Idaho committee approves introduction of bill clarifying right to carry on certain leased public property

The House State Affairs Committee voted to introduce RS31959, a proposed change to Idaho Code intended to clarify that the right to carry firearms is not prohibited on state or local property that is habitually open to the public even when that property is leased or provided by contract to private parties.

Representative Dale Hawkins, R-District 2, told the committee the draft would amend Idaho Code 18-3302 to make clear "there will be no prohibitions on the right to carry firearms apart from any restrictions that may apply under other sections of this code." He described the measure as a cleanup to language from last year and said stakeholders including the NRA and the Ford Idaho Center had reviewed the draft.

Why it matters: The bill addresses a gap between lines of authority on publicly owned facilities that are operated under lease or contract, measures that committee members said could affect venues, colleges and other public spaces when private events or operators are involved.

Committee members pressed for specifics on how the language would interact with institutional policies. Representative Joel Achilles asked whether the measure would alter university policies such as Boise State’s policy on weapons on university premises; Hawkins said he had not reviewed Boise State’s policy but offered to obtain that information if the bill moves forward. Representative Larry Green asked whether the language could allow firearms at concerts; Hawkins replied the Ford Idaho Center’s current operating model is largely under contract and, in his view, that venue is not "habitually open" in a way that would exempt it from its existing no-firearms policy.

Several members raised hypotheticals about schools and fairgrounds. Representative Mickelson asked whether public schools, described as habitually open to the public, would be affected; Hawkins replied that the bill expressly preserves "any restrictions that may apply under other sections of Idaho Code." Representative Beckner (referred to in the transcript as Becker/Dygert interchange) and others asked whether private events that involve alcohol and security at fairgrounds could continue to restrict firearms; Hawkins said he could only speculate and offered to provide clarifying information.

The committee approved a motion by Representative Alfieri to introduce RS31959. Representative Achilles was recorded on the record voting no. The committee did not take final action beyond introduction.

What’s next: Because the committee only approved introduction, legislators and institutions asked staff to return with clarifications on how the bill would interact with university and venue policies before further action.