Idaho Governor Signs Law Shielding Death Investigation Photos From Public Release

Idaho Gov. Brad Little has signed into law a bill that exempts photographs and images taken during death investigations from the state’s public records laws, providing new protections for grieving families across Idaho, including those in Bannock County and throughout Southeast Idaho.

Little signed Senate Bill 1250 on Thursday, March 27, after the measure passed both chambers of the Idaho Legislature without a single dissenting vote. The unanimous, bipartisan support reflected widespread agreement that sensitive images captured during coroner and law enforcement death investigations should not be subject to public disclosure.

“This change will help protect grieving families from the additional pain of having sensitive photos released that should remain private,” Little wrote in a Facebook post praising the bill. “I applaud Alivea and the Goncalves family for their incredible advocacy in the face of immense tragedy.”

What the New Idaho Law Does

Senate Bill 1250 amends Idaho’s Public Records Act by adding a new category of exempt records: any photographs or images of a deceased person taken as part of a coroner death investigation or a law enforcement investigation, regardless of whether the investigation is active or closed.

Prior to this change, Idaho law contained no explicit provision preventing a coroner from sharing photographs or other sensitive materials gathered during the course of a death investigation. That legal gap was identified two years ago in a watchdog report produced by the Office of Performance Evaluations, a nonpartisan oversight body that reviews Idaho state agencies and programs.

The new law does allow death investigation photos to be released to the next of kin once an investigation and any related court proceedings have concluded. The legislation strikes a balance between protecting family privacy and ensuring that those closest to the deceased retain some access to records connected to their loved one’s death.

Senate Minority Leader Melissa Wintrow, a Boise Democrat, sponsored the bill — an example of the kind of bipartisan cooperation that has proven possible on issues touching family dignity and privacy.

“There’s no one that needs to see the photo or image of somebody who has passed away,” Wintrow told a House committee earlier this month.

Advocacy Rooted in Personal Loss

The legislation drew support from families who lived through the fear that private, sensitive images of their deceased loved ones could become accessible to the public under Idaho’s open records framework.

Alivea Goncalves, whose sister Kaylee Goncalves was one of four University of Idaho students murdered in Moscow in November 2022, was among those who championed the bill. The high-profile quadruple murder drew national attention and prompted serious questions about what materials could be released through Idaho’s public records system during an ongoing and subsequent criminal proceedings.

Allen Hodges also testified in support of the measure, speaking about his own daughter’s death and his concern that nude photographs taken of her during the investigation could legally be made public. Hodges told lawmakers he had been pushing for a change in state law for more than a year before this session’s legislation finally crossed the finish line.

“I’m here, not just for myself, but other citizens of Idaho,” Hodges testified. “You lose a grandma; you lose a grandfather. Why should those images, if they’re taken by a coroner or law enforcement, be public fodder and for other people’s enjoyment? It’s wrong.”

His testimony resonated with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, helping build the unanimous coalition that carried the bill to the governor’s desk.

For Bannock County residents, the change is meaningful. The Bannock County Coroner’s Office handles death investigations across a broad geographic area, including Pocatello, Chubbuck, Inkom, and surrounding communities. Under the prior framework, photos gathered during those investigations carried potential public records exposure. That gap is now closed.

Hodges and others who advocated for the measure have indicated that while they view this law as an important step forward, more work may remain to fully address the privacy concerns families face when a loved one dies under circumstances requiring official investigation. Supporters of additional reforms have signaled interest in continuing to examine Idaho’s death investigation system more broadly.

What Comes Next

With Senate Bill 1250 now signed into law, Idaho coroners and law enforcement agencies across the state — including those serving Bannock County and Southeast Idaho — will need to update their public records policies and procedures to reflect the new exemption. Families of the deceased will retain the right to access investigation photos once proceedings have concluded. Advocates who championed this legislation have suggested it represents the beginning, not the end, of efforts to reform and strengthen Idaho’s death investigation laws. For statewide coverage of Idaho policy and legislation, visit Idaho News and the Idaho News Network.