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Senator Anthon backs loosening irrigation district board residency rules to expand candidate pool
Summary
S 1337 would allow landowners who own land in a division and live in the same or an adjoining county to serve on irrigation district boards for districts under 15,000 acres; proponents said it eases difficulty finding qualified directors and requires a two‑thirds local board adoption.
Senator Anthon told the Senate Resources & Environment Committee that S 1337 would "allow landowners to serve on a board as long as they owned land in the division being represented and lived in the same or an adjoining county as the district," a change intended to widen the pool of eligible board candidates in districts under 15,000 acres.
Paul Arrington of the Idaho Water Users Association testified in favor, saying consolidation of farms had reduced the number of local landowners willing or available to serve on irrigation boards. Senator VanOrden clarified that any local board must adopt the change and that the adoption requires a two‑thirds vote by that local board. Senator VanOrden moved to send S 1337 to the floor with a do‑pass recommendation; Senator Okuniewicz seconded and the motion carried by voice vote.
