The first week of the Idaho Legislature has come and gone and as usual, it was pretty slow.

The big news of the week didn’t come from the Idaho Capitol, it came from the coasts. 

This morning in DC, the US Supreme Court rejected Utah’s attempt to seize and control public lands. We’re not letting down our guard though, because the fight over the future of our public lands is not over. Not by a long shot. Utah is expected to refile their case in District Court, and it’s bound to show up on SCOTUS’ docket in the months and years to come. (Tune in to learn more on Thursday evening during a #IdLeg 101 & Public Lands Update, see below).

Over on the West Coast, LA continues to reel from an unprecedented climate-fueled firestorm that’s reaching apocalyptic heights.

Closer to home in the statehouse, the first week was slow. There were a handful of bills introduced dealing with citizen initiatives, trans sports, gay marriage, and school vouchers, but nothing yet specific to conservation. 

One measure scheduled for introduction this week would limit Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPP) suits. That’s a good thing, because we’ve seen several efforts to stifle free speech in Idaho, most recently when residents in Stanley spoke out against a private airstrip and were subsequently sued by the proponent. If Idaho had an anti-SLAPP suit law on the books, it would be easier for judges to dismiss these cases. Instead, the case is still pending after the Supreme Court remanded the case to district court in December. It’s an example of a bill that draws broad support from both sides of the aisle and groups ranging from the ACLU to the Idaho Freedom Foundation, but is opposed by powerful billionaires. It failed last year in the Senate, however we hope to see it succeed this go-round.

The Joint Finance & Appropriations Committee (JFAC) is also set to consider a whopper-of-a-spending-bill next week, tallying up to nearly $13 billion in outlays, representing 90% of the Fiscal Year 2026 budget for Idaho. 

We’re also hearing about efforts to shield chemical and other manufacturers from liability, leaving Idahoans to foot the bills when they are injured. Trust us, we’re keeping our ear to the ground! Take action!

You can track these and ALL the bills that are introduced on the #IdLeg website, and all the conservation-related bills on the handy-dandy ICL Bill Tracker.

There’s lots to cover, so let’s get on with it!

The Lower Salmon River is just one of the iconic places in Idaho that was threatened by a public lands grab. John Robison photo.

 

ICL ♥️ Sunshine!

During ICL’s first legislative session 51 years ago(!), the Land Use Planning Act was defeated after powerful development interests spent big to defeat the bill. In response, ICL worked with partners to draft a citizen initiative requiring disclosure of political contributions. It passed overwhelmingly with 78% of the vote. In 1990, the Idaho Public Records Act was passed, requiring state agencies and officials to share correspondence, writings, and other records (with some exceptions).

Together, these measures provide a powerful antiseptic to secrets, backroom deals, and special gifts for the favored few. It allows citizens and groups like ICL to shine a light on government, which is a critical part of our work. We regularly peek behind the curtain of government, in an effort to inform ourselves, our members, and our fellow citizens to better protect Idaho’s environment. Just last week, I personally worked on at least 10 separate public records requests. Unfortunately, sometimes the cost to ICL for public information is prohibitive, leaving ICL and the public in the dark. (Your support helps fund Records Requests!)

Still, in the statehouse, with Republican uber-majorities in both the House and Senate, most big decisions are made behind closed caucus doors. Further, committee chairs have nearly unbridled power to stifle bills, even when most committee members support the bill. Finally, this year, changes are still in place for the powerful budget committee, who are questioning state agency leaders behind closed doors for the second year. It continues to beg the question…what’s wrong with a little sunlight?

Rules Rule

Early each session, the legislature considers Administrative Rules that direct how state laws are implemented by agencies and have the force of law. They cover everything from hunting seasons to nail salons, dairy waste, educational standards, and much, much more. Rules are considered by relevant committees in each chamber. 

Because Administrative Rules can provide important protections for clean air, precious lakes and rivers, fish & wildlife, climate, and so much more, ICL pays close attention. We track the development of these rules throughout, and testify in the legislature if we have concerns.

Next week, the #IdLeg will start their review of rules, and ICL will be watching closely for several related to clean water, mining, public lands, and wildlife …among others.

Upcoming Events, Take Actions, etc

Join us on Thursday for our Legislative 101 and Public Lands Update at 6 pm (MST).

Take Action on the Pesticide Petition!

Cynthia’s Corner

Another whirlwind week punctuated by the start of the 68th Legislative Session. Governor Little kicked it off with his State of the State address where he discussed his Keeping Promises plan, which includes continued investments to raise water levels in the Eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer, $50 million for private school vouchers, and funding to hire and retain wildland firefighters to battle increasingly challenging blazes. 

What was interesting, there was no mention by the Governor about the State of Utah’s lawsuit seeking to seize the Bureau of Land Management’s right to keep ownership of 18.5 million acres of public land. As Jonathan mentioned above, the Supreme Court rejected BLM’s attempt to seize and control public lands. While this is a win today, this fight is far from over—ICL continues efforts to protect public lands, because one thing is for sure: Idaho just isn’t the same without public lands.

Speaking of being in it for the long haul… Last year, ICL helped defeat a dangerous pesticide immunity bill, but the threat remains. We expect to see some form of a chemical immunity bill but in the meantime, our days are filled with legislative meetings to share ICL’s perspective and learn what might be coming. We also meet regularly with organizational partners to share information as our coalition continues to grow. 

In between meetings, we attend committees and chat up legislators and lobbyists in the halls. If you are in the Capitol and see us, please stop and say hello. It’s always encouraging to see a friendly face!

Tie of the week!

This week’s tie is dedicated to the Grizzly Bear. It’s the state animal of California, with smoke-filled skies and flattened neighborhoods, they can use all of our help. And Idaho’s Grizzly Bears also had a good week when outgoing President Joe Biden and the US Fish & Wildlife Service maintained Endangered Species Act protections for bears in the Northern Rockies, including the Selkirk, Cabinet, and Yellowstone populations of Idaho, which deserve ongoing protection.

 

Until next week…Esto Perpetua,

Jonathan