Phil Hart — Identified himself as the vice chair and opened the meeting.
Jim Guthrie — His question prompted follow-up discussion.
Jim Guthrie — Senator Guthrie was recognized next after the closing question.
Jim Guthrie — Moved to send House Bill 895 to the floor with a due pass recommendation.
Jim Guthrie — Summarized the bill as codifying fair chase rules with carve-outs and asked about penalties or citations for misuse.
Jim Guthrie — Asked whether a Fish and Game officer could issue a penalty or citation for misuse of the technology.
Britt Raybould — Representative Britt Raybould introduced House Bill 895, which addresses water use and energy consumption at data centers. She explained that new systems may not use water for cooling as a consumptive use, described how evaporative, hybrid, and closed-loop cooling systems differ in water consumption, and noted that large facilities can use up to 100 million gallons of water annually. She then asked for a due pass recommendation and responded to questions about closed-loop systems, explaining that they may still require water replacement and maintenance.
Stephanie Mickelsen — Representative Raybould was first asked if there were any additional questions before public testimony began, and later was invited to offer closing remarks on House Bill 895.
Cynthia Gibson — The chair asked if Cynthia Gibson was present, and she then testified on behalf of the Idaho Conservation League in support of House Bill 895. She said the bill is a proactive and necessary step to address the environmental impacts of data centers, especially their water consumption, and added that while she is not a data center expert, she believes they can be hard on the environment and thanked the sponsors for bringing the bill forward.
Codi Galloway — Senator Cole was recognized and then thanked Ms. Gibson before asking about environmental concerns related to data centers, including potential impacts on other localities and water resources.
Ms. Gibson — Ms. Gibson is acknowledged at the start of the exchange, and after a brief period with no further questions, the chair closes the discussion by asking if there are any other questions for her and thanking her for testifying.
Julie VanOrden — Seconded the motion on House Bill 895.
James Petsky — Introduced himself as representing District 21 in Meridian and presented House Bill 939.
Josh Tanner — Senator Taylor was recognized and then asked Representative Petsky whether any interim work could be done to address enforcement issues related to the proposal.
James Petzke — Representative Petsky discussed the bill’s enforcement implications and potential loopholes, suggesting Fish and Game should first let the law play out and educate the public before making changes. He raised concerns about hunters potentially using thermal devices while claiming to hunt wolves, noted that the issue is not fully addressed in the current legislation, and said future rule or statutory changes may be needed. He concluded that the matter will likely be revisited and that Fish and Game will continue working on it, while also confirming the bill largely codifies existing rule language with added exemptions.
Charlie Shepherd — Was asked about enforcement and citations under the bill.
Charlie Shepherd — The chair asked whether he had an answer to the enforcement question.
Charlie Shepherd — The chair asked if there were any other questions for him before moving to testimony.
Charlie Shepherd — Praised for his work on the bill.
Charlie Shepherd — Praised for moving the conversation forward on the bill.
Charlie Shepherd — Asked whether he wanted to close before the motion.
Ellery Tucker Williams — Legislative and community engagement coordinator for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. Explained he was not the enforcement bureau chief and could not specify citations, but said there is a penalty.
Dexton Lake — Testified for the Idaho Farm Bureau in support of the bill and thanked Representative Petsky.
Jeff Abrams — Introduced himself as a wildlife program associate with the Idaho Conservation League and described the Fish and Game working group process.
Mark Harris — Seconded the motion on House Bill 939.
Mark Harris — Made the motion to send House Joint Memorial 21 to the Senate floor.
Phil Hart — Addressed as Mr. Vice Chair during the motion.
Phil Hart — Presided over the motion and vote on House Bill 887.
Phil Hart — Addressed as Senator Hart in a joking correction.
Phil Hart — Addressed as Senator Hart in response to the question about data centers.
Mark Sauter — Mark Sauter introduced himself as the presenter of House Bill 887 and explained that the bill would allow a driver and skier to ski on open water, similar to practices in other states. He described the background of the proposal, noting that a local ski club requested the change and that the activity would be limited by a 9 a.m. morning restriction. He also listed several states that allow similar water-skiing activity and was later referenced during questions and after the vote on the bill.
Jim Guthrie — Not mentioned in this section.
Jim Guthrie — Asked about how closed-loop systems handle water loss and exit water.