Land & Public Lands
Idaho ranching runs substantially on ground the operator does not own. State endowment lands, federal allotments, and the leases and permits attached to them are governed by a mix of state statute, agency rule, and federal process, and a change in any of the three lands on the same operation.
Closer to home, land use planning decides what happens on the boundary of working ground. Agricultural Protection Areas exist to keep farmland from being zoned and complained out of production, and they were rewritten twice inside a single session.
The Legislature also uses joint memorials here more than anywhere else, stating Idaho's position on federal land policy and asking for federal action it cannot take itself.
The legislative record
Land generates more bills than law: across eight sessions, 49 of the 87 measures here died without reaching a floor vote, the highest share of any area. Across the 2019 through 2026 sessions the Legislature took up 87 measures in this area, of which 36 were enacted or adopted. Every entry links to the Legislature's own page for that measure.
| Bill | Session | Measure | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| H0502 | 2026 | IDAHO FOREST PRODUCTS COMMISSION – Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding the Idaho Forest Products Commission. | Enacted (ch. 8) |
| H0511 | 2026 | PRIVATE FOREST LAND – Amends existing law to revise the surcharge associated with improved forest land. | Enacted (ch. 27) |
| H0568 | 2026 | DEPARTMENT OF LANDS – Repeals existing law to remove outdated or unnecessary provisions. | Enacted (ch. 76) |
| H0587 | 2026 | RANGELAND IMPROVEMENT – Amends existing law to allow continuous appropriation of the rangeland improvement account. | Enacted (ch. 21) |
| H0737 | 2026 | NATURAL RESOURCES – Amends, repeals, and adds to existing law to merge the Office of Species Conservation and the Office of Energy and Mineral Resources. | Enacted (ch. 66) |
| H0389 | 2025 | UNCONTROLLED FIRES – Amends and adds to existing law to provide that a fire burning out of control on federal land in Idaho is a nuisance and cost recovery actions related to such fires are subject to a statute of limitations after ten years, and to allow the governor to direct state resources to suppress fires on federal land. | Enacted (ch. 277) |
| S1133 | 2025 | AGRICULTURAL PROTECTION AREAS – Amends, repeals, and adds to existing law to revise the Agricultural Protection Area Act. | Enacted (ch. 241) |
| S1187 | 2025 | AGRICULTURAL PROTECTION AREAS – Amends Senate Bill 1133 to revise the Agricultural Protection Area Act. | Enacted (ch. 308) |
| H0468 | 2024 | RANGELAND – Adds to existing law to establish the Rangeland Improvement Act. | Enacted (ch. 47) |
| H0507 | 2024 | TIMBER – Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding security requirements in certain actions or proceedings involving the sale of timber. | Enacted (ch. 89) |
| H0614 | 2024 | FORESTS – Amends and adds to existing law to provide for duties and authority of the Idaho Department of Lands and to provide for the Good Neighbor Authority Fund. | Enacted (ch. 243) |
| S1243 | 2024 | GRAZING – Adds to existing law to provide for permits. | Enacted (ch. 38) |
| S1292 | 2024 | LANDS – Amends, repeals, and adds to existing law to provide for legal representation. | Enacted (ch. 210) |
| S1305 | 2024 | URBAN AGRICULTURE – Adds to existing law to provide legislative findings and to define terms. | Enacted (ch. 176) |
| S1342 | 2024 | GRAZING LEASES – Amends existing law to exclude grazing leases from certain hearing requirements and to provide that all state lands may be leased for a period of up to 40 years for grazing leases. | Enacted (ch. 102) |
| S1403 | 2024 | PLANNING AND ZONING – Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding comprehensive plans and areas of impact. | Enacted (ch. 227) |
| S1049 | 2023 | ENDOWMENT LAND – Adds to existing law to provide for notice of restriction, regulation, and prohibition on endowment land and to provide for punishment and violations. | Enacted (ch. 80) |
| S1228 | 2022 | FENCES – Repeals existing law relating to inclosures of reservoirs and dumps. | Enacted (ch. 76) |
| H0023 | 2021 | ENDOWMENT LAND – Repeals existing law relating to the exchange of certain lands. | Enacted (ch. 27) |
| H0024 | 2021 | IDAHO BOARD OF SCALING PRACTICES – Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding board compensation. | Enacted (ch. 28) |
| H0451 | 2020 | ANNEXATION – Amends existing law to provide requirements regarding annexation of certain forest land. | Enacted (ch. 240) |
