Judiciary & Rules committee backs printing limits, approves multiple RSs and forwards landlord-tenant reorganization bill to floor

The Senate Judiciary & Rules Committee voted to support the joint printing committee’s recommendation to limit printed session laws and took several procedural votes to send research statutes (RSs) to print. The committee also voted to send Senate Bill 1043 — a reorganization of landlord-tenant statutes that removes the last reference to coverture in Idaho law — to the floor with a due pass recommendation.

Jennifer Novak, secretary of the Senate and a member of the joint printing committee, told senators the committee recommended “the continued endorsement of limiting the printing of the session laws to a maximum of 90 copies given the accessibility and decrease in expenditures associated with online access,” citing Idaho Code section 67-509.

The committee approved that recommendation by voice vote after a motion to support the recommendation. The chair indicated the endorsement will proceed to the Senate floor for ultimate approval.

Senator Tammy Nichols presented RS 32346, described as cleanup and implementation changes to a previously passed Gaston license plate program. Nichols said the RS “expands eligibility. It removes the 26,000 pound limit so that more Idahoans can participate with this license plate,” refines design language specifying a bright yellow-and-black plate with the snake centered, directs fund allocations toward in-person firearm safety education, and establishes a volunteer Idaho firearm safety education committee to assist with grant management; she said the change carries no general-fund impact.

RS 32367 was presented as technical clarifications related to Senate Bill 1050 (listed in the record as SB 1050) that change a clause from “shall” to “may,” permit “up to” a specified number of placement counseling sessions rather than a fixed number, and correct punctuation/language to avoid confusion in legal text.

Senator Brian Lenny summarized two additional RSs (RS 32355 and RS 32356) that reflect rule-review actions from the Commerce Committee; one set of rules was approved with exceptions and another RS records rules rejected for inconsistent legislative intent. The committee voted to send both RSs to print.

Senator Ali Rabe (District 16) presented Senate Bill 1043, a reorganization of landlord-tenant code that moves frequently used provisions to the top of the statutory sections and removes the single remaining reference to coverture, a historical legal doctrine. Rabe described the measure as largely non-substantive rearrangement intended to make the statutes easier to navigate for landlords, property managers and tenants; he asked for a due pass recommendation. The committee voted to forward Senate Bill 1043 to the floor with a due pass.

Votes at a glance

- Joint Printing Committee recommendation (Idaho Code §67-509): Motion to support approved by voice vote; recommendation to limit printed session-law copies to 90; forwards to Senate floor for final approval.

- RS 32346 (Gaston license plate implementation/cleanup): Motion to send to print approved by voice vote; mover and second recorded in transcript as provided during the meeting.

- RS 32367 (clarifications to SB 1050: counseling and placement language): Motion to send to print approved by voice vote.

- RS 32355 and RS 32356 (Commerce rule-review results): Motion to send both RSs to print approved by voice vote.

- Senate Bill 1043 (landlord-tenant code reorganization; remove reference to coverture): Motion to send to the floor with a due pass approved by voice vote; mover: Senator Keiser; second: Senator Foreman; motion carries.

The committee used voice votes for the items recorded here; roll-call tallies were not provided in the transcript. Items sent to print or to the floor will proceed through standard legislative processing.