Capitol Reflections: 2026 Session, Issue 7

By: Idaho Farm Bureau Governmental Affairs

“There is scarcely a word in the constitution of any of our States or of our nation that was not written there for the purpose of protecting the liberties of the people from some servitude which a despotic government had at some time imposed upon them.” - President Calvin Coolidge

Capitol Minute

To help our members be fully informed about the issues going on during the legislative session, there will be a short video each week in which our Governmental Affairs team highlights what is discussed in length in the Capitol Reflections Newsletter. We strongly encourage members to continue reading the newsletter to get the most information, but this video will help when you want a quick synopsis or to learn about the issues on the go.

Podcast - Audio Only

Vet School Bill Introduced

S1335 was printed and is waiting for a full committee hearing in the Senate Education Committee. Sponsored by the chairs of the two Agricultural Affairs Committees, Senator Tammy Nichols (R-Star) and Representative Jerald Raymond (R-Menan), this bill will aid in getting large animal veterinarians back to Idaho.

Right now, the state of Idaho appropriates money for eleven Idaho students to attend vet school at Washington State University each year. That money covers out-of-state tuition costs and some experiential learning experiences that the students get to participate in at the University of Idaho. The problem is, for a number of years now, there has been no requirement for these students to return to work in Idaho.

S1335 would address this by requiring students who use these funds to return to Idaho for a period of four years. This mirrors the requirement that exists for students who participate in a similar program for human medical school. In addition, students would be required to spend thirty percent of their working time each year, or 600 hours, on cattle, sheep, goats, and swine.

This is a critical need that adds accountability for Idaho and a benefit for agriculture. It is estimated that out of 900 licensed veterinarians in the state of Idaho, approximately 50 of them service the cattle needs in the state. This is a frightening statistic for a state that has 2.5 million cattle, making up $12 billion in the beef and dairy industry. IFBF Policy 117 states, “We support efforts to incentivize vet students studying large production animal medicine to practice in Idaho.” IFBF supports S1335.

Hemp Legislative Proposals Introduced

Two pieces of legislation relating to industrial hemp are moving forward this session, both aimed at providing clearer regulatory direction and greater certainty for Idaho agriculture and retail businesses. The Idaho Farm Bureau supports both measures as practical steps to strengthen Idaho’s hemp framework while maintaining compliance with federal law.

The first bill, H771, establishes new requirements governing the retail sale of hemp products in Idaho. This legislation reiterates that only naturally derived cannabidiol (CBD) is permitted in consumable or personal products sold in the state. All other cannabinoids, whether naturally occurring or synthetic, remain prohibited in retail products. The bill also creates a retail licensing structure administered by the Idaho Department of Agriculture (ISDA), requiring stores selling hemp products to obtain an annual license and submit to inspection and testing to ensure compliance. Civil penalties are established for violations, and the department is granted rulemaking authority to implement the program.

The second bill, H772, amends Idaho law to clarify when a hemp producer has not committed a negligent violation related to THC levels in a crop. Specifically, the legislation provides that a producer growing hemp solely for grain or fiber will not be considered negligent if they have made reasonable efforts to comply with state law and the state hemp plan and if the crop tests at no more than one percent total THC on a dry-weight basis. The bill maintains existing requirements for negotiated rulemaking, due process protections, and compliance with the federal 2018 Farm Bill.

Together, these bills provide important guardrails for Idaho’s hemp industry. The retail measure brings clarity to what products may legally be sold in the marketplace, while the production measure recognizes the practical realities faced by farmers growing hemp for grain and fiber. THC levels can fluctuate due to environmental factors beyond a producer’s control, and this clarification ensures that farmers acting in good faith are not penalized unnecessarily.

Idaho Farm Bureau supports both H771 and H772 because they promote regulatory certainty, protect responsible producers and retailers, and reinforce a stable and transparent hemp marketplace in Idaho (see IFBF Policy #136). As this sector continues to evolve, clear statutory guidance is essential to ensure Idaho agriculture remains competitive while maintaining public confidence in the state’s hemp program. IFBF supports H771 and H772.

Temporary Rules Bill Advances

The legislature has done an excellent job over the past few years tightening up the administrative rules process and strengthening legislative oversight. Since administrative rules have the force-and-effect of law, it is important for the legislature to exercise their constitutional oversight authority to ensure rules comply with the underlying laws. H539 is an additional, incremental step towards tying up some of the remaining loose ends.

H539 is focused on the circumstances under which temporary rules may be implemented by a state agency. Regulated stakeholders would prefer that the normal, negotiated rulemaking process be conducted whenever possible so they can provide input and be involved in the process. Temporary rules are just imposed by the agency and have no stakeholder input. Therefore, H539 places common-sense limits on the conditions under which temporary rules are allowed, which are primarily emergency situations.

H539 ensures that we avoid the endless loop of temporary rules that has occurred from time-to-time in the past by limiting the situations when substantially similar temporary rules may be re-adopted by an agency.

H539 also requires the Governor to publish a statement explaining why each temporary rule is necessary, thus ensuring an agency is not utilizing temporary rules without the knowledge or consent of the Governor.

H539 will work to limit the use of temporary rules to those narrow circumstances when negotiated rulemaking is not feasible or practical, and only then as a stop-gap measure until negotiated rules can be implemented.

This week the Senate State Affairs Committee sent H539 to the floor with a “do pass” recommendation. H539 was already approved in the House on a vote of 67-2. H539 is sponsored by Rep Jeff Ehlers (R-Meridian) and Sen Jim Guthrie (R-McCammon). IFBF supports H539.

Transmitting Game Camera for Wolf Trapping Bill Passes Committee

H678 unanimously passed out of committee this week. Sponsored by Representative Charlie Shepherd (R-Pollock), this bill establishes in code that wolf trappers must check their traps every three days; however, it establishes this does not have to be a physical check but can also be done by a transmitting game camera. This makes perfectly logical sense, as a trapper can monitor the trap by the minute rather than load up everything, create a human presence in the area, and find nothing there. This is a commonsense, twenty-first century fix to aid in successful wolf trapping. AFBF Policy 3.1.1 states, “We support wildlife control on public lands, including Fish and Wildlife Refuges, through public hunting and trapping where overpopulation exists. Government agencies should be required to manage wildlife on federal lands in a way that minimizes damage to private property, including crop damage and livestock depredation.” IFBF supports H678.