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Read. Follow. Verify.Idaho Establishes State Historic Preservation Officer Position and Program Within Office of Species, Minerals, and Energy Coordination
Last action · April 2, 2026: Reported Signed by Governor on one legislative day Session Law Chapter 296 Effective: 07/01/2026
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What This Bill Does
Idaho establishes a Governor-appointed State Historic Preservation Officer and program within the office of species, minerals, and energy coordination, taking effect July 1, 2026. The law authorizes the officer to hire staff and appoint a review board under federal standards, while updating historical society definitions and repealing prior code provisions.
The measure shifts state historic preservation administration into the office of species, minerals, and energy coordination and sets a July 1, 2026 effective date for the new organizational structure.
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
State Historic Preservation Officer
A Governor-appointed officer is established to administer the state historic preservation program, employ staff, and appoint a review board.
Office of Species, Minerals, and Energy Coordination
The office is authorized to house the state historic preservation program and enforce the provisions of the section.
Idaho State Historical Society
Statutory definitions and references regarding the society and its included historic sites and offices are revised and updated.
Key Facts
- The governor appoints the state historic preservation officer, who serves at the governor's pleasure and receives compensation set by the governor.
- The state historic preservation program is established within the office of species, minerals, and energy coordination.
- The state historic preservation officer may employ staff to administer the program according to national historic preservation act requirements.
- The state historic preservation officer must appoint an adequate and qualified state historic preservation review board.
Show all 7 facts
- Section 67-4127A, Idaho Code, relating to the prior state historic preservation officer, is repealed.
- The historical society definition is updated to clarify that the society includes the state historic preservation office and various public trust state historic sites.
- The act takes full force and effect on July 1, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who appoints the state historic preservation officer?
Where is the state historic preservation program housed?
When does this legislation take 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
17 actions- Apr 2, 2026EnrolledReported Signed by Governor on one legislative day Session Law Chapter 296 Effective: 07/01/2026
- Apr 1, 2026Delivered to Governor at 12:50 p.m. on April 1, 2026
- Apr 1, 2026Returned Signed by the President; Ordered Transmitted to Governor
- Mar 31, 2026Signed by President; returned to House
- Mar 31, 2026Received from the House enrolled/signed by Speaker
- Mar 31, 2026Reported Enrolled; Signed by Speaker; Transmitted to Senate
Show 11 earlier actions
- Mar 31, 2026FloorReturned from Senate Passed; to JRA for Enrolling
- Mar 30, 2026FloorRead third time in full – PASSED - 23-12-0 AYES – Adams, Anthon, Bernt, Bjerke(Bjerke), Blaylock, Burtenshaw, Carlson, Cook, Den Hartog, Galloway, Grow, Guthrie, Harris, Keyser, Lakey, Lenney, Lent, Nichols, Okuniewicz, Ricks, Toews, VanOrden, Woodward NAYS – Foreman, Hart, Kohl, Rabe, Ruchti, Semmelroth, Shippy, Taylor, Ward-Engelking, Wintrow, Zito, Zuiderveld Absent and excused – None Floor Sponsor - Den Hartog Title apvd - to House
- Mar 26, 2026Read second time; filed for Third Reading
- Mar 25, 2026Reported out of Committee with Do Pass Recommendation; Filed for second reading
- Mar 23, 2026IntroducedIntroduced, read first time; referred to: State Affairs
- Mar 23, 2026FloorReceived from the House passed; filed for first reading
- Mar 20, 2026FloorRules Suspended: Ayes 70 Nays 0 Abs/Excd 0, read in full as required – PASSED - 53-16-1 AYES – Alfieri, Barbieri, Beiswenger, Bingham, Boyle, Bruce, Burgoyne, Cannon, Cheatum, Cornilles, Crane(12), Crane(13), Dygert, Ehardt, Ehlers, Erickson, Fuhriman, Furniss, Garner, Hall(Stone), Handy, Harris, Hawkins, Healey, Holtzclaw, McCann, Mendive, Mickelsen, Miller, Mitchell, Monks, Nelsen, Palmer, Petzke, Pickett, Pohanka, Price, Rasor, Raybould, Raymond, Redman, Sauter, Scott, Shepherd, Shirts, Tanner(14), Thompson, Vander Woude, Veile, Weber, Wheeler, Wisniewski, Mr. Speaker NAYS – Berch, Cayler, Church, Egbert, Galaviz, Gannon, Green, Haws, Hostetler, Leavitt, Manwaring, Marmon, Mathias, Rubel, Skaug, Tanner(13) Absent – Hill Floor Sponsor - Furniss 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
- Mar 16, 2026CommitteeReported Printed and Referred to Business
- Mar 13, 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.
Relocation of State Historic Preservation Function
The legislation moves the state historic preservation program structure out of prior provisions tied to the historical society director and places it directly within the office of species, minerals, and energy coordination.
Connected Entities
Sources
legislature.idaho.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance45How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy10Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz15Current news / social attention level
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