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Read. Follow. Verify.Idaho Legislature authorizes hiring outside legal counsel for lawsuits against the federal government
Last action · February 18, 2026: Introduced, read first time; referred to: State Affairs
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What This Bill Would Do
LEGISLATURE – Adds to existing law to authorize the Legislature to employ counsel in addition to the Attorney General in actions against the federal government.
The measure establishes a direct mechanism for legislative leadership to retain independent legal representation for state-level litigation against federal authorities, altering how outside counsel may be deployed.
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.
Idaho Legislature
Legislative leadership gains the joint authority to employ private counsel in addition to the Attorney General for specific federal actions.
Attorney General
The office may now work alongside or be supplemented by privately retained counsel in lawsuits filed against the federal government.
Key Facts
- The President Pro Tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives may jointly employ counsel in addition to the Attorney General.
- Outside counsel may be hired to pursue actions against the federal government on behalf of the state when leadership determines state interests require it.
- The act declares an emergency, taking full force and effect thirty days after passage and approval.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has the authority to hire outside counsel under this measure?
When does this new legal authority take effect?
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
8 actions- Feb 18, 2026IntroducedIntroduced, read first time; referred to: State Affairs
- Feb 18, 2026FloorReceived from the House passed; filed for first reading
- Feb 17, 2026FloorRead Third Time in Full – PASSED - 61-8-1 AYES – Alfieri, Barbieri, Beiswenger, Bingham, Boyle, Bruce, Burgoyne, Cannon, Cayler, Cheatum, Church, Cornilles, Crane(12), Crane(13), Dygert, Ehardt, Ehlers, Erickson, Fuhriman, Furniss, Galaviz, Garner, Green, Hall(Stone), Handy, Harris, Hawkins, Healey, Hill, Holtzclaw, Hostetler, Manwaring, Marmon, Mendive, Mickelsen, Miller, Mitchell, Monks, Nelsen, Palmer, Petzke, Pickett, Pohanka, Price, Rasor, Raybould, Raymond, Redman(Zaken), Sauter, Scott, Shepherd, Shirts, Skaug, Tanner(13), Tanner(14), Vander Woude, Veile, Weber, Wheeler, Wisniewski, Mr. Speaker NAYS – Berch, Egbert, Gannon, Haws, Leavitt, Mathias, Rubel, Thompson Absent – McCann Floor Sponsor - Skaug Title apvd - to Senate
- Feb 16, 2026U.C. to hold place on third reading calendar one legislative day
- Feb 13, 2026Read second time; Filed for Third Reading
- Feb 12, 2026Reported out of Committee with Do Pass Recommendation, Filed for Second Reading
Show 2 earlier actions
- Jan 20, 2026CommitteeReported Printed and Referred to State Affairs
- Jan 19, 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.
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Expansion of Legislative Legal Authority
The statute creates an explicit statutory mechanism allowing legislative leaders to retain independent counsel separate from the Attorney General specifically for federal litigation.
Connected Entities
Sources
legislature.idaho.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance65How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy55Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz40Current news / social attention level
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