Representative Steve Miller
2026 Legislative Update
For Week 4 Ending February 6, 2026
Current
Well, say what you like about the legislature, it’s nothing if not interesting! The highlights of this week were tax conformity, local antidiscrimination, soliciting commercial sex, a balanced budget Article V Convention, and setting 2026 budget recissions, budget transfers, and statewide budget adjustment numbers!!
The much discussed conformity bill H559 flew through the House and Senate on a partisan vote. The estimates used were $155 million for FY 2026 and $175 million for FY 2027. The tax savings will be retroactive to January 1, 2025.
H557 is a local anti-discrimination bill that declares local antidiscrimination laws cannot exceed state law. For example, the law would deny a transgender woman (a male) being in a ladies’ locker room or shower. It also protects religious liberties such as a business owner not having to provide services for events that violate their personal beliefs. The bill passed the House 53-16 and is headed for the Senate.
Bills may be viewed at: Bill List
Millertime
Events included the INL (Idaho National Lab) reception, Idaho Realtors reception, CTE (Career Technical Education) luncheon and the Outfitters wild game feed. The wild game feed is always fun. This year included bear, elk, goose, salmon, venison and duck. The goose was particularly tasty! It would have been a hoot if there had been owl.
I presented an RS to State Affairs modifying my legal tender bill by adding foreign mint coins and bullion as legal tender.
The Week
The bill with the most debate was HCR 25, a balanced budget Article V Convention resolution. Article V in the US constitution allows for a convention of states to ensure the states have a way to propose an amendment. It requires 2/3 or 34 of the states to call for a convention. It requires 2/3 vote of the House and Senate to approve a Resolution. It then takes 3/4 of the states to ratify an amendment. There is much discussion about state delegates powers and the power or authority of congress in setting up a convention. I believe the founders put it in place as a last resort to control an unresponsive or runaway congress. I don’t think they could have anticipated the 17th amendment removing Senators from state appointment. To them, it would have been unthinkable to relinquish the power of the sovereign states.
President Reagan supported an Article V convention for a balanced budget amendment. He did not formally endorse a full, open convention but understood that as the number of state resolutions approached 33, congress would be forced to act. He was right then, and I believe the same is true now. There are currently 28 states that have valid applications for a convention of states.
History teaches us that every empire fails; it is either conquered or suffers financial collapse. Consequently, every world currency fails. Here is the last 800 years: Portugal 1450-1530, Spain 1530-1640, Netherlands 1640-1720, France 1720-1815, Britain 1815-1920, United States 1920-present. Notice that each nation lasted about 100 years. The commonality is that the financial systems were overextended with debt. The US debt is approximately 125% of GDP. That is the level when most nations’ financial systems begin to fail. That is why I voted for HCR 25. The resolution failed 36-34-0 (2/3 vote required).
House Session & Votes
H493 amended the law to raise the penalty for commercial sexual activity. It provides for a misdemeanor and minimum 5 day jail sentence and up to $2,000 fine for 18–20-year-old. It is a felony for first offense with a minimum 6-month sentence and up to $10,000 fine for 21 and older. It imposes mandatory, non-reducible minimum incarceration for conviction. It passed 50-19-1.
HJR 9 is a resolution asking the federal government to enforce the FLPMA (Federal Land Policy Management Act). JR Simplot company began a land exchange of 777 acres with the BLM in 1994 and completed it in 2006. A Shoshone-Bannock Tribe lawsuit ruled the exchange invalid. This resolution requests that land exchanges be guided and finalized by FLPMA. The vote was 68-0-2.
A full list of bills may be found at: Bill List.
The House Session may be viewed live at: House Session
Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee (JFAC)
JFAC spent the week hearing budget presentations. Idaho State Police stated the total cost of a new qualified trooper including training and equipment is $213,600. That is an incredible investment that we must respect and support. ISP has shortage of officers around the state as other jurisdictions that pay more and more to find trained officers.
The State Brand Inspector, Cody Burlile, presented their budget. They have limited requests that come from the dedicated fund of fee collections. Cody is a careful man with a dollar!
Idaho Transportation Department presented their budget. The Governor cut $275 million from the Strategic Initiatives fund from the state and $110 million from the locals. The state can get along with some cuts for a while, the local highway districts have been making some progress with what they have received and for most, this is going to bring good maintenance projects to a end.
JFAC approved the Governors 3% plus additional 1% cut in the 2026 budget. K-12 education, Medicaid and corrections were not included in the additional 1% rescission.
Budget hearing and setting schedules may be viewed at: Budget Schedules
JFAC agendas may be viewed at: JFAC Agendas
The JFAC meetings may be viewed live at: View JFAC
To look further into Idaho’s fiscal transparency, Idahoans can now quickly click to view historic and current statewide budget appropriations and agency expenditures for the fiscal year at Budget Information and Fiscal Dashboards.
Agricultural Affairs Committee
The committee spent 2 meetings confirming rule changes. Nothing of consequence to report.
Ag Committee meetings may be viewed live on even numbered days at 1:30pm at: View Ag
Resources and Conservation Committee
Idaho Water Users reported to the committee regarding various irrigation projects around the state. Jay Barnuchi of the Twin Falls Canal Company presented a project that lined 9.25 miles of canal with HDPD liner. The lining should save over 10,000 acre feet of water that would have seeped through the lava into Rock Creek. Normally, I would object to the loss incidental recharge, however, in this case, most of the seepage enters Rock Creek and flows into the Snake River thus not affecting the aquifer level in this area.
The committee introduced RS33109C1 allowing Rangeland Improvement to be continuously appropriated. That means money appropriated for a project could remain available for more than 1 fiscal year.
S1222 regarding domestic water defined a subdivision as a minimum of 5 lots and set the starting date of enforcement at July 1, 2025. It was sent to the floor with a due pass.
SJM 107 asking the federal government to finish the permitting process for the Delamar mine was introduced.
Resources meetings may be viewed live on odd numbered days at 1:30pm at:View Resources
Bill Highlights
Bill # Topic Vote
You may view the full list of bills at and the bill status at: Bill List
It is an honor to serve as your Representative in the Idaho House of Representatives. Please forward this update to anyone you feel would be interested in receiving it.
Please put the name of your town on the subject line or in the message if you email me. They will automatically be sorted into a constituent folder which I check every day. I often get 100 to 200 emails a day!
Representative Steven Miller
District 24B
Camas, Gooding, and Rural Twin Falls Counties
Vice Chair Joint Finance & Appropriations Committee
Resources & Conservation Committee
Agricultural Affairs Committee
Idaho State Capitol
P.O. Box 83720
Boise, ID 83720-0038
208-332-1061
SMiller@house.idaho.gov
Common Sense Solutions 