Idaho Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus Town Hall
Facilitated by Idaho Sportsmen and Congressional Sportsmen Foundation
On Tuesday, March 7, 2023, the Idaho Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus held their monthly town hall to hear from different agencies and sportsmen groups about budgets, legislation, rules, appointments, and other policy and project updates: members, legislators, agencies, Idaho Sportsmen affiliates, and congressional natural resource delegates all showed up to participate.
Amber Worthington, Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) Deputy Director, started the agency updates by stating IDFG is in the middle of chronic wasting disease testing to properly adjust their tactics for removing affected wildlife in the designated area. She continued by reviewing wolf management, including depredations, and where agency rules and policies are in the process. The IDFG Commission has been working with Idaho Sportsmen and Senator Harris (R-35) to bring forward legislation creating season-setting authority for horn/antler hunting since this has been an issue for many years. The bill, SB 1143, will be heard in Senate Resources and Environment on March 15, 2023.
Scott Phillips, Policy and Communications Chief for Idaho Department of Lands (IDL), updated the Caucus on the Endowment Land legislation that IDL will support, SB 1049. This bill is currently sitting on the House Floor 3rd reading calendar and will be heard as soon as house bills have moved over to the Senate. Currently, the only punishment for damage to endowment lands is criminal charges; law enforcement and prosecuting attorneys are reluctant to enforce due to the only solution being major criminal charges. The bill will allow officials to give a warning for the first offense, a $500 fine and citation for a second offense committed within five years, and finally, a misdemeanor if an individual is guilty of additional damage.
Mike Edmondson, Administrator of the Office to the Species Conservation (OSC), and Jess Byrnes, Director of Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), both mentioned their budgets are moving through the process. They both thanked Senator Burtenshaw (R-31) for sponsoring their budgets on the Senate Floor. The OSC Budget has passed the Senate, and the DEQ budget has made its way out of committee.
Both Chairmen of the Senate and House Resources Committees were present and gave brief updates. Their most contentious bill is SB 1084aa, which deals with issues Bear World has faced. This bill will change the regulations for animals maintained in captivity from being considered wildlife to lessen the burden and scrutiny PETA and other environmentalist watch groups have confronted with them. Another contentious bill is HB 156, aimed at adding rattlesnakes to the list of predatory wildlife. Speaker Moyle brought this bill, passed the House, and will be heard in Senate Resources and Environment shortly.
Two trapper bills headed to Senate Resources and Environment on March 8, 2023; HB 143 adds a three-day non-resident fur buyer license, and HB 144 adds trappers to the list of lifetime licenses. Representative Boyle (R-9) and Representative Burns (D-26) sponsored these bills on the House Floor, and Senator Harris (R-35) and Senator Ruchti (D-29) will be carrying these bills on the Senate Floor.
The Caucus meeting ended with a brief roundtable where attendees could discuss upcoming events, legislation, or other policies of interest. One topic that came up was the opposition to the Lava Ridge Wind Project, which has brought the need for HCR 04, stating the overwhelming number of concerns that have arisen from the project.
All natural resource bills, rules, appointments, appropriations, and budgets are tracked and posted weekly HERE.
The next Idaho Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus Town Hall is on April 4, 2023 at 6:30 PM at IDFG (use the south entrance).