Idaho House Bill HR026

Idaho 2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/10/26

Caption

RULE APPROVAL – HOUSE ENVIRONMENT, ENERGY, AND TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE – States findings of the Legislature and provides that all pending and temporary rules of the Department of Environmental Quality and the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses have been reviewed and approved by the House Environment, Energy, and Technology Committee, with exceptions.

Summary

House Resolution 26 is a legislative rule-approval resolution. It states that the House Environment, Energy, and Technology Committee reviewed pending and temporary rules from the Department of Environmental Quality and the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses during the 2026 session and approved them generally, while identifying specific exceptions. The resolution also declares that one pending rule docket for public drinking water systems will become effective upon sine die of the session. The resolution specifically disapproves only limited portions of three rule items: Section 400 of the Board of Drinking Water and Wastewater Professionals rules, and certain subsections of the Ground Water Quality Rules. All other pending and temporary rules from the two agencies that were submitted for review are treated as approved through the committee process. As a procedural measure, the resolution does not create new regulatory programs, but instead determines which administrative rules may proceed, which are blocked, and which become effective automatically at the end of the session.

Impact

HR026 affects Idaho administrative law by confirming legislative review of agency rules under the Administrative Procedure Act and Section 67-5291, Idaho Code. It preserves most rules from the Department of Environmental Quality and the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses, but prevents the specified rule sections from taking effect. The resolution also allows the listed public drinking water systems docket to become effective upon adjournment, directly affecting environmental regulation, water quality oversight, and professional licensing rules tied to drinking water and wastewater professionals.

Sentiment

The bill appears to have been received positively and without controversy in the House. It passed the House 68-0, indicating broad bipartisan support or at least no recorded opposition. The absence of committee transcript objections and the unanimous floor vote suggest the resolution was viewed as a routine administrative action rather than a disputed policy measure.

Contention

The only notable contention is narrow and technical: the House Environment, Energy, and Technology Committee declined to approve specific portions of the drinking water and wastewater professionals rules and the groundwater quality rules. Because no debate transcript is provided, the precise reasons for those exceptions are not stated, but the affected parties are the Department of Environmental Quality, the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses, and regulated water-quality and professional-licensing stakeholders. Otherwise, the resolution reflects consensus around legislative oversight of agency rulemaking.