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Read. Follow. Verify.Idaho House Bill 549 Revises Requirements for Dissolving Hospital Districts
Last action · March 18, 2026: Reported out of committee; to 14th Order for amendment
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What This Bill Would Do
Idaho House Bill 549 updates the petition requirements, multi-county voting thresholds, and procedural rules for dissolving hospital districts, taking effect on July 1, 2026. The measure specifies that dissolution petitions require signatures from or property owners equal to ten percent of the district's qualified electors and taxpayers. The legislation also establishes that multi-county district dissolution elections require a majority affirmative vote in each affected county to pass.
Determines the exact legal thresholds and voter approval requirements necessary for property owners and electors to dissolve local hospital districts and dispose of district assets.
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Qualified electors and taxpayers of hospital districts
Voters and taxpayers face updated signature thresholds and voting rules required to initiate and pass a hospital district dissolution.
Property owners within hospital districts
Property owners are explicitly authorized to sign dissolution petitions based on the updated statutory percentage requirements.
Hospital districts
Districts become subject to revised statutory procedures governing dissolution petitions, elections, and asset disposition.
Key Facts
- Dissolution proceedings for a hospital district may be initiated by a petition containing signatures of qualified electors or property owners equal to 10% of the qualified electors and taxpayers of the district.
- Dissolution petitions cannot be filed earlier than four years after the date of the district's establishment.
- Completed petitions must be filed with the clerk of the court of the county or counties involved, followed by published notice, a public hearing held by county commissioners, and an election if necessary.
- For multi-county hospital districts, a dissolution election is approved only if a majority of the votes cast in each participating county are in the affirmative.
Show all 6 facts
- The disposition of hospital district assets and provision for payment of district indebtedness must follow sections 63-4105 and 63-4106, Idaho Code.
- The act takes effect on July 1, 2026, due to an emergency declaration.
Frequently Asked Questions
When can a petition to dissolve a hospital district be started?
What percentage of signatures is required on a dissolution petition?
How does voting work for a hospital district that spans multiple counties?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently passed both. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Law.
Procedural history
9 actions- Mar 18, 2026Reported out of committee; to 14th Order for amendment
- Feb 24, 2026IntroducedIntroduced, read first time; referred to: State Affairs
- Feb 24, 2026FloorReceived from the House passed; filed for first reading
- Feb 23, 2026FloorRead Third Time in Full – PASSED - 68-0-2 AYES – Alfieri, Barbieri, Beiswenger, Berch, Bingham, Boyle, Bruce, Burgoyne, Cannon, Cayler, Cheatum, Cornilles, Crane(12), Crane(13), Dygert, Egbert, Ehardt, Ehlers, Erickson, Fuhriman, Furniss, Galaviz, Gannon, Garner, Green, Hall(Stone), Handy, Harris, Hawkins, 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 – Church, Haws Floor Sponsor - Thompson Title apvd - to Senate
- Feb 20, 2026U.C. to hold place on third reading calendar until Monday, February 23, 2026
- Feb 19, 2026Read second time; Filed for Third Reading
Show 3 earlier actions
- Feb 18, 2026Reported out of Committee with Do Pass Recommendation, Filed for Second Reading
- Jan 29, 2026CommitteeReported Printed and Referred to State Affairs
- Jan 28, 2026IntroducedIntroduced, read first time, referred to JRA 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- Significance45How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy15Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz10Current news / social attention level
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