| S1291 | 2020 | RANGELAND RESOURCES COMMISSION – Amends existing law to revise nomination provisions for commission seats. | Enacted (ch. 149) |
| H0025 | 2019 | ANNEXATION – Amends existing law to provide a requirement regarding annexation of certain agricultural land. | Enacted (ch. 22) |
| H0044 | 2019 | FOREST PRACTICES ACT ADMINISTRATION – Amends existing law to revise annual assessment provisions regarding private owners of certain forest lands. | Enacted (ch. 36) |
| HJM009 | 2026 | FEDERAL LAND POLICY AND MANAGEMENT ACT – States findings of the Legislature and requests federal intervention to ensure proper application of FLPMA. | Adopted |
| SCR123 | 2026 | INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF RANGELANDS AND PASTORALISTS – States findings of the Legislature and supports recognizing 2026 as the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists. | Adopted |
| SJM111 | 2026 | PUBLIC LANDS – States findings of the Legislature and supports retention of public lands in Idaho. | Adopted |
| HCR003 | 2025 | NATURAL RESOURCE ISSUES STUDY – States findings of the Legislature and authorizes the Legislative Council to appoint a committee to undertake and complete a study of natural resource issues. | Adopted |
| HCR008 | 2025 | LAVA RIDGE – States findings of the Legislature, expresses concern and opposition towards the Lava Ridge wind energy project, and requests that the State of Idaho monitor the project and assist in applicable reviews. | Adopted |
| HJM005 | 2025 | LAVA RIDGE – States findings of the Legislature, expresses concern and opposition towards the Lava Ridge wind energy project, and requests additional federal intervention. | Adopted |
| HCR003 | 2023 | NATURAL RESOURCE ISSUES STUDY – States findings of the Legislature and authorizes the Legislative Council to appoint a committee to undertake and complete a study of natural resource issues. | Adopted |
| HCR004 | 2023 | LAVA RIDGE – States findings of the Legislature, expresses concern over the proposed Lava Ridge Project, and supports a no-build option. | Adopted |
| HCR007 | 2021 | NATURAL RESOURCE ISSUES STUDY – States findings of the Legislature and authorizes the Legislative Council to appoint a committee to undertake and complete a study of natural resource issues. | Adopted |
| HCR008 | 2021 | PAYMENTS IN LIEU OF TAXES – States findings of the Legislature and directs the Committee on Federalism to study the fair taxable value of certain federal lands. | Adopted |
| HCR012 | 2019 | NATURAL RESOURCE ISSUES STUDY – Stating findings of the Legislature and authorizing the Legislative Council to appoint a committee to undertake and complete a study of natural resource issues. | Adopted |
| HJM008 | 2019 | WILDERNESS – Stating findings of the Legislature and supporting scientific adaptive management to implement the multiple-use concept and urging the release of specified wilderness study areas. | Adopted |
| H0623 | 2022 | TRESPASS – Amends existing law to provide that a process server serving legal documents is not committing civil or criminal trespass. | Failed on a floor vote |
| H0127 | 2019 | LOCAL LAND USE PLANNING – Repeals, amends, and adds to existing law to revise provisions regarding cities and counties. | Failed on a floor vote |
| H0705 | 2026 | LAND USE PLANNING – Adds to existing law to establish provisions allowing for multifamily residential housing developments in areas zoned for commercial use. | Died without a floor vote |
| H0801 | 2026 | LOCAL LAND USE PLANNING ACT – Adds to existing law to provide for regulation of development on religious land. | Died without a floor vote |
| H0802 | 2026 | LAND USE PLANNING – Adds to existing law to establish provisions allowing for multifamily residential housing developments in areas zoned for commercial use. | Died without a floor vote |
| H0910 | 2026 | STATE LAND – Adds to existing law to provide for managed recreation opportunities on state endowment lands. | Died without a floor vote |
| H0937 | 2026 | LOCAL LAND USE PLANNING ACT – Adds to existing law to provide for regulation of development on religious land. | Died without a floor vote |
| HJR008 | 2026 | PUBLIC LANDS – Proposes an amendment to the state constitution regarding state-owned lands. | Died without a floor vote |
| HJR010 | 2026 | PUBLIC LANDS – Proposes an amendment to the state constitution regarding state-owned lands. | Died without a floor vote |
| S1278 | 2026 | LOCAL LAND USE PLANNING ACT – Adds to existing law to provide for regulation of development on religious land. | Died without a floor vote |
