’s an honor to serve District #1. You can contact me at mark@marksauterforidaho.org

PLEASE VOTE MAY 19th.

Rep. Mark Sauter is a second-term Republican legislator representing District 1A. He serves on the Agricultural Affairs; Education; and Resources and Conservation committees.