Tomorrow, House Bill 301 and House Bill 16, will go into effect.  Both bills are NRA-backed pieces of legislation which were signed into law earlier this year.  

HB 301 re-codifies Idaho’s firearms code in a manner that provides Idaho residents and law enforcement officials with clear and unambiguous guidance on the rights and restrictions contained in the provisions of Idaho Code regulating the carrying of concealed weapons.

The NRA believes that this re-write of 18-3302 accomplishes the stated goal in four major ways.  First, HB 301 provides definitions for commonly used diction.  Second, this legislation—where possible—places statutory provisions in list format, as opposed to the burdensome paragraph format that was previously used.  Third, the re-write clarifies provisions pertaining to carrying of concealed weapons outside the “limits or confines of any city.”  Fourth, the legislation will lower CWL fees by providing that the sheriffs may only charge $20.00 plus the actual cost of administering the license.

As a result of this legislation, some Idahoans will see their CWL fees drop substantially. The licensing fee for original issuance should be approximately $65.00, and renewals should cost approximately $40.00. If your county is charging more than the aforementioned amounts, please use our online form provide us with the following information: (1) your name; (2) email address; (3) the licensing county; and (4) the fee that is being charged for original issuance or renewal.

HB 16, which was sponsored in the House by Representative Sage Dixon (R-1) and in the Senate by Senator Bob Nonini (R-3), creates an Idaho Friends of the NRA specialty license plate. These license plates will be available later this year for public purchase.

The proceeds from the Idaho Friends of the NRA license plates will be deposited into the National Rifle Association Foundation Idaho State Grant Fund and the funds received will be restricted to utilization within the state of Idaho in furtherance of the Idaho Friends of the NRA's mission.

The Friends of the NRA program is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization with a stated mission of advancing activities that are "designed to promote firearms and hunting safety, to enhance marksmanship skills of those participating in the shooting sports, and to educate the general public about firearms in their historic, technological and artistic context."  A large majority of the Friends of the NRA's contributions are directed towards youth firearm safety programs and shooting range funding. The Idaho Friends of the NRA is a non-political entity and cannot directly engage in political advocacy.

Please contact Steve Vreeland if you want more information on the Idaho Friends of the NRA program and the status of the Idaho Friends of the NRA license plates.

Live links and more at: NRA-ILA