House committee sends bill to keep county fair governance as-is, repeal population threshold

The House Agriculture Affairs Committee on an aye voice vote sent House Bill 106 to the full House with a recommendation that it receive a “do pass” on second reading.

Representative Gerald Raymond, sponsor of the bill, told the committee HB 106 would repeal Idaho Code section 202A, the provision that sets a population threshold that once crossed allows county commissioners to convert a county fair board into an advisory-only body. “If we remove the threshold, the remaining counties in the state would remain status quo,” Raymond said, and the bill would grandfather the two counties that already operate under the advisory-board model while spelling out a path for those counties to return to the previous governance if they choose.

The bill drew extended public testimony from fair officials and agricultural organizations. Linda Bridal, a member of the…