Idaho’s indecent exposure law is so strict, it even bans your "truck nuts"

HB 270 criminalizes everything from exposed breasts to artificial simulations

“Truck nuts” hanging from a GMC Yukon, now banned under Idaho law. | Photo by Jkfcfriedchix, CC BY-SA 4.0

Because of an emergency clause in the bill, Idaho’s new indecency law took effect the moment it was signed. Passed in March, House Bill 270 expands the state’s exposure statute to include bare breasts, but also modified chests, prosthetics, and any object that simulates genitalia. The law applies to any public place or any location where another person “may be offended.” A first offense is a misdemeanor. A third offense within five years becomes a felony punishable by up to five years in prison.¹

HB 270 expands Idaho Code § 18-4116 to prohibit the exposure of the female breast, including the areola or nipple, and of male chests that have been augmented to appear female. It also bans artificial or prosthetic breasts and objects that simulate the appearance of genitals or breasts. The only exemption is for breastfeeding or milk expression.

While the law has been in effect since March 26, no enforcement cases have yet been reported in the press. However, national headlines have focused on one of the law’s more unusual consequences: a ban on displaying fake or novelty breasts or genitals, extending, apparently, to the once-popular so-called “truck nuts”, the plastic or rubber testicle-shaped accessories that hang from trailer hitches. Idaho law now treats them the same as exposed genitalia.²

Critics say the law is vague, sweeping, and designed to target transgender individuals and expressive displays at LGBTQ+ events. The American Civil Liberties Union of Idaho warns that the law “targets transgender women, has implications for transgender men, infringes on our protected freedom of expression rights, and has the potential to criminalize ordinary activities.” The organization explains that under the law, a person may be charged for exposing “adult male breasts that have been changed to look like ‘female breasts,’ whether through hormones or surgery.” They also note that a person can face charges not only in public, but “in private spaces where another person is present – or where another person might see and be offended.”³

The Idaho State Capitol in Boise, where HB 270 was passed in March 2025. | Photo by Elwood J Blues, CC BY-SA 2.5

Idaho’s legislature passed the bill with wide margins in both chambers. The state currently holds Republican supermajorities, leaving little procedural room for debate or opposition. The law was signed by Governor Brad Little and included an emergency clause, making it effective immediately.⁴

Naturist advocates have expressed concern that HB 270 could be used to criminalize nonsexual nudity, including clothing-optional recreation or artistic expression, even on private property if visible to the public. Because the law includes artificial breasts and “simulations,” it may also apply to performances, costumes, or symbolic protest.

There is no evidence that HB 270 was crafted with nudists or naturists in mind, but its scope creates clear legal exposure for those who engage in bare-chested activity in public or semi-public settings. Whether Idaho will enforce this law broadly remains to be seen, but its language suggests it could be used to punish nudity even in contexts long understood to be lawful or benign. For an example you don’t have to look any further than the back of your truck. 🪐

1. Idaho Legislature. (2025). House Bill 270: Amending section 18-4116, Idaho Code. https://legislature.idaho.gov/sessioninfo/2025/legislation/H0270/

2. The Sun. (2025, April 2). “Gross” car accessory is banned under new law—and drivers could even be slapped with felony charge. https://www.the-sun.com/motors/13939986/car-accessory-ban-misdemeanor-charge-drivers-warning/

Pfannenstiel, K. (2025, March 27). Idaho governor signs bill criminalizing public breast exposure and ‘truck nuts’. Idaho Capital Sun. https://idahocapitalsun.com/briefs/idaho-governor-signs-bill-criminalizing-public-breast-exposure-and-truck-nuts/

3. ACLU of Idaho. (2025). Idaho’s new anti-trans “indecent exposure” law: HB 270 fact sheet. https://www.acluidaho.org/en/idahos-new-anti-trans-indecent-exposure-law-hb-270-fact-sheet

4. (Idaho Legislature, 2025).