Idaho House committee kills bill that would have narrowed state’s definition of child neglect

By: Laura Guido

Outlets: Idaho Capital Sun

Published: March 6, 2026

Words: 757

Last Updated: 5 days ago

Body Text Preview

A bill that would more narrowly define “neglect” in Idaho’s child protection laws failed to advance Thursday amid concern it would make it harder to remove children in potentially dangerous situations.

Rep. Barbara Ehardt, R-Idaho Falls, introduced House Bill 691, which would have adopted language that “more closely resembles” the federal definition of child neglect, according to the bill’s statement of purpose.

She said the state’s current definition was “too …

Create a free account to access this story and more

Join Plucky Wire to access full stories, collaborate with newsrooms, and discover content from networks around the world.

Email Us