FIRE FIGHTING WATER – Allows water to be used to extinguish an existing fire with or without a water right. Codifies a Supreme Court ruling that water for a fire is an acceptable use.
Res. & Env. Comm.
2/1 Passed
68-0-2
HB 461
Supports
MINE TAILINGS BOND – Codifies present water resource department rule to have a bond for mine tailings and mine closure.
Res. & Env. Comm.
2/8
Passed
67-0-3
HB 494
Supports
I. B. PERRINE BRIDGE – Designates the bridge spanning the Snake River on U.S. Highway 93 south of Interstate Highway 84, near the City of Twin Falls, Idaho, as the I. B. Perrine Bridge.
3rd Reading Calendar
2/11
Passed
61-0-9
HB 544
Supports
WATER RIGHT ENLARGEMENT NOTIFICATION – Reduces the response period for the petition to assert injury from 120 days to 30 days and sets the date for mitigation.
3rd Reading Calendar
2/24
Passed
56-0-14
HB 545
Supports
CHANGE OF OWNERSHIP OF WATER RIGHTS – Extends the time periods for filing certain information with the Department of Water Resources; to charge for fees; and to provide a procedure for receiving notice of certain actions affecting a water right.
3rd Reading Calendar
2/24
Passed
57-0-13
HB 546
Supports
FRIVOLOUS PROTESTS – Authorizes the Director of the Department of Water Resources to impose sanctions for filing a protest of water right filings with the department that is not reasonably grounded in fact or law.
Res. & Env. Comm.
2/25
Passed
53-10-7
HB 732
Supports if amended
SALE OR TRANSFER OF ELECTRIC UTILITIES – Requires any authorization approving the sale or transfer of water rights used for generation shall protect the historic use of water and that the public interest relating to hydropower water rights will not be adversely affected.
3rd Reading Calendar
HB 747
No Position
SALES TAX EXEMPTIONS – Repeals certain sales tax exemptions and provides for an analysis of each exemption with a report to the Governor and the Legislature. Would impact irrigation organizations.
Rev. & Tax. Comm.
SB 1336
Supports
BIG PAYETTE WATER QUALITY PLAN – Provides that the Big Payette Lake Water Quality Council will assist and coordinate the implementation of the existing plan with federal, state and local authorities for an additional seven years.
2/8
Passed
34-0-1
2/25
Passed
57-0-13
SB 1337
Neutral
WATER RIGHTS FEES – Increases filing fees for a transfer application. The fee is based on the amount of water sought to be changed.
3/9
Passed
30-2-3
3rd Reading Calendar
SB 1338
Supports
WASTE IMPOUNDMENT STRUCTURES – Provides that the Department of Water Resources may enter into agreements with other state agencies to avoid duplicate regulation of impoundment structures.
3/9
Passed
31-0-4
3rd Reading Calendar
SB 1351
Supports
WATER PLAN – Clarifies that the Department of Water Resources is responsible for water quantity and the Division of Environmental Quality is responsible for water quality.
2/24
Passed
31-2-2
3rd Reading Calendar
SB 1407
Oppose unless amended
TRANSPORTATION – RIGHTS-0F-WAY – Clarifies mapping of highways and rights-of-way by commissioners of highway jurisdictions; to revise the use of surveys when a highway jurisdiction validates a highway or public right-of-way; to provide a procedure for validation of a federal land right-of-way; and to provide for recording acknowledgements of federal land rights-of way.
3rd Reading Calendar As Amended
SB 1408
Oppose unless amended
TRANSPORTATION – RIGHTS-OF-WAY – Revises the definition of a “public right-of-way”; to provide that gates are encroachments; to increase the fine for unlawful encroachments on public rights-of-way.
3rd Reading Calendar
SB 1418
Supports
MINIMUM WATER CHARGE – Amends 42-612 to provide for an annual minimum charge not to exceed fifty dollars per water user for watermaster services and provide a penalty for late assessments.
3/7
Passed
26-5-4
3rd Reading Calendar
SB 1419
Supports
OFF STREAM LIVESTOCK WATER RIGHTS – Allows an instream stockwater right to be changed to an off stream stockwater right through an expedited process without loss of priority.
3/14
Passed As Amended
35-0-0
Res. & Con. Comm.
SB 1423
Supports
NON-IRRIGATION PENALTY – Amends 42-1701B to increase the penalties for non-irrigation uses for water illegally used or diverted. The penalty increases from $50/day to $500/day per 0.1 c.f.s. or part thereof.
3/9
Failed
13-20-2
SB 1426
Supports
DIVISION OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY TO DEPARTMENT STATUS – Creates a Department of Environmental Quality and Board of Environmental Quality separate from the