Director Cameron — Director Cameron explained that the proposal is based on industry data and is focused on homeowners rather than commercial or agricultural properties. In response to questions, he said some insurers may offer discounts for hardened homes, but many are reluctant to write or stay in Idaho because of wildfire risk. He emphasized that the bill is intended to support a statewide home-hardening effort, not replace private action, and argued that helping citizens access affordable insurance is an appropriate role for the Department of Insurance. He also clarified that the bill does not distinguish between existing homes and new construction, but is primarily aimed at helping current homeowners, especially low- to middle-income households.
Josh Wheeler — The chair says he will hand the gavel to the vice chair for the next bill.
Josh Wheeler — The committee chair is addressed as 'Mr. Owen' and then the committee moves to the next witness; no direct substantive comment from him in this section.
Josh Wheeler — The chair is thanked by name at the end of the testimony transition.
Josh Wheeler — Josh Wheeler thanks the vice chair as the gavel is returned and again at the close of the meeting, marking a brief closing acknowledgment.
Max Pond — Max Pond was invited to present to the committee and then introduced himself as speaking on behalf of Idaho Realtors in support of House Bill 583.
Mr. Pond — Answers that long-term rentals are not currently subject to the same requirements.
Melissa Radford — Melissa Radford testifies in support of House Bill 583. She introduces herself as a Coeur d'Alene resident and neonatal nurse practitioner, explains that she and her husband renovated a home and use it as a short-term rental that helps provide lodging for visitors and benefits the neighborhood, and argues that hosts are being unfairly targeted by burdensome taxes and regulations. She says local leaders and outside agencies are using inflammatory language and vague standards against vacation rental owners, and she urges lawmakers to pass clear, unambiguous legislation that protects property rights.
Spencer Bailey — Spencer Bailey testified in support of House Bill 583 as president of the Idaho Vacation Rental Association, saying he represents more than 600 vacation rental owners and properties across Idaho. He described how vacation rentals can support land stewardship and local employment, and argued that the issues raised about short-term rentals are relatively rare and should be addressed through existing laws rather than restrictions on lawful residential use. He also shared a personal story about starting Cabins for Cancer and how vacation rentals can help families in need. In response to questions, he explained that a large Bear Lake rental was built with a five-stage septic system at the county’s request to avoid burdening local wells and the surrounding area. He concluded by arguing that short-term rentals should not be singled out to pay for county infrastructure and that broader funding solutions should be considered.
Julie Hill — Julie Hill, a witness from Lava Hot Springs, testified in support of House Bill 583. She said the bill protects private property rights and helps curb government overreach by limiting overly restrictive local ordinances, such as costly fire suppression requirements and permit limits that can make lawful property use financially impossible. She concluded that the bill restores balance and asked the committee to vote yes on House Bill 583.
Aaron Kat — Aaron Kat of Boise testified in support of House Bill 583. He described his background in property management and used a personal example to explain how short-term rentals can provide flexibility for homeowners facing temporary work or life changes. He also argued that short-term rentals support local economies, generate tax revenue, and should not be singled out by restrictive local regulations.
Christy Martin — Christy Martin introduced herself as a wife, homeschool mother of four, and small business owner, then testified in support of House Bill 583. She explained that short-term rental policy affects her family’s future and her small business. The exchange concluded with a follow-up question about whether she considers her property a business.
Gregory Irvin — Gregory Irvin, a full-time McCall resident, testified in opposition to House Bill 583 based on his experience living next to a problematic short-term rental. He argued that local regulations are necessary but may not fully solve the issue because transient renters may not respect neighborhood norms or neighbors’ rights to peace and tranquility, unlike full-time residents.
Jaron Crane — Representative Jaron Crane questions Mr. Irvin about whether the bill’s provisions on nuisance ordinances, occupancy limits, and other regulatory language would adequately address concerns about noise, party atmosphere, and large gatherings associated with short-term rentals. He asks what additional language or regulations might be needed and points to the bill’s occupancy-limit language as potentially resolving the issue.
