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Read. Follow. Verify.Idaho exempts coroner and law enforcement decedent photographs from public records disclosure
Last action · March 26, 2026: Signed by Governor on 03/26/26 Session Law Chapter 148 Effective: 07/01/2026
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What This Bill Does
Senate Bill 1250 exempts photographs and images of a decedent taken during coroner or law enforcement death investigations from public records disclosure. These records may be released only to the decedent's after all related investigations, criminal cases, and civil proceedings are concluded. The law takes effect on July 1, 2026.
The measure restricts public access to sensitive post-mortem imagery, shifting control over death investigation visuals exclusively to immediate family members once all legal proceedings are finished.
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Decedents' next of kin
They gain exclusive rights to request and receive decedent photographs once all related legal proceedings are finished.
Law enforcement agencies and coroners
They are no longer required or permitted to release decedent investigation photographs to the general public.
General public and media
They lose public records access to decedent photographs taken during coroner and law enforcement investigations.
Key Facts
- Senate Bill 1250 amends Section 74-105, Idaho Code, to add decedent photographs to the list of records exempt from public disclosure.
- The exemption applies to photos taken during either a coroner death investigation or a law enforcement investigation, regardless of whether the case is active.
- Decedents' next of kin may request and receive these photographs once all coroner investigations, law enforcement investigations, criminal cases, appeals, and related civil proceedings are no longer active.
- The statute defines 'next of kin' in hierarchical order as spouse, adult children, parents, siblings, and grandparents.
Show all 5 facts
- The act declares an emergency and establishes an effective date of July 1, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can access decedent photographs under this law?
What is the legal definition of next of kin under this statute?
When does this new exemption go into effect?
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News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Current status: Signed into law.
Procedural history
16 actions- Mar 26, 2026EnrolledSigned by Governor on 03/26/26 Session Law Chapter 148 Effective: 07/01/2026
- Mar 26, 2026Reported delivered to Governor at 4:33 p.m. on 03/25/26
- Mar 25, 2026Reported signed by the Speaker & ordered delivered to Governor
- Mar 25, 2026Received from Senate; Signed by Speaker; Returned to Senate
- Mar 24, 2026Reported enrolled; signed by President; to House for signature of Speaker
- Mar 24, 2026CommitteeReturned From House Passed; referred to enrolling
Show 10 earlier actions
- Mar 23, 2026FloorRead Third Time in Full – PASSED - 68-0-2 AYES – Alfieri, Barbieri, Beiswenger, Bingham, Boyle, Bruce, Burgoyne, Cannon, Cayler, Cheatum, Church, Crane(12), Crane(13), Dygert, Egbert, Ehardt, Ehlers, Erickson, Fuhriman, Furniss, Galaviz, Gannon, Garner, Green, Hall(Stone), Handy, Harris, Hawkins, Haws, Healey, Hill, Holtzclaw, Hostetler, Leavitt, Manwaring, Marmon, Mathias, McCann, Mendive, Mickelsen, Miller, Mitchell, Monks, Nelsen, Palmer, Petzke, Pickett, Pohanka, Price, Rasor, Raybould, Raymond, Redman, Rubel, Sauter, Scott, Shepherd, Shirts, Skaug, Tanner(13), Tanner(14), Thompson, Vander Woude, Veile, Weber, Wheeler, Wisniewski, Mr. Speaker NAYS – None Absent – Berch, Cornilles Floor Sponsor - Skaug Title apvd - to Senate
- Mar 20, 2026Read second time; Filed for Third Reading
- Mar 19, 2026Reported out of Committee with Do Pass Recommendation, Filed for Second Reading
- Feb 20, 2026IntroducedRead First Time, Referred to Judiciary, Rules & Administration
- Feb 20, 2026Received from the Senate, Filed for First Reading
- Feb 19, 2026FloorRead third time in full – PASSED - 34-0-1 AYES – Adams, Bernt, Bjerke, Blaylock, Burtenshaw, Carlson, Cook, Den Hartog, Foreman, Galloway, Grow, Guthrie, Harris, Hart, Hawkins(Anthon), Keyser, Kohl, Lenney, Merrell(Lakey), Nichols, Okuniewicz, Rabe, Ricks, Ruchti, Semmelroth, Shippy, Taylor, Toews, VanOrden, Ward-Engelking, Wintrow, Woodward, Zito, Zuiderveld NAYS – None Absent and excused – Lent Floor Sponsor - Wintrow Title apvd - to House
- Feb 13, 2026Read second time; filed for Third Reading
- Feb 12, 2026Reported out of Committee with Do Pass Recommendation; Filed for second reading
- Feb 4, 2026CommitteeReported Printed; referred to Judiciary & Rules
- Feb 3, 2026IntroducedIntroduced; read first time; referred to JR for Printing
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Connected Entities
Sources
legislature.idaho.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance55How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy25Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz15Current news / social attention level
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