| S1328 | 2026 | DEPARTMENT OF LANDS – Amends existing law regarding counsel for the Department of Lands. | Died without a floor vote |
| S1413 | 2026 | STATE LANDS – Amends existing law to extend the length for commercial leases on endowment lands. | Died without a floor vote |
| SJR102 | 2026 | LANDS – Proposes an amendment to the state constitution to establish provisions for the management of certain lands granted or acquired from the federal government. | Died without a floor vote |
| SJR103 | 2026 | LANDS – Proposes an amendment to the state constitution to establish provisions for the management of certain lands granted or acquired from the federal government. | Died without a floor vote |
| H0129 | 2025 | LAND BANK FUND – Amends existing law to extend the time that proceeds can be held in the land bank fund. | Died without a floor vote |
| H0233 | 2025 | AGRICULTURAL PROTECTION AREAS – Amends and adds to existing law to revise the Agricultural Protection Area Act. | Died without a floor vote |
| H0348 | 2025 | LOCAL LAND USE PLANNING – Adds to existing law to establish provisions regarding conditional use permits for the construction of energy facilities. | Died without a floor vote |
| H0387 | 2025 | WINDMILL BONDING – Adds to existing law to provide a decommissioning bond for wind turbines within the State of Idaho. | Died without a floor vote |
| H0404 | 2025 | URBAN AGRICULTURE – Amends and adds to existing law to provide for residential chicken ownership. | Died without a floor vote |
| H0429 | 2025 | LOCAL LAND USE PLANNING – Amends existing law to require a school district that receives mitigation fees to adopt a capacity plan and to use such moneys in accordance with such plan. | Died without a floor vote |
| S1026 | 2025 | URBAN AGRICULTURE – Amends and adds to existing law to revise a definition and permit residential chicken ownership. | Died without a floor vote |
| S1053 | 2025 | FENCES – Amends existing law to provide for landowner responsibility for erecting and maintaining fences adjoining federal lands. | Died without a floor vote |
| S1062 | 2025 | STATE LANDS – Amends existing law to establish requirements for commercial land use authorizations on state endowment land. | Died without a floor vote |
| S1063 | 2025 | URBAN AGRICULTURE – Amends existing law to provide a definition for “small-scale livestock”. | Died without a floor vote |
| S1086 | 2025 | TRESPASS – Adds to existing law to establish provisions regarding a violation of landowner rules for permissible use. | Died without a floor vote |
| S1166 | 2025 | LOCAL LAND USE PLANNING – Adds to existing law to establish provisions restricting the siting of new or expansion of homeless shelters. | Died without a floor vote |
| H0434 | 2024 | STATE LAND LEASES – Adds to existing law to provide for standard maintenance and repair terms and conditions and to provide for remediation. | Died without a floor vote |
| HCR046 | 2024 | TIMBER AND GRAZING LANDS – States findings of the Legislature and supports certain acquisitions of timber and grazing lands. | Died without a floor vote |
| HJM006 | 2024 | LANDS – States findings of the Legislature and opposes the Bureau of Land Management’s proposed rule entitled “Conservation and Landscape Health.” | Died without a floor vote |
| S1443 | 2024 | ENDOWMENT TRUST LANDS – Adds to existing law to clarify the duties of the state board of land commissioners in the lease of state endowment trust lands, to require bonds under certain circumstances, and to provide for rulemaking. | Died without a floor vote |
| S1063 | 2023 | FENCES – Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding the careless exposure of barbed wire and to revise penalties. | Died without a floor vote |
| S1073 | 2023 | PLANNING AND ZONING – Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding comprehensive plans and annexing an area of city impact. | Died without a floor vote |
| H0468 | 2022 | ENDOWMENT LAND – Adds to existing law to provide for certain notices and to provide for violations and penalties. | Died without a floor vote |
| H0587 | 2022 | DEPARTMENT OF LANDS – Amends and adds to existing law to revise provisions regarding the land, mineral, and grazing division, to provide for certain price comparisons, and to provide for an ombudsman. | Died without a floor vote |
| H0696 | 2022 | DEPARTMENT OF LANDS – Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding legal representation of the Idaho Department of Lands. | Died without a floor vote |
