Notable Legislation from Senator James Ruchti

“I work hard every day with focus and commitment for the citizens of Pocatello.”

2023 Legislation

Sponsored Legislation

• SB 1086 | This legislation aims to rectify an omission in the 2007 legislation that extended the civil statute of limitations for cases concerning child abuse. SB 1086 accomplishes this by extending the same standard to child abuse cases involving a governmental entity or its employee, in the state of Idaho. This bill strengthens protections for the most vulnerable in our society. SB 1086 extends the time a child victim of sexual abuse has to make a claim against the government when a government employee is an abuser.
• SB 1067 | This proposed legislation would eliminate the problem of phantom insurance and reduced payments for benefits paid by others. The proposed legislation provides that when a citizen purchases “motor vehicle under insurance coverage”, the purchaser receives the stated benefit provided on the declaration page. This prevents an insurance company that gets a premium for underinsured coverage from taking credit for the benefits paid by other insurance companies. It further limits the benefits recoverable to the purchaser’s actual losses or the amount of coverage purchased, whichever is less.
• Governor’s Proclamation | Little signed a proclamation making March 27, 2023, Richard “Dick” Fosbury Day in Idaho and read it during a gathering in the governor’s ceremonial office, calling Fosbury “a brilliant athlete and Olympian who tirelessly served the people of the Wood River Valley for over two decades.” Fosbury, who had celebrated his 76th birthday just six days before his death, was born in Oregon but had lived in Idaho for decades. At the time of his death, he was in his second term as a Blaine County commissioner. Before running for office, he was city engineer for Ketchum for 25 years and had founded Galena Engineering.

Co-Sponsored Legislation

• SB 1054 | Amends the Idaho Code to allow retired first responders to be considered for re-employment in Idaho until 2027. In response to a shortage of qualified candidates, SB 1054 allows retired first responders to return to work.
• SB 1039 | Requires landlords to list rental fees in written agreements and ensure that fees charged are reasonable. This legislation was supported by property management companies, tenants, and the Association of Idaho Cities because the free market has already adopted many facets of this policy. SB 1039 standardizes rental practices, encouraging bad actors to act more responsibly.
• SB 1089 | Establishes a more defined process for maintaining the continuity of city government in case of an absence of the Mayoral office or a council quorum and maintains local control of the process except in extreme circumstances.
• HB 0018 | As a co-sponsor of HB 18, I am proud to support this critical legislation that will provide the necessary compensation and treatment to our first responders suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Injury (PTSI). The increased role of firefighters in responding to accidents, natural disasters, and shootings has resulted in a higher exposure to traumatic events and an increase in PTSI cases. This trauma can have long-lasting effects on our firefighters’ mental and physical health, affecting their ability to perform their duties effectively. HB 18 will remove the sunset provision from Senate Bill 1028, passed in 2019, providing workers’ compensation coverage for first responders with PTSI. According to the fiscal note, total claims for the three years of coverage have been less than $1.5 million, and the base rates for employees in these classes are lower than the rate set in 2019. This bill will take effect on July 1, 2023.
• SB 1011 | This bill amends state law to prohibit the use of private money to administer elections in Idaho, extending the prohibition from local governing bodies to the state government.
• SB 1120 | This bill aims to end the speculative market for retail liquor licenses created by Idaho’s quota system, by correcting market interference that permitted liquor licenses to be bought and sold as assets, rather than being used as intended by the market and code.
• HB 0089 | This bill establishes a more defined process for maintaining the continuity of city government in case of an absence of the Mayoral office or a council quorum and maintains local control of the process except in extreme circumstances.
• HB 221 | Known as the “No Electioneering with Public Funds Act,” this bill prohibits the use of public funds for electioneering messages by the executive branch and county commissioners via tax correspondence.
• HB 292 | HB 292 will provide over $350 million worth of property tax relief in its first year, including $50 million to every property owner, around $200 million to homeowners, and over $100 million to local schools to pay down levies and bonds.
• HB 0080 | This legislation states that a statement or invoice from a financial institution serves as evidence of a taxpayer’s expenditure unless there is clear and convincing evidence of fraud. HB 0080 is a step towards making our tax code more accessible and modern. Instead of collecting receipts to record purchases, one may now simply use their bank statement.
• HB 238 | The goal of this legislation is to protect homeowners and to provide a remedy for existing Unfair Service Agreements, while discouraging future unfair and deceptive trade practices in real estate transactions.
• HB 157 | This legislation clarifies that a homeowner’s association (HOA) may not charge a fee for providing a property owner with the statement of account.
• HB 0024 | Governor Little’s Idaho Launch proposal, which will provide 80% of a program’s tuition or $8,000 (whichever is less) for graduates of an Idaho high school (or equivalent such as a GED) beginning in 2024 to put toward an Idaho-based college or a career training program.

Carried Legislation

• SB 1092 | It aims to modernize the law on last will and testament by recognizing and enforcing electronic wills if executed in compliance with the law and determined valid by the court under the Uniform Electronic Wills Act.
• HB 0011 | This amends 34-218 to prohibit the State of Idaho from the use of private monies to administer an election. Previously, the prohibition only applied to local governing bodies.
• HB 0219 | Expand the Armed Forces and Public Safety Officer Scholarship, including increasing the allowance for books, equipment, and supplies, and extending the eligibility period.
• HB 166aa | The purpose of this bill is to give private property owners the right to have accessory dwelling units (“ADU’s”) on owner-occupied residential property. ADU’s can be basement apartments or mother-in-law suites, attached or detached but subordinate to a primary dwelling.