Sen. Foreman’s bill to require 30‑day public comment on Fish and Game season proclamations held by committee

BOISE — The Senate Resources & Environment Committee on Feb. 4 heard testimony on S 1238, a bill from Sen. Foreman that would require Idaho Fish and Game to provide a 30‑day public comment period before the Fish and Game Commission adopts, repeals, or amends season‑setting proclamations.

Foreman told the committee the measure was intended to provide a consistent, longer window for sportsmen to comment, and that it had been coordinated with Idaho Fish and Game management and endorsed by the Idaho Wildlife Federation. He also acknowledged a potential unintended impact on outfitters and asked the committee to hold the bill subject to the call of the chair.

Representatives of the Idaho Outfitter and Guides Association, including Eric Weiseth (executive director) and Jeff Bitton (president), testified against the bill in its current form, saying they were not opposed to public comment generally but were worried about timing. They said outfitters typically receive final tag allocations in mid‑May for fall hunts, and extending or shifting the commission’s season‑setting timeline could further narrow the window for selling guided trips. They also noted the bill did not specify whether the 30‑day period would occur before or after a season setting.

Ellary Tucker‑Williams, legislative and community engagement coordinator for Idaho Fish and Game, told the committee the agency does not take positions on legislation but that the commission would need to reassess timelines to implement a fixed 30‑day written comment period. She said IDFG already offered public comment opportunities at multiple points that ranged from two to four weeks depending on timelines, and that most written comments arrived at the beginning or end of an open period. Tucker‑Williams said IDFG’s intent would be to adjust front‑end timelines to avoid disrupting activities such as the March commission meeting, but she cautioned that implementation would be challenging and that factors such as late data from hard winters could affect timetables.

After discussion about whether the longer comment window could be crafted to protect outfitters’ sales cycles, Sen. Okuniewicz moved to hold the bill subject to the call of the chair; Sen. Taylor seconded and the motion carried by voice vote.

The committee did not take further action on S 1238 at the Feb. 4 meeting. The bill remains held subject to the chair’s call pending any drafting changes or further scheduling.