| S1251 | 2022 | STATE LANDS – Amends existing law to provide for written agreement of permittees and private right holders prior to the exchange of federally managed lands. | Died without a floor vote |
| S1252 | 2022 | TAYLOR GRAZING ACT – Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding grazing preference rights. | Died without a floor vote |
| S1312 | 2022 | FENCES – Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding the careless exposure of barbed wire and to revise penalties. | Died without a floor vote |
| S1345 | 2022 | FENCES – Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding the careless exposure of barbed wire and to revise penalties. | Died without a floor vote |
| S1372 | 2022 | LANDS – Amends existing law to provide for legal representation. | Died without a floor vote |
| H0118 | 2021 | DEPARTMENT OF LANDS – Amends existing law to prohibit the Department of Lands from engaging legal counsel from the Attorney General’s office. | Died without a floor vote |
| S1090 | 2021 | DEPARTMENT OF LANDS – Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding legal representation of the Idaho Department of Lands. | Died without a floor vote |
| S1106 | 2021 | LOCAL LAND USE PLANNING – Amends existing law to provide that local ordinances shall not apply to state and local transportation systems and essential facilities. | Died without a floor vote |
| H0450 | 2020 | PLANNING AND ZONING – Amends existing law to provide that requests for amendment to a zoning ordinance shall be submitted to the governing board of the locality. | Died without a floor vote |
| HCR038 | 2020 | PAYMENTS IN LIEU OF TAXES – Stating findings of the Legislature and directing the Committee on Federalism to study the fair taxable value of certain federal lands. | Died without a floor vote |
| H0092 | 2019 | ANNEXATION – Amends existing law to provide requirements regarding annexation of certain forest land. | Died without a floor vote |
| H0104 | 2019 | FEDERAL LAND RIGHTS-OF-WAY – Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding federal land rights-of-way. | Died without a floor vote |
| H0130 | 2019 | ANNEXATION – Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding annexation by cities. | Died without a floor vote |
| H0162 | 2019 | FEDERAL LANDS – Adds to existing law to provide for the Idaho Council on Federal Lands. | Died without a floor vote |
| HJM005 | 2019 | FEDERAL LANDS – Stating findings of the Legislature and urging Congress to enact federal legislation to require that when private lands are exchanged, purchased, or transferred to the federal government that other federal lands within the county must be sold. | Died without a floor vote |
| HJM010 | 2019 | WILDERNESS – Stating findings of the Legislature and advising the United States Secretary of Agriculture to immediately adopt, implement, and enforce a Secretarial Order concerning Allowable Uses in Recommended Wilderness Areas and potential public land additions to the National Wilderness Preservation System. | Died without a floor vote |
Chapter numbers refer to the Idaho Session Laws for the year the measure passed. Compiled from the Legislature's bill index for each session.
Standing committees
Bills in this area are referred to the committees below. Membership shown is the 2026 session composition; committees re-form when a new session convenes.
House Resources & Conservation
- Chair:
- Rep. Ron Mendive, District 5
- Vice Chair:
- Rep. Charlie Shepherd, District 7
16 further members: Rep. Judy Boyle, Rep. John Vander Woude, Rep. Dustin Manwaring, Rep. Britt Raybould, Rep. Stephanie Jo Mickelsen, Rep. Jack Nelsen, Rep. Douglas T. Pickett, Rep. Jerald Raymond, Rep. Josh Tanner, Rep. Steve Miller, Rep. Shawn Dygert, Rep. James Petzke, Rep. Mark Sauter, Rep. Dori Healey, Rep. Soñia R. Galaviz, Rep. Monica C. Church.
Senate Resources & Environment
- Chair:
- Sen. Van T. Burtenshaw, District 31
- Vice Chair:
- Sen. Phil Hart, District 2
7 further members: Sen. Jim Guthrie, Sen. Mark Harris, Sen. Doug Okuniewicz, Sen. Kevin Cook, Sen. Julie VanOrden, Sen. Joshua Kohl, Sen. Ron C. Taylor.
Further reading
- Idaho's 2026 Legislative Session: Agriculture, Water, and Resource Legislation
Every agriculture, water, and resource measure in Idaho's 2026 session: what was introduced, what became law, and what died, with chapter numbers.
- Idaho's 2025 Legislative Session: Agriculture, Water, and Resource Legislation
Every agriculture, water, and resource measure in Idaho's 2025 session, with session law chapter numbers and what changed by 2026.