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Idaho committee sends bill to expand carry rights on government property to the House
Summary
The committee voted to send House Bill 376 to the House floor with a “do pass” recommendation. The bill would clarify that people may carry firearms on government-owned property that is "normally and habitually open to the public," while explicitly leaving school and university restrictions unchanged, proponents said.
A legislative committee voted to send House Bill 376 to the full House with a “do pass” recommendation after proponents said the bill would clarify where Idahoans may carry firearms on government-owned property.
Rep. Dale Hawkins, the bill sponsor, told the committee the bill focuses on the phrase "normally and habitually open to the public," and would prevent ad hoc restrictions on routine public places. "The changes proposed in the legislation concern the people's right to carry firearms on property owned by the States and its political subdivisions and is normally habitually open to the public," Hawkins said, adding that the change is intended to avoid sudden, temporary prohibitions on places where people commonly carry.
Supporters, including Scott Herndon of Sagle, testified that the bill responds to court interpretations arising from Herndon v. City of Sandpoint and to language left unresolved by last year’s legislation. "House bill 376 basically deals with those 3 scenarios," Herndon said, referring to exceptions left in last session's bill for ticketed commercial events, invitation-only events, and events with clearly restricted access. Herndon and Hawkins both said the bill does not override statutory restrictions on courts, schools or universities.
Opponents warned the change could remove certainty for private organizers who rent public spaces. "I'm disappointed to see this because I think we're unwinding what was good legislation before," Representative Achilles said, arguing that the earlier measure clarified rules for private events in public parks and should not be rolled back.
Committee members asked multiple questions about how the bill would apply to venues that are government-owned but operated by private contractors. Herndon testified that facilities such as the Ford Idaho Center in Nampa typically operate by contract for every event and are not "normally and habitually open to the public," so their event restrictions would remain in place, he said.
The committee recorded two members as voting no; the motion to send the bill to the floor with a due-pass recommendation carried.
If passed by the House, the bill would next proceed through the legislative calendar to the full chamber for debate and a vote.
