Charlie Shepherd — The committee is transitioning to Vice Chairman Shepherd for rules related to Parks and Rec.
Charlie Shepherd — Addressed as Mr. Vice Chairman.
Charlie Shepherd — Consulted with Susan Buxton about the basic camping fee structure.
Ellery Tucker Williams — Ellery Tucker Williams was called as the first public testifier, identified herself as the legislative and community engagement coordinator for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, and testified in support of House Bill 678 on behalf of the Fish and Game Commission. After her remarks, the committee moved into the question period for her testimony.
Nick Fasciano — Nick Fasciano, executive director of the Idaho Wildlife Federation, testified in support of the bill. The exchange then moved into a brief question period, which concluded without any additional substantive discussion.
Jeff Abrams — Jeff Abrams, Wildlife Program Associate for the Idaho Conservation League, testified in opposition to House Bill 678. He argued that the bill could allow an incidentally captured listed animal to remain trapped far longer than current requirements, potentially well beyond the 72-hour inspection window, and noted that other states use shorter check intervals. He also raised enforcement and constitutional concerns with the proposal, and concluded by urging the committee to wait for Idaho Fish and Game’s final recommendations on remote trap checks before passing legislation.
Dexton Lake — Dexton Lake, representing the Idaho Farm Bureau Federation, testified in support of House Bill 678. He said the bill has broad support from Fish and Game, livestock groups, wildlife groups, and trapping organizations, which he argued shows it is practical and well-supported. He concluded by asking the committee to send the bill to the floor with a due pass recommendation.
Jerald Raymond — Representative Jerald Raymond moved to send House Bill 678 to the floor with a due pass recommendation, and the committee then took up that motion for consideration.
Jerald Raymond — Representative Jerald Raymond asked whether there are compensation or benefit tools available to help offset salary disparities and retain employees in Idaho.
Jerald Raymond — Representative Raymond is invited to ask questions and then follows up with a clarification question about the effect of rejecting Section 250.
Jerald Raymond — Referenced as having raised employee-related concerns.
Dustin Miller — Dustin Miller, director of the Idaho Department of Lands, provided an introductory overview of the department’s annual update. He described the agency’s mission to manage 2.5 million acres of endowment lands and 3.6 million acres of mineral estate for beneficiaries, noted that timber sales generate about 90% of the department’s revenue, and highlighted key responsibilities such as fire suppression and other land management duties.
Ron Mendive — Addressed as the chair while discussing the wildland-urban interface in his part of the state.
Ron Mendive — Addressed while discussing wildfire risk in the wildland-urban interface.
Ron Mendive — Addressed while thanking the committee for support of House Bill 511.
Ron Mendive — Addressed while summarizing Good Neighbor Authority highlights.
Ron Mendive — Addressed as Mr. Chairman.
Ron Mendive — Ron Mendive, serving as chair, is repeatedly addressed as Mr. Chairman/Chair while the committee discusses a motion. He then formally moves to approve docket 26-01-20-2501 with exceptions for items 075 and 250, calls for the vote, and announces that the docket is accepted with those exceptions.
Ron Mendive — Ron Mendive is addressed as Mr. Chairman throughout a continuous exchange, including the question period and the closing remarks leading into adjournment.
Tom Schultz — Named as U.S. Forest Service Chief and former Department of Lands official who signed the shared stewardship agreement.
Steve Miller — Addressed as Director Miller and thanked for the update.
Steve Miller — Responded that the agency is constantly looking at compensation issues.
Steve Miller — Explained the department’s role in minerals oversight and mine permitting.
Steve Miller — Steve Miller participates in a discussion about park revenue, asking how camping fee revenue is used, how it compares to operations revenue, and how it relates to daily-use fee revenue.
Steve Miller — The speaker directly addresses Representative Miller in relation to the slide and reservation data.
Dustin Manwaring — Representative Miller asked a series of related questions about maximizing the Good Neighbor federal lands program, including how current road and access restrictions limit use, what the maximum mill capacity is, whether additional state funding is needed to restart or expand staffing, and whether current program revenue is sufficient to support staff expansion. The responses explained the program’s capacity limits, funding authority, and that staffing could expand if program income is available.
Dustin Manwaring — Dustin Manwaring is mentioned twice in a short procedural aside as the speaker indicates they were going to handle Dustin's item again, with the second mention simply repeating that same reference before the presentation proceeds.
Dustin Manwaring — Referenced as having alluded to the statewide staff housing problem.
Jim Elvin — Jim Elvin was invited to answer the question about milling capacity and discussed supply, demand, and Forest Service targets.
Jim Alvin — Jim Alvin identified himself as the Department of Lands Trust Land Division Administrator after being prompted to state his name.
Susan Buxton — Susan Buxton, Director of the Department of Parks and Recreation, presented the pending rules and fee changes. She noted the public outreach process included two public meetings and a written comment period with no objections. She then explained the board’s authority to set fees within legislative caps and walked through the proposed rule changes: removing or retaining language already covered by statute, the fee collection surcharge, and the various motor vehicle entry fee categories. She described increases for resident, annual nonresident, and commercial entry fees, then moved to campsite fees, recommending the committee reject section 250 so the department could return next year with a revised camping fee structure. She continued with group camp or facility fees, including a cancellation fee increase, and concluded with boating facility and vessel launching fees, including the increase from $7 to $10 and how the passport program applies.
Susan Buxton — She introduced herself as the Department of Parks and Recreation director and began the annual update.
Jack Nelsen — Representative Jack Nelsen discusses the resident parks pass, noting that it is purchased when residents register their vehicles or buy license plates. He then seeks clarification on whether rejecting Sections 075 and 250 is the correct action, and that understanding is confirmed. A later reference reiterates his point about the park pass being purchased during vehicle registration.
Monica Church — JFAC is referenced as part of prior discussion on performance measures.
Dori Healey — Representative Dori Healey asked to be recognized and then raised an important question about what happened to the zip line at Eagle Island State Park, noting that her family had enjoyed it and considered it a favorite activity.
Soñia Galaviz — Expressed support and asked about possible conflict with forthcoming Fish and Game rules.
Soñia Galaviz — Asked how a Trump executive order on American mineral production affects work on endowment lands.
Charlie Shepherd — Charlie Shepherd’s sponsor presentation of House Bill 678: he introduced himself as the representative from District 7 and presented the bill, explained its purpose, concluded his opening remarks by inviting questions and turning to testifiers, and then clarified that he wanted the bill language to be plain and leave no gray area while still allowing rulemaking for implementation details.
Charlie Shepherd — Vice Chairman Charlie Shepherd defended the bill, explaining that it would improve on the current 72-hour wait by allowing trapped animals to be released much sooner. He emphasized that the bill also gives Fish and Game authority to set rules ensuring traps are checked in a humane and timely manner.
Charlie Shepherd — The chair confirmed that Vice Chairman Shepherd will carry his bill on the floor and then handed the meeting over to him.
Soñia Galaviz — Moved to approve the minutes from February 5th and February 17th.