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Read. Follow. Verify.Idaho Senate Bill 1293 Exempts Crime Victims Compensation from Lawful Presence Verification
Last action · March 24, 2026: Signed by Governor on 03/23/26 Session Law Chapter 100 Effective: 07/01/2026
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What This Bill Does
Idaho SB 1293 exempts applicants for crime victims compensation from having to verify their in the United States, taking effect July 1, 2026. The measure amends existing public benefits verification laws to add this specific exception alongside emergency healthcare and disaster relief.
Crime victims seeking state compensation can apply and receive assistance without undergoing immigration status checks, altering the administrative requirements for accessing financial support following a crime.
- Idaho Code Section 67-7903 generally mandates that state and local agencies verify the lawful presence of individuals applying for public benefits. context
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Crime victims applying for compensation
Applicants are no longer required to verify lawful presence in the United States when applying for or receiving crime victims compensation.
State and local agencies
Agencies are prohibited from requiring lawful presence verification for crime victims compensation applicants.
Key Facts
- Verification of lawful presence in the United States is no longer required to apply for or receive crime victims compensation pursuant to chapter 10, title 72, Idaho Code.
- The act becomes effective on July 1, 2026.
- Existing exemptions from lawful presence verification already include emergency medical care, short-term emergency disaster relief, and specific short-term shelter services.
- Agencies and political subdivisions must otherwise verify lawful presence for individuals eighteen years of age or older applying for state, local, or federal public benefits.
Show all 5 facts
- Providing a false statement or unassigned social security number on a benefit attestation is classified as a misdemeanor for the first and second offense, and a felony for each subsequent offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to prove lawful presence to apply for crime victims compensation under this law?
When does this new exemption take effect?
What other benefits are exempt from lawful presence verification?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Current status: Signed into law.
Procedural history
18 actions- Mar 24, 2026EnrolledSigned by Governor on 03/23/26 Session Law Chapter 100 Effective: 07/01/2026
- Mar 23, 2026Reported delivered to Governor at 4:34 p.m. on 03/19/26
- Mar 19, 2026Reported signed by the Speaker & ordered delivered to Governor
- Mar 19, 2026Received from Senate; Signed by Speaker; Returned to Senate
- Mar 18, 2026Reported enrolled; signed by President; to House for signature of Speaker
- Mar 18, 2026CommitteeReturned From House Passed; referred to enrolling
Show 12 earlier actions
- Mar 17, 2026FloorRules Suspended: Ayes 66 Nays 0 Abs/Excd 4, read in full as required – PASSED - 64-5-1 AYES – Alfieri, Barbieri, Beiswenger, Bingham, Boyle, Bruce, Burgoyne, Cannon, Cheatum, Church, Cornilles, Crane(12), Crane(13), Dygert, Egbert, Ehardt, Ehlers, Erickson, Fuhriman, Furniss, Galaviz, Gannon, Garner, Green, Hall(Stone), Handy, Haws, Healey, Hill, Holtzclaw, Hostetler, Leavitt, Manwaring, Marmon, Mathias, McCann, Mendive, Mickelsen, Miller, Mitchell, Monks, Nelsen, Palmer, Petzke, Pickett, Pohanka, Price, Raybould, Raymond, Redman, Rubel, Sauter, Scott, Shirts, Skaug(Chadwick), Tanner(13), Tanner(14), Thompson, Vander Woude, Veile, Weber, Wheeler, Wisniewski, Mr. Speaker NAYS – Cayler, Harris, Hawkins, Rasor, Shepherd Absent – Berch Floor Sponsor - Wheeler Title apvd - to Senate
- Mar 17, 2026Read second time; Filed for Third Reading
- Mar 16, 2026Reported out of Committee with Do Pass Recommendation, Filed for Second Reading
- Mar 2, 2026CommitteeReferred to Judiciary, Rules & Administration
- Mar 2, 2026Reported out of Committee, Returned to the Desk for re-referral
- Feb 27, 2026IntroducedRead First Time, Referred to Health & Welfare
- Feb 27, 2026Received from the Senate, Filed for First Reading
- Feb 26, 2026FloorRead third time in full – PASSED - 34-0-1 AYES – Adams, Anthon, Bernt, Blaylock, Burtenshaw, Carlson, Cook, Den Hartog, Foreman, Galloway, Grow, Guthrie, Harris, Hart, Keyser, Kohl, Lakey, Lenney, Lent, Nichols, Okuniewicz, Rabe, Ricks, Ruchti, Semmelroth, Shippy, Taylor, Toews, VanOrden, Ward-Engelking, Wintrow, Woodward, Zito, Zuiderveld NAYS – None Absent and excused – Bjerke Floor Sponsor - Wintrow Title apvd - to House
- Feb 19, 2026Read second time; filed for Third Reading
- Feb 18, 2026Reported out of Committee with Do Pass Recommendation; Filed for second reading
- Feb 16, 2026CommitteeReported Printed; referred to Health & Welfare
- Feb 13, 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.
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Exemption Added to Public Benefits Verification
Idaho SB 1293 carves out a new category (crime victims compensation) from the state's general mandate requiring verification of lawful presence for public benefits.
Connected Entities
Sources
legislature.idaho.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance60How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy50Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz35Current news / social attention level
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