TWIN FALLS, Idaho — A bill that would allow individuals to carry concealed firearms in administrative areas of Idaho courthouses has the Twin Falls County sheriff warning of significant and unintended costs for the county.
House Bill 621 would allow concealed carry in administrative areas of courthouses. But Twin Falls County Sheriff Jack Johnson says the way the bill is written, it would encompass the county's entire judicial complex — a building that houses 10 courtrooms and little else.
Johnson said meeting the bill's requirements could cost the county more than $1.2 million and require 10 additional deputies.
Twin Falls County Sheriff explains how the bill could cost taxpayers
"The challenge for us is the way it's written; it encompasses our whole courts, which is a judicial building, and it would be very expensive to meet the mandate of the law passed," Sheriff Johnson explained.
The Twin Falls judicial complex opened in November and features 10 courtrooms.
As the bill is currently written, Johnson explained, concealed firearms would be permitted in the building's hallways while still being excluded from the courtrooms themselves. That distinction would require security infrastructure at every courtroom entrance.
"So with 10 courts, we would be looking at having to potentially purchase 10 magnetometers, metal detectors, and probably at least 10 deputies [at] every door into a courtroom. Our projected cost on that is a little over $1.2 million," Johnson said.
In many Idaho counties, courthouses hold a mix of offices — including administrative departments, the DMV, and courtrooms — all accessible through the same entrance. The bill's proponents say a blanket restriction on firearms in those buildings unfairly limits concealed carry in areas that have nothing to do with court proceedings.
Representative Josh Tanner, a cosponsor of the bill, said the legislation is aimed at lifting restrictions in non-judicial areas of county buildings.
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"You've got a lot of county county offices that have now kind of joined u,p and they've got a court and a county office in the same building and where you enter through is exactly the same," Tanner said.
Tanner said the intent is not to bring firearms into courtrooms.
"And from the court side, yes, not bringing guns into court is an important good thing that we make sure we separate that divide, but within county buildings, that's where people want to see it," Tanner said.
Johnson acknowledged the challenge the bill's design creates for multi-use buildings.
"The challenges when it's multi-use with courtrooms in there, and it's trying to segregate those courtrooms off from those administrative offices. I think it's the challenge," Johnson said.
House Bill 621 is awaiting a hearing in the House State Affairs Committee.
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