IDL's Legislation
Wildland Firefighter Differential Pay
Suppressing wildland fires is an inherently dangerous job given exposures to flames, smoke, aircraft accidents, and the rough and remote terrain that is often far from medical facilities. IDL competes against surrounding states and the federal government to recruit and retain qualified wildland firefighting personnel. Because other jurisdictions provide their wildland firefighters hazard differential pay equal to 25% of hourly rates while engaged in fire suppression activities, we face a significant recruitment and retention impediment. Additionally, when firefighters from other jurisdictions that offer hazard pay are deployed on IDL fires, they receive hazard pay at our expense. This bill compensates IDL's wildland firefighters for working under dangerous conditions and helps protect Idaho's public and private forests and rangeland by allowing us to offer Wildland Firefighter Differential Pay, which will improve firefighter recruitment and retention.
- Dustin Miller and Scott Phillips met with Representative Holtzclaw, Chairman of the House Commerce & Human Resources Committee on January 25.
- Dustin Miller and Scott Phillips met with Senator Patrick, Chairman of the Senate Commerce and Human Resources Committee on January 25.
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HB588 was unanimously approved for printing on Feb. 9. Rep. Dixon is carrying the bill.
- IDL is working with the House Commerce and Human Resources Committee to schedule a hearing for the bill.
Preventing Damage to Endowment Land
The Land Board seeks to keep endowment land open for recreational use by the public when such use does not impede the Board's constitutional mandate to maximize long-term returns for the beneficiaries. While most recreational users behave responsibly, occasionally members of the public cause substantial damage to gates, fences, timber, or areas closed to motorized vehicles. Currently, those who damage endowment land may only face misdemeanor or felony charges, but prosecuting attorneys are reluctant to bring such heavy-handed charges forward for minor offenses. This bill establishes infraction-level charges for violating restrictions on the use of endowment land, provided the public is given notice of the restrictions.
IDL Budget
IDL's budget will be set by the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee, Monday, February 28.
Updates about IDL's Decision Unit Requests
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Engine Boss Positions - There may be some confusion regarding requests for engine boss positions made by IDL and CPTPA and SITPA (TPAs). IDL has requested a total of ten .83 FTP engine bosses. Independent of IDL, the TPAs have requested approximately $218,000 to fund four of their own engine boss positions (2 for CPTPA & 2 for SITPA).
- In developing our FY2023 budget request, IDL utilized the Star Fire analysis' review of the entire state for fire occurrence, fire intensity, fuels, etc. While IDL has ultimate responsibility for the fire protection on state lands and private forest lands, we are not involved in the budgeting nor organizational charts of our cooperators. Idaho's TPAs are a bit different from the rest of our cooperators in that we conduct an annual readiness review to ensure the TPAs can fulfill their commitment through their Fire Protection Agreements with IDL. However, we do not control how the TPAs develop their budgets, establish their organizational charts, or how they compensate their employees.
- When IDL received the Star Fire analysis we reviewed it in the context of the IDL-staffed Forest Protective Districts as that is our scope for budgeting and personnel management. IDL did not look at the analysis for the totality of protection on state land and private forest land, but rather what is currently in IDL's direct protection responsibility.
- It is appropriate, and IDL supports, the enhancement requests put forth by the TPAs as they are in alignment with the Star Fire analysis results.
- Based on direction IDL received from DFM, we did not include the TPAs enhancement requests (i.e. 4 engine bosses) in our budget. The TPAs have submitted their own decision unit requests through separate processes.
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Fire Business System - The department has worked with Legislators to address questions regarding the Gold's Fire Business System decision unit request, a $1 million dedicated fund ask.
Non-IDL Legislation
EFIB Budget
HB479 - UTV Definition
HB504 - Educational Reimbursement Program
- This legislation adds to existing law to establish an educational reimbursement program
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Status – printed and referred to Commerce & Human Resources
HB587- Department of Lands
- This legislation creates a gubernatorial appointed ombudsman to oversee IDL trust land related operations and requires IDL staff engaged in trust land management work to have "significant industry experience" to be eligible for IDL employment
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Status - printed and referred to House Resources & Conservation Committee
HB629 - Idaho Administrative Procedure Act
- This legislation establishes an independent Office of Administrative Hearings
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Status – printed and referred to Judiciary, Rules & Administration
S1251 - State Lands, Exchange
- This legislation amends the existing law to provide for written agreement of permittees and private right holders prior to the exchange of federally managed lands
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Status – printed and referred to Resources & Environment Committee
S1252 – Taylor Grazing Act
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This legislation amends existing law to revise provisions regarding grazing preference rights to clarify that grazing preferences are compensable property rights
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Status – printed and referred to Resources & Environment Committee
Rulemaking
In general, the Legislature first sets broad policy mandates by passing statutes, then state agencies create more detailed administrative rules based on those statutes. Administrative rules are designed to facilitate the implementation of laws. This process allows for the public and more detailed scientific, economic, or industry expertise to help guide how statutes are implemented by state agencies.
