BOISE, ID – Idaho will no longer allow the public release of crime scene images showing the bodies of deceased individuals following the passage of a new state law signed Thursday by Brad Little.

Senate Bill 1250 was approved more than three years after the 2022 University of Idaho student murders, in which four students — Kaylee Goncalves, Ethan Chapin, Maddie Mogen and Xana Kernodle — were killed in an off-campus home in Moscow.

The new law exempts from public disclosure any photographs or images taken during death investigations by coroners or law enforcement, regardless of whether a case remains active. Those materials will only be available to immediate family members after all related investigations and legal proceedings have concluded.

The legislation addresses concerns raised in recent years about Idaho’s death investigation system. A 2024 report from the Idaho Office of Performance Evaluations found that state law did not clearly restrict how coroners could share information, resulting in inconsistent practices across jurisdictions.

Supporters of the bill said the change is necessary to protect the privacy and dignity of the deceased and their families. During legislative hearings, individuals testified about fears that sensitive images could become public.

Among them was Alivea Goncalves, whose sister Kaylee was one of the victims in the Moscow killings. She told lawmakers she was concerned the images could eventually spread online. Another supporter, Allen Hodges, said families should not have to worry about graphic images of their loved ones being publicly distributed.

The issue gained attention after crime scene materials from the Moscow investigation were released through public records requests last year, prompting concerns from victims’ families.

The bill was sponsored by Melissa Wintrow and co-sponsored by Lori Den Hartog and Bruce Skaug.

The law is set to take effect July 1.