Jaron Crane — Representative Monks questioned the idea that people who live in a city more should have greater property rights than those who live there less. He used the example of an out-of-town or vacation-home owner to challenge whether property rights should differ based on residency or use, and pressed for clarification on whether the cities’ position was that property rights should be weighted differently depending on how much someone lives in the community.
Jaron Crane — Makes a motion to send House Bill 583 to the floor with a do-pass recommendation and references a hard stop at 3 o'clock.
Jaron Crane — Moves to send House Bill 583 to the floor and declares Rule 80 due to a potential conflict involving items he sells.
Jaron Crane — Is thanked for his discretion after the speaker declines to ask more questions.
Jaron Crane — The speaker is identified as Representative Cornel/Cornelis in the transcript and is being thanked after speaking against the bill.
Christine Moon — The committee attempted to connect with her for virtual testimony, but the connection did not work.
Josie Gray — Josie Gray was connected to the committee, introduced herself as a Driggs resident, and testified in strong opposition to H-583. She said she is not ضد short-term rentals and supports tourism, but argued the bill goes too far by removing local tools needed to manage short-term rental saturation and protect neighborhood stability. She described how STR concentration can change the character of neighborhoods, including the experience of an elderly resident who feels isolated and unsafe as nearby homes have turned into rentals. Gray concluded that local governments need authority to protect residents and urged rejection of the bill.
Daniel Murphy — The committee introduced Daniel Murphy as the next in-person witness, and he then testified in support of House Bill 583. In his remarks, he identified himself as being from Boise and noted that House Bill 557, the local government anti-discrimination bill, had recently passed 53 to 16.
Hillary Seacrest — The committee attempted to call the next witness, but the name appears to be a technical or transcription issue.
Bruce Ard — The committee moved on to Bruce Ard for virtual testimony.
Bruce Ard / Broussard (questionable) — A virtual witness identified himself as a licensed realtor, short-term rental owner, and mayor of Island Park. The name is unclear in the transcript.
Roger Miller / Roger Millar (questionable) — The committee transitions to the next virtual witness; the transcript contains both 'Roger Miller' and 'Roger Millar.'
Roger Millar — A McCall resident testified in opposition to the proposed legislation.
Brandon Owen — An in-person witness from Sun Valley/Ketchum began testimony in support of HB 583.
Heather Stainer — The committee announces that it will move to Heather Stainer and then follows up by asking whether Heather Stainer is present, noting she may be in an overflow room.
Heather Stegner — Heather Stegner, a Boise resident and Lewiston native who owns property in McCall, testified about how local short-term rental and building code requirements affected her home. She explained that, in good faith and at significant cost, she installed egress windows and made other upgrades because four of the five bedrooms were below grade, which required compliance changes for the rooms to be used as bedrooms. The committee then concluded its questions and thanked her for her time.
Chris Cargill — Chris Cargill is introduced as the next virtual witness and then testifies on behalf of Mountain States Policy Center, stating his support for the bill on property rights grounds.
Joseph Hill — Joseph Hill is introduced as the next in-person testifier, then speaks about managing Gregory Irving's house through a property management company in McCall, Idaho, and argues that long-term homeowners can also be problematic neighbors.
Aretha McRoberts — Aretha McRoberts was called to testify and then identified herself as a realtor and board member of the Idaho Vacation Rental Association. She testified in support of the bill, arguing that short-term rentals are not fundamentally different from other rentals and expressing concern about government overreach and community control. She then shared a personal story about attending a funeral where family members were forced to grieve in a hotel setting, describing the lack of privacy, rest, and space, and saying a large home rental would have better served the family. She concluded by urging lawmakers to support the bill and view short-term rentals as sanctuaries for families in need.
Jonathan Wheatley — Jonathan Wheatley was called to testify and then spoke on behalf of the Association of Idaho Cities in opposition to House Bill 583. He explained that short-term rentals can create recurring problems such as noise and parking issues, and argued that enforcement is impractical because these issues can happen repeatedly.
