Bill Analyses and Ratings
Bill Information: H0864 – Kratom Compounds Added to Schedule I
Bill Summary
House Bill 864 amends Section 37-2705 of the Idaho Code by adding a new subsection (g) that classifies four mitragynine-related compounds as Schedule I controlled substances, effective July 1, 2026. The four substances are mitragynine, mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, 7-hydroxy mitragynine, and dihydro-7-hydroxy mitragynine, along with all their salts, optical and geometric isomers, and salts of isomers. Mitragynine is the primary active alkaloid in kratom (Mitragyna speciosa), a plant native to Southeast Asia that has been sold legally in Idaho in various forms including powders, capsules, and teas.
Schedule I classification means these substances are treated under Idaho law as having high abuse potential and no accepted medical use — the same category as heroin and LSD. Possession, distribution, or manufacture of these compounds will carry the criminal penalties associated with Schedule I controlled substances under Idaho’s Uniform Controlled Substances Act. The bill’s emergency clause accelerates its effective date to July 1, 2026, bypassing the standard legislative timeline.
Overall Assessment
House Bill 864 is a narrowly focused controlled substances scheduling bill that places four kratom-derived alkaloids on Idaho’s Schedule I list. While the bill does touch on areas such as law and order and public health in a general sense, its scope is sufficiently specific and technical that it does not meaningfully advance or conflict with the evaluated policy metrics in a scorable way.
Across all nineteen articles of evaluation, the bill received a score of zero, reflecting that its provisions do not substantively engage with the principles and priorities outlined in those categories. The bill’s impact is confined to the reclassification of specific chemical compounds under existing controlled substances law, and it does not alter governance structures, affect natural resources, impact families or education, or address any of the other broad policy areas covered by the evaluation framework.
Rating Breakdown
ARTICLE I. RESPONSIBILITY IN GOVERNMENT (0)
This bill makes no changes to government accountability, transparency, or the structure of state institutions. It is a technical scheduling amendment to the controlled substances code and does not engage with principles of responsible governance. No score is warranted.
ARTICLE II. CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT IN GOVERNMENT (0)
House Bill 864 does not address citizen participation, public comment processes, ballot initiatives, or any mechanism for civic engagement. The bill is a straightforward legislative scheduling action with no provisions affecting how citizens interact with government. No score is warranted.
ARTICLE III. EDUCATION (0)
This bill has no bearing on Idaho's educational institutions, curriculum, funding, or policy. The classification of kratom alkaloids as Schedule I substances does not intersect with education priorities in any direct or meaningful way. No score is warranted.
ARTICLE IV. AGRICULTURE (0)
While kratom is a plant-derived product, this bill does not regulate agricultural practices, farming operations, or Idaho's agricultural economy. The bill targets specific chemical compounds rather than the cultivation or agricultural use of any plant. No score is warranted.
ARTICLE V. WATER (0)
House Bill 864 contains no provisions related to water rights, water quality, irrigation, or any other water-related policy. The bill's subject matter is entirely confined to controlled substances scheduling. No score is warranted.
ARTICLE VI. NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT (0)
This bill does not address natural resource management, environmental regulation, or conservation policy in Idaho. The scheduling of mitragynine-related compounds has no direct connection to environmental priorities. No score is warranted.
ARTICLE VII. ENERGY (0)
House Bill 864 makes no reference to energy production, energy policy, utilities, or related infrastructure. The bill is limited in scope to controlled substances law and does not engage with energy issues. No score is warranted.
ARTICLE VIII. IDAHO NATIONAL LABORATORIES (0)
This bill has no connection to the Idaho National Laboratories, nuclear research, or federal research facility operations. The scheduling of kratom alkaloids is entirely unrelated to this policy area. No score is warranted.
ARTICLE IX. PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS (0)
While the bill will affect vendors and individuals who currently possess kratom products, it does not directly address property rights, takings, or related constitutional protections in a way that engages this metric. The bill operates within the existing framework of controlled substances law without altering property rights principles. No score is warranted.
ARTICLE X. STATE AND FEDERAL LANDS (0)
House Bill 864 contains no provisions related to the management, transfer, or use of state or federal lands. The bill's scope is limited to controlled substances scheduling and does not intersect with land policy. No score is warranted.
ARTICLE XI. WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT (0)
This bill has no bearing on wildlife management, hunting, fishing, or related conservation activities in Idaho. The classification of kratom alkaloids as Schedule I substances is unrelated to wildlife policy. No score is warranted.
ARTICLE XII. ECONOMY (0)
Although the bill will affect kratom vendors currently operating legally in Idaho, it does not engage broadly with economic development, business regulation, taxation, or workforce policy in a way that rises to a scorable level under this metric. No score is warranted.
ARTICLE XIII. HEALTH AND WELFARE (0)
While the bill touches on public health by restricting access to kratom compounds, it does not substantively advance or conflict with health and welfare policy priorities in a way that warrants a score under this metric. The bill is a scheduling action rather than a comprehensive health policy measure. No score is warranted.
ARTICLE XIV. AMERICAN FAMILY (0)
House Bill 864 does not address family structure, parental rights, child welfare, or related family policy concerns. The bill's provisions are confined to controlled substances classification and do not engage with this metric. No score is warranted.
ARTICLE XV. OLDER AMERICANS (0)
This bill makes no specific provisions related to older Americans, senior services, retirement, or elder care. The scheduling of kratom alkaloids does not differentially or meaningfully impact this population in a way that engages this metric. No score is warranted.
ARTICLE XVI. LAW AND ORDER WITH JUSTICE (0)
Although this bill adds substances to the Schedule I controlled substances list and will result in new criminal penalties for possession and distribution, it does not substantively engage with broader law and order priorities, criminal justice reform, or judicial policy in a way that warrants a score under this metric. No score is warranted.
ARTICLE XVII. NATIONAL DEFENSE – SECURING THE BORDER (0)
House Bill 864 has no connection to national defense, military affairs, border security, or immigration policy. The bill is a state-level controlled substances scheduling measure with no national security implications. No score is warranted.
ARTICLE XVIII. ELECTION OF JUDGES AND IDAHO SUPREME COURT JUSTICES (0)
This bill makes no changes to judicial selection, election processes, or the structure of Idaho's court system. The scheduling of kratom alkaloids is entirely unrelated to judicial policy. No score is warranted.
ARTICLE XIX. RELIGIOUS LIBERTY (0)
House Bill 864 does not address religious freedom, the free exercise of religion, or government interference with religious practice. The bill's provisions are confined to controlled substances law and do not engage with religious liberty principles. No score is warranted.