---
type: "Bill"
title: "DOMESTIC RELATIONS – Amends and adds to existing law to provide that an emergency or disaster declaration shall not be considered a compelling governmental interest sufficient to restrict parental rights."
description: "DOMESTIC RELATIONS – Amends and adds to existing law to provide that an emergency or disaster declaration shall not be considered a compelling governmental interest sufficient to restrict parental rights."
jurisdiction: "us/states/id"
legislature: "Idaho Legislature"
session: "2021"
identifier: "H 246"
citation: "Idaho H 246 (2021)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["ACTS", "DISASTERS", "DOMESTIC RELATIONS", "EMERGENCIES", "GOVERNOR", "PARENTS"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: []
version_count: 3
action_count: 31
vote_count: 3
first_action: "2021-02-24"
last_action: "2021-04-27"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/4544a4c2-590c-495e-beaa-a52d94c58ee7"
source_url: "https://legislature.idaho.gov/sessioninfo/2021/legislation/H0246/"
source_hash: "dbf31b12fc5a67cf35f017689c5ffc23bb7da8473d3326036d2ffa49d7f91a9f"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-id"]
---

# Idaho H 246 (2021) — DOMESTIC RELATIONS – Amends and adds to existing law to provide that an emergency or disaster declaration shall not be considered a compelling governmental interest sufficient to restrict parental rights.

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Amendment** (committee substitute) — [source](https://legislature.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/sessioninfo/2021/legislation/H0246A1.pdf)
2. **Bill Text** (committee substitute) — [source](https://legislature.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/sessioninfo/2021/legislation/H0246.pdf)
3. **Engrossment 1** (committee substitute) — [source](https://legislature.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/sessioninfo/2021/legislation/H0246E1.pdf)

## Votes

- Read third time in full as amended in Senate – Previously Read in Full – — **65–0** (pass) · lower
- Read Third Time in Full – Previously Read in Full – — **67–0** (pass) · upper
- Read third time as amended in the Senate – — **34–0** (pass) · upper

## Sponsors

- JUDICIARY, RULES AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE — primary (organization)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2021-02-24** Introduced, read first time, referred to JRA for Printing `introduction`
- **2021-02-25** Reported Printed and Referred to Judiciary, Rules & Administration
- **2021-02-26** Reported out of Committee with Do Pass Recommendation, Filed for Second Reading `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2021-03-01** Read second time; Filed for Third Reading
- **2021-03-02** U.C. to hold place on third reading calendar one legislative day
- **2021-03-03** Read Third Time in Full – Previously Read in Full – PASSED - 67-0-3AYES – Adams, Addis, Amador, Andrus, Armstrong, Barbieri, Berch, Blanksma, Boyle, Bundy, Cannon, Chew, Christensen, Clow, Crane, DeMordaunt, Dixon, Erickson, Ferch, Furniss, Galloway, Gannon, Gestrin, Gibbs, Giddings, Green, Hanks, Harris, Hartgen, Holtzclaw, Horman, Kauffman, Kerby, Kingsley, Lickley, Manwaring, Marshall, Mathias, McCrostie, Mendive, Mitchell, Monks, Moon, Moyle, Nash, Nate, Necochea, Nichols, Okuniewicz, Palmer, Rubel, Ruchti, Scott, Shepherd, Skaug, Syme, Toone, Troy, Vander Woude, von Ehlinger, Weber, Wisniewski, Wood, Yamamoto, Young, Youngblood, Mr. SpeakerNAYS – NoneAbsent – Chaney, Davis, EhardtFloor Sponsor - DixonTitle apvd - to Senate `passage, reading-3`
- **2021-03-04** Received from the House passed; filed for first reading
- **2021-03-04** Introduced, read first time; referred to: Judiciary & Rules `introduction`
- **2021-03-15** Reported out of committee; to 14th Order for amendment
- **2021-04-08** Placed in the Committee of the Whole
- **2021-04-08** Amendments ordered printed
- **2021-04-08** Reported out as amended; filed for first reading
- **2021-04-08** Amendments reported printed
- **2021-04-08** Read first time as amended in the Senate; Filed for Second Reading
- **2021-04-09** Read second time as amended in the Senate, filed for Third Reading
- **2021-04-13** Read third time as amended in the Senate – PASSED - 34-0-1AYES – Agenbroad, Anthon, Bair, Bayer, Burgoyne, Cook, Crabtree, Den Hartog, Grow, Guthrie, Harris, Heider, Johnson, Lakey, Lee, Lent, Lodge, Martin, Nelson, Nye, Patrick, Rabe, Rice, Ricks, Riggs, Souza, Stennett, Thayn, Vick, Ward-Engelking, Winder, Wintrow, Woodward, ZitoNAYS – NoneAbsent and excused – BurtenshawFloor Sponsor - LeeTitle apvd - to House `passage, reading-3`
- **2021-04-14** Returned from the Senate Amended
- **2021-04-14** Referred to Judiciary, Rules & Administration for concurrence recommendation
- **2021-04-16** Reported out of Committee and Recommend Concurrence
- **2021-04-16** House Concurred in Senate Amendments
- **2021-04-16** Bills as Amended Referred to JRA for Engrossing
- **2021-04-19** Reported Engrossed; Filed for First Reading of Engrossed Bills
- **2021-04-19** Read first time as amended in Senate; Filed for Second Reading
- **2021-04-20** Read second time as amended in Senate; Filed for Third Reading
- **2021-04-21** Read third time in full as amended in Senate – Previously Read in Full – PASSED - 65-0-5AYES – Adams, Addis, Amador, Andrus, Armstrong, Barbieri, Berch, Blanksma, Boyle, Bundy, Cannon, Chaney, Chew, Christensen, Clow, Davis(Burns), DeMordaunt, Dixon, Ehardt, Ferch, Furniss, Gannon, Gestrin, Giddings, Green, Hanks, Harris, Hartgen, Holtzclaw, Horman, Kauffman, Kerby, Kingsley, Lickley, Manwaring, Marshall, Mathias, McCrostie, Mendive, Mitchell, Monks, Moon, Moyle, Nash, Nate, Necochea, Nichols, Okuniewicz, Palmer, Rubel, Ruchti, Scott, Shepherd, Skaug, Syme, Toone, Vander Woude, von Ehlinger, Weber, Wisniewski, Wood, Yamamoto, Young, Youngblood, Mr. SpeakerNAYS – NoneAbsent – Crane, Erickson, Galloway, Gibbs, TroyFloor Sponsor - DixonTitle apvd - to enrol `passage, reading-3`
- **2021-04-22** Reported Enrolled; Signed by Speaker; Transmitted to Senate
- **2021-04-22** Received from the House enrolled/signed by Speaker
- **2021-04-22** Signed by President; returned to House
- **2021-04-23** Returned Signed by the President; Ordered Transmitted to Governor
- **2021-04-26** Delivered to Governor at 8:05 a.m. on April 23, 2021
- **2021-04-27** Reported Signed by Governor on April 26, 2021 Session Law Chapter 286 Effective: 04/26/2021 `executive-signature`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/4544a4c2-590c-495e-beaa-a52d94c58ee7`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Idaho legislature records).