Mr. Wheatley — Mr. Wheatley continued his testimony opposing House Bill 583, arguing that the bill lacks a practical mechanism for notifying property owners about ongoing issues and that local processes, such as those in McCall, can work effectively. He emphasized that the people most affected are the full-time residents living in the community day to day, and that their interests should be weighted heavily when balancing competing property rights. He also noted that local governments and city council elections provide a way for residents to address concerns about ordinances and enforcement, and he framed the bill as a broader property-rights issue involving regulation of vacation homes, noise, and frequent disturbances. He concluded by reiterating that community residents’ needs should be addressed and that he was not speaking on behalf of HOAs, while referencing prior law and association trainings/best practices related to these issues.
Mr. Jeremy Chu — Announced as the final in-person witness.
Jeremy Chu — Jeremy Chu, representing Airbnb through the law firm of Givens, responded to questions raised earlier in the hearing. He argued that it is not appropriate to single out short-term rentals or any one industry in discussions about fire district issues without evidence or studies showing a disproportionate impact. He said that if additional fees or assessments are needed to support fire districts, they should apply broadly because fire districts serve everyone. He then turned to noise concerns, stating that noise should be treated the same regardless of whether it comes from a short-term rental, college students, or a neighbor, and emphasized that the bill allows local governments to address noise issues generally rather than targeting a specific sector.
Stegner — His testimony on occupancy was described as particularly compelling.
Mr. Chu — Mr. Chu’s testimony covers several related points: he notes that many people must hire a lawyer to obtain a conditional use permit, which he считает untenable, and then opens himself to questions. In response to questions, he explains that both property management and police/sheriff contact options are available, with police appropriate for immediate issues. He says local governments currently have discretion to set fees and allocate them to programs of their choosing, and he supports using such revenue to help fund firefighters and other public safety needs. He also distinguishes these bill-related fees from resort travel and convention tax revenue, noting that convention-related revenue generally supports tourism and conventions. Finally, he addresses a tax-law question by saying he is not a tax lawyer, but explains that the statutory language includes “or owner,” that courts do not treat the language as merely descriptive, and that the added language was intended to clarify that tax collection obligations apply regardless of platform use.
Cornel Rasor — Representative Cornilles questions Mr. Chu about how vacation rentals managed by property management companies are handled, specifically asking whether complaints should be directed through the management company or to the sheriff, and seeking clarification on the proper complaint procedure for the industry.
Mr. Chu / Jeremy Chu — Addressed by Representative Green in her comments.
David Cannon — Declares a potential conflict of interest under Rule 80 as an owner of a short-term rental.
Jeff Cornilles — Representative Cornilles expresses mixed feelings about the bill, saying he has both support and concerns based on his own property in the McCall area. He explains that in rural subdivisions, property management and law enforcement cannot respond quickly at night, making him struggle with the bill while acknowledging the concerns others share.
Kyle Harris — Representative Kyle Harris engaged in a continuing discussion about wildfire risk mitigation and insurance-related incentives. He first asked whether everyone in the affected communities, including Boise residents, would qualify for the mitigation fund. The exchange then continued with follow-up remarks and a later question about whether homeowners could lower insurance rates by hardening their homes without state involvement. The discussion remained focused on eligibility, mitigation, and the proper role of government in encouraging wildfire resilience.
Kyle Harris — Representative Kyle Harris is called on and asks whether long-term rentals are subject to the same fire-safety requirements as short-term rentals.
Kyle Harris — Asks whether older homes must be brought up to current code standards for short-term rentals.
Kyle Harris — Asked whether HOAs can regulate short-term rentals.
Kyle Harris — Argued that cities may be acting like HOAs by regulating non-full-time residents differently and questioned whether property rights should be the same for all owners.
Kyle Harris — Referenced in Mr. Chu's remarks regarding comments about the fire district.
Kyle Harris — Asks what additional short-term rental fees are used for within the community.