Log Scaling
The Idaho Board of Scaling Practices is proposing adoption of a new cubic log scaling manual to give another option as to how logs are scaled. This is an alternative to the current "Idaho Log Scaling Manual" and is not meant as a replacement. The current rules allow for cubic log scaling but the board does not have a manual that establishes the rules and procedures for cubic log scaling. A rule is needed to maintain a consistent cubic scale volume anywhere within the state should parties elect to scale in cubic volume. This rulemaking does not change any of the fees currently imposed and the fees noted are the previously approved and codified fees.
Forest Practices
The Forest Practices Advisory Committee voted to recommend language to the State Board of Land Commissions which will simplify the "Shade Rule" next to fish-bearing (Class I) streams and refine the definition of Class I streams to apply only to aquatic life beneficial use. Changes will make compliance easier and less costly with the objective being to retain management options for landowners while still affording appropriate protections to stream shade and large organic debris recruitment.
Rules specific to the use of ground-based equipment on steep slopes have also been updated due to technological changes in the industry which allows machinery to operate safely on steep slopes while minimizing soil disturbance. These technological advances have resulted in a reduction in injuries and improvements in harvest efficiency. The proposed changes will reduce the rule set length, simplify the language, promote rule understanding, and provide economic benefit while maintaining or enhancing water-quality protection.
Public Trust
With this rulemaking the overall regulatory burden has been reduced by decreasing both total word count and the number of restrictive words in this new chapter. Application fees have been increased to cover the costs of reviewing applications, and appraisals, if needed, will now be paid for by the applicant and will not be performed by department staff. The director's approval authority is increased from $10,000 to $25,000 which corresponds with approval authority for easements on endowment lands.
Reauthorization of Existing Fee Rules
This rulemaking publishes rule chapters previously submitted to and reviewed by the Legislature.
Reauthorization of Existing Non-Fee Rules
This rulemaking publishes rule chapters previously submitted to and reviewed by the Legislature.
Legislative Hearings, Deadlines & Events
February 4 - Bill and Joint Resolution Legislative Services Office RS Deadline
- An RS is a “routing slip” number used by the Legislature to identify draft legislation. RSs may or may not become bills and cannot be posted on the Internet until they achieve official bill status. (Read More)
February 8 - Idaho Farm Bureau Federation Legislative Dinner
- Dustin Miller and Scott Phillips were invited to represent IDL at the event, scheduled for 6:00 pm MT at the Riverside Hotel in Boise.
February 9- House Commerce and Human Resources
- The committee held a print hearing for RS29124, will hear H0468, IDL's legislation for Wildland Firefighter Differential Pay
February 9 - Idaho Mining Association Legislative Dinner
- Dustin Miller and Scott Phillips were invited to represent IDL at the event, scheduled for 5:30 pm MT at the Idaho State Historical Museum, located at Julia Davis Park in Boise.
February 14 - 36th Day Deadline for Committee Introduction of Bills, Constitutional Amendments & Joint Resolutions (S. Rule 11 & H. Rule 6)
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Senate Rule 11 establishes time limits on members of the Idaho Senate introducing bills. House Rule 6 establishes similar time limits for members of the Idaho House.
March 3 - Association of Logging Contractors
- ALC board members will be at the statehouse and will likely set up a meeting with Dustin Miller and Craig Foss.
- ALC is hosting a reception from 4:30 - 7 pm at the Crystal Ballroom.
March 7 - 57th Day Transmittal Date & Target Date for All Transmittals Between Houses
- Joint Rule 20 sets the time frame that amendments to the state constitution must be introduced on or before and transmitted between legislative bodies. Transmittal describes the process of moving approved legislation from one body to the next.
March 25 - Target Date for Sine Die
- The phrase sine die, Latin for "without a day," describes the conclusion of a meeting by a deliberative body, such as the legislature, without setting a day to reconvene.
Reports Due to the Legislature
Annual Report
Annually on or before December 1, IDL is required to report to the Board concerning the condition, management and financial transactions of the department.
GNA
IDL shall report to the legislature and federal agencies, as appropriate (at least annually) as to the status and performance of any proposed or executive agreements under GNA. (A new fact sheet is in progress that might be included with this report/Shared Stewardship Information sheet could be included also.)
Land Exchange
On or before January 15 of each year, the Land Board shall submit a report of al state endowment lands exchanged and acquired and all appraisals, and review appraisals conducted, to both houses of the legislature and to the audit division of the legislative service office.
Procurement
Each agency must report annually to the legislature on all qualifying contracts entered into by the agency the previous year. It must include the following for each contract: the amount, the duration, the parties, and the subject.
OHV Fund
IDL shall annually publish a report specifically identifying the uses of money allocated pursuant to the subsection.
Idaho Timber Plates
IDL shall prepare an annual report (available on request) that is sent to ITD regarding revenues and expenditures associated with funds collected for the special license plate.
Germane Committees
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