Capitol Reflections: 2025 Session, Issue 1

By: Idaho Farm Bureau Governmental Affairs

"The success of the Government does not lie in wringing all the revenue it can from the people, but in making their burden as light and fairly distributed as possible, consistent with the proper maintenance of the necessary public functions." - President Calvin Coolidge

Introducing Capitol Minute

To help our members be fully informed about the issues going on during the legislative session, we are happy to introduce Capitol Minute, a short video each week in which our Government Affairs team highlights what is discussed in length in the Capitol Reflections Newsletter. We strongly encourage members to continue reading the newsletter to get the most information, but this new video will help when you want a quick synopsis or to learn about the issues on the go.

Find the first installment below.

New Legislators Means New Committee Members

The House and Senate gaveled into session on Monday, convening the First Regular Session of the 68^th Idaho Legislature. The State House is filled with a mix of seasoned incumbents and new freshmen taking their seats to shape Idaho's future. This session introduces seventeen new Representatives in the House and five new Senators.

New legislators mean reshaped committee compositions, with several new Chairs and Vice Chairs in both chambers. Of note is Senator Tammy Nichols (R-Middleton), who now serves as the Chair of the Senate Agricultural Affairs Committee. Click here to view the standing House committees click hereto view the standing Senate committees. Click here to view the changes.

IFBF's Governmental Affairs team looks forward to working with these individuals during the session and will be happy to help connect them with County Boards and our members.

Governor's State of the State Address

The official start of the 68^th Idaho Legislature began with a joint session to hear Governor Brad Little's State of the State Address. This was perhaps the shortest address of his tenure as Governor, which he later stated he hoped would be reciprocated by a short legislative session.

Governor Little highlighted many conservative accomplishments of the state and identified areas where more work needs to be done. The Governor reminded folks of the commitments he made to Idahoans and outlined how he would deliver through his "Keeping Promises" plan.

The plan outlines how the Governor intends to deliver on issues of education, the economy, infrastructure, transportation, safety, and government efficiency. Of particular interest to Farm Bureau are Governor Little's plans for agriculture and natural resources.

Since he took office, Governor Little and the Idaho Legislature have invested more than $1.5 billion across water resources, recreation, fire management, and production agriculture. In his suggested budget for the coming fiscal year, the Governor proposes:

• $100 million for fire management. $60 million in supplemental funding to replenish the Fire Suppression Deficiency Fund that was depleted by the 2024 fire season. The Governor also recommends $40 million, the five-year average of fire suppression expenditures, in ongoing funding. The Governor's plan also includes wildland firefighter bonuses.
• $5 million for improved aviation and detection strategies to ensure early fire suppression.
• $30 million for critical water infrastructure. The ongoing funding will support Idaho's main economic driver across the state - agriculture. With hundreds of millions in potential storage capacity projects, aquifer recharge needs (particularly in the Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer), and innovative water efficiency tools, ongoing funding will ensure the Idaho Water Resource Board prioritizes effective recharge projects resulting in reliable water for Idaho growers.

Of course, there are many other funding and policy initiatives in the Governor's plan. Now that the session has officially begun, legislators can dig deep into all these proposals and tailor them to the needs of their constituents and the betterment of the state. We at Farm Bureau look forward to working with lawmakers to address the issues that are impacting Idaho farm and ranch families and improving public policy throughout Idaho.

Republican Party Throws Support Behind Farm Bureau Bill

This week the Idaho Republican Party unanimously passed a resolution at their winter meeting supporting a Farm Bureau priority issue.

For several years, Farm Bureau members have been concerned with government agents entering private property without seeking permission from the landowner. This is occurring across the state by multiple government agencies including: Idaho Department of Fish & Game, US Forest Service, BLM, NRCS and County Assessors.

Last year, Farm Bureau introduced two separate bills to address this situation. One restricted the ability of the Idaho Department of Agriculture to enter private property when they were inspecting crops for pests or disease. H472 requires ISDA to secure permission from the landowner or have a warrant prior to entry. This bill passed almost unanimously through the legislature and is now law.

The second bill applied the same standards to all government entities. After introducing S1404, there were some law enforcement representatives who objected to the bill. Farm Bureau sat down with them and tried to understand their objections and find a path forward. Unfortunately, there seemed to be conflicting information coming from the agencies as to whether they could or could not legally enter private property without permission, and it seemed that their main objection was that they did not want any legal restrictions on their ability to access privately owned lands.

This year Farm Bureau will be bringing forward a new bill to address this situation. The state supreme courts in our neighboring states of Washington, Oregon and Montana have all ruled that it is illegal for law enforcement to enter private property that is not open to the public without permission from the landowner or a warrant. That is exactly what Farm Bureau's bill would accomplish. Our members, and now the Republican Party, believe it is time for Idaho to protect the rights of property owners in Idaho, just like our surrounding states have done.

This is the resolution that was approved at the Republican Party winter meeting:

Resolution 2025-4

WHEREAS: Government agents of all types across the nation have been entering private property without a warrant under the guise of the US Supreme Court's "Open Fields" doctrine which allows warrantless searches of property beyond the curtilage, and

WHEREAS: The founding fathers well understood that property is the foundation of every other right we have and that the protection of property is essential to the protection of "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness", and

WHEREAS: The US Supreme Court in Hester V. US (1924) and in Oliver V. US (1984) held that 4th Amendment protection to citizens does not extend to the "open fields", and

WHEREAS: The Supreme Courts in seven states, including the surrounding states of Oregon, Washington, and Montana, have ruled that their state constitutions provide protection for their citizens beyond the narrow reading of the 4^th Amendment in Hester and Oliver regarding actions by law enforcement in the state, and

WHEREAS: South Dakota passed legislation protecting the citizens of South Dakota from unreasonable intrusion and surveillance by state law enforcement, and

WHEREAS: Idaho does not have similar protection for the citizens of Idaho, and

WHEREAS: The Idaho Republican Platform supports private property rights and specifically states in ARTICLE X1 WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT "We encourage the Idaho Department of Fish and Game to manage fish and wildlife……while respecting private property rights of landowners."

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Idaho Republican State Central Committee supports revising state law or the Idaho Constitution to extend 4th Amendment property and privacy rights to include "open fields".

Resources Available to Follow the Legislature

BOISE -There are many resources available to the public to better follow the work of the Idaho Legislature. With the start of the session and additional public interest in government actions and operations, we want to provide a reminder of what is available.

Legislative Website Homepage:HERE

2025 Legislative Session Bill Center: HERE

List of Senate Committee Assignments: HERE

List of House Committee Assignments: HERE

Current Senate Committee Agendas: HERE

Current House Committee Agendas: HERE

Watch Committee Meetings and Floor Sessions Live: HERE

Governor's Bill Action and Legislative Communications: HERE

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