---
type: "Bill"
title: "ESSENTIAL CAREGIVERS – Amends existing law to allow for the designation of essential caregivers for in-person visitation."
description: "ESSENTIAL CAREGIVERS – Amends existing law to allow for the designation of essential caregivers for in-person visitation."
jurisdiction: "us/states/id"
legislature: "Idaho Legislature"
session: "2024"
identifier: "H 489"
citation: "Idaho H 489 (2024)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["GUARDIANS AND CONSERVATORS", "HEALTH", "HEALTH CARE FACILITIES", "HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONS AND PROVIDERS", "MEDICAL", "PARENTS"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: []
version_count: 1
action_count: 18
vote_count: 2
first_action: "2024-02-06"
last_action: "2024-04-02"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/71069931-d4a0-4042-84bb-3ffe8fa94b31"
source_url: "https://legislature.idaho.gov/sessioninfo/2024/legislation/H0489/"
source_hash: "3d67df0f9d6e461b6a1c97238c27adb44ce4d26f9bcf9e2fdf8973a55dbbffdc"
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 489 (2024) — ESSENTIAL CAREGIVERS – Amends existing law to allow for the designation of essential caregivers for in-person visitation.

## Version chain

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

1. **Bill Text** (committee substitute) — [source](https://legislature.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/sessioninfo/2024/legislation/H0489.pdf)

## Votes

- Read third time in full – — **34–0** (pass) · upper
- Read Third Time in Full – — **65–3** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- HEALTH AND WELFARE COMMITTEE — primary (organization)

## Timeline

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

- **2024-02-06** Introduced, read first time, referred to JRA for Printing `introduction`
- **2024-02-07** Reported Printed and Referred to Health & Welfare
- **2024-02-21** Reported out of Committee with Do Pass Recommendation, Filed for Second Reading `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2024-02-22** Read second time; Filed for Third Reading `reading-2`
- **2024-02-23** U.C. to hold place on third reading calendar until Monday, February 26, 2024
- **2024-02-26** Read Third Time in Full – PASSED - 65-3-2AYES – Alfieri, Andrus, Barbieri, Blanksma, Boyle, Bundy, Cannon, Cheatum, Chew(Hansen), Clow, Cornilles, Crane(12), Crane(13), Dixon(1), Dixon(24), Durrant, Ehardt, Ehlers, Erickson, Furniss, Galaviz, Gallagher, Gannon, Garner, Green, Handy, Hawkins, Healey, Hill, Holtzclaw, Horman, Kingsley, Lambert, Lanting, Manwaring, McCann, Mendive, Mickelsen, Miller, Mitchell, Monks, Necochea, Nelsen, Palmer, Petzke, Pickett, Price, Raybould, Raymond, Redman, Roberts, Rubel, Sauter, Scott, Shepherd, Skaug, Tanner, Vander Woude, Weber, Wheeler, Wisniewski, Wroten, Yamamoto, Young, Mr. SpeakerNAYS – Achilles, Berch, BurnsAbsent – Allgood, MathiasFloor Sponsor - YoungTitle apvd - to Senate `passage, reading-3`
- **2024-02-27** Received from the House passed; filed for first reading
- **2024-02-27** Introduced, read first time; referred to: Health & Welfare `introduction`
- **2024-03-18** Reported out of Committee with Do Pass Recommendation; Filed for second reading `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2024-03-19** Read second time; filed for Third Reading `reading-2`
- **2024-03-25** Read third time in full – PASSED - 34-0-1AYES – Adams, Anthon, Bernt, Bjerke, Burtenshaw, Carlson, Cook, Den Hartog, Foreman, Grow, Guthrie, Harris, Hart, Hartgen, Herndon, Just, Lakey, Lee, Lenney, Lent, Nichols, Okuniewicz, Rabe, Ricks, Schroeder, Semmelroth, Taylor, Toews, Trakel, VanOrden, Ward-Engelking, Winder, Wintrow, ZuiderveldNAYS – NoneAbsent and excused – Shea(Ruchti)Floor Sponsor - BjerkeTitle apvd - to House `passage`
- **2024-03-26** Returned from Senate Passed; to JRA for Enrolling `enrolled`
- **2024-03-26** Reported Enrolled; Signed by Speaker; Transmitted to Senate `passage`
- **2024-03-27** Received from the House enrolled/signed by Speaker
- **2024-03-27** Signed by President; returned to House `passage`
- **2024-03-27** Returned Signed by the President; Ordered Transmitted to Governor `executive-receipt`
- **2024-03-28** Delivered to Governor at 3:27 p.m. on March 27, 2024 `executive-receipt`
- **2024-04-02** Reported Signed by Governor on April 1, 2024 Session Law Chapter 241 Effective: 07/01/2024 `executive-signature`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/71069931-d4a0-4042-84bb-3ffe8fa94b31`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Idaho legislature records).