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Read. Follow. Verify.Idaho preempts local firearms rules, imposing $10,000 penalties and legal action for violations
Last action · April 2, 2026: Signed by Governor on 04/02/26 Session Law Chapter 295 Effective: 04/02/2026
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What This Bill Does
Idaho law now completely preempts local firearms regulations, barring cities and counties from enacting local rules on gun sales, possession, or transport while imposing a $10,000 civil penalty and a private right of action for violations. The measure took effect immediately upon passage and approval on April 2, 2026.
Local governments face financial penalties and lawsuits if they maintain rules restricting firearms outside state-approved exceptions, shifting regulatory authority entirely to the state level.
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Counties and Cities
Local governments are barred from enacting or enforcing firearm regulations outside narrow exceptions and face civil penalties and lawsuits for noncompliance.
Gun Owners and Advocacy Organizations
Individuals and groups are granted the right to maintain legal actions against local jurisdictions that violate state firearms preemption.
Department of Fish and Game
The statute explicitly states it shall not be construed to affect the agency's authority to make rules concerning wildlife management.
Key Facts
- The state legislature claims total occupancy of the field of firearms regulation within Idaho.
- Counties, cities, agencies, boards, and political subdivisions are prohibited from adopting or enforcing any law, rule, or ordinance regulating firearms, components, or ammunition, except as expressly authorized by state statute.
- Any unauthorized local firearm rule is void, unenforceable, and subject to a permanent injunction.
- Counties retain the authority to regulate, restrict, or prohibit the discharge of firearms with specific statutory exemptions for lawful self-defense, hunting, landowners, sport shooting ranges, and target shooting on public land.
Show all 11 facts
- Cities retain the authority to regulate, restrict, or prohibit the discharge of firearms with exemptions for lawful self-defense and sport shooting ranges.
- Local political subdivisions that willfully and knowingly violate the preemption statute are subject to a $10,000 civil penalty per violation.
- The attorney general or any adversely affected person or organization may maintain an action for damages, declaratory relief, or permanent injunctive relief against offending jurisdictions.
- Plaintiffs are awarded reasonable costs and attorney's fees upon prevailing or if the local rule is repealed after a lawsuit is filed.
- Potential plaintiffs must provide 30 days of advanced written notice to the attorney general, who has 30 days to investigate and give the offending jurisdiction 30 days to cure the violation.
- The statute does not affect the Department of Fish and Game's wildlife management authority or the authority of local governments to regulate the location and construction of sport shooting ranges.
- The act took effect immediately upon passage and approval on April 2, 2026, due to an emergency declaration.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can local cities and counties still regulate firearm discharge?
What happens if a local government enacts an illegal firearm rule?
Who can file a lawsuit against a local government for violating firearms preemption?
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
16 actions- Apr 2, 2026EnrolledSigned by Governor on 04/02/26 Session Law Chapter 295 Effective: 04/02/2026
- Apr 1, 2026Reported delivered to Governor at 6:50 p.m. on 04/01/26
- Apr 1, 2026Reported signed by the Speaker & ordered delivered to Governor
- Apr 1, 2026Received from Senate; Signed by Speaker; Returned to Senate
- Apr 1, 2026Reported enrolled; signed by President; to House for signature of Speaker
- Apr 1, 2026CommitteeReturned From House Passed; referred to enrolling
Show 10 earlier actions
- Apr 1, 2026FloorRules Suspended: Ayes 69 Nays 0 Abs/Excd 1, read in full as required – PASSED - 60-8-2 AYES – Alfieri, Barbieri, Beiswenger, Bingham, Boyle, Bruce, Burgoyne, Cannon(Cannon), Cayler, Cheatum, Cornilles, Crane(12), Crane(13), Dygert, Ehardt, Ehlers, Erickson, Fuhriman, Furniss, Garner, Hall(Stone), Handy, Harris, Hawkins, Healey, Hill(Hill), Holtzclaw, Hostetler, Leavitt, Manwaring, Marmon, McCann, Mendive, Mickelsen, Miller, Mitchell, Monks, Nelsen, Palmer, Petzke, Pickett, Pohanka, Price, Rasor, Raybould, Raymond, Redman, Sauter, Scott, Shepherd, Shirts(Batt), Skaug, Tanner(13), Tanner(14), Thompson, Vander Woude, Veile, Weber, Wisniewski, Mr. Speaker NAYS – Church, Egbert(Beazer), Galaviz, Gannon, Green, Haws, Mathias, Rubel Absent – Berch, Wheeler Floor Sponsor - Boyle Title apvd - to Senate
- Apr 1, 2026Read second time; Filed for Third Reading
- Mar 31, 2026Reported out of Committee with Do Pass Recommendation, Filed for Second Reading
- Mar 30, 2026IntroducedRead First Time, Referred to State Affairs
- Mar 30, 2026Received from the Senate, Filed for First Reading
- Mar 30, 2026FloorRead third time in full – PASSED - 31-3-1 AYES – Anthon, Bernt, Bjerke(Bjerke), Blaylock, Burtenshaw, Carlson, Cook, Den Hartog, Foreman, Galloway, Grow, Guthrie, Harris, Hart, Keyser, Kohl, Lakey, Lenney, Lent, Nichols, Okuniewicz, Ricks, Ruchti, Semmelroth, Shippy, Toews, VanOrden, Ward-Engelking, Woodward, Zito, Zuiderveld NAYS – Rabe, Taylor, Wintrow Absent and excused – Adams Floor Sponsor - Keyser Title apvd - to House
- Mar 27, 2026Read second time; filed for Third Reading
- Mar 26, 2026Reported out of Committee with Do Pass Recommendation; Filed for second reading
- Mar 25, 2026CommitteeReported Printed; referred to State Affairs
- Mar 24, 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.
Total State Preemption of Firearms Regulation
The legislation asserts complete state occupancy over firearms regulation, removing local authority and instituting mandatory civil penalties and attorney fees for non-compliant municipalities.
Connected Entities
Sources
legislature.idaho.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance85How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy80Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz60Current news / social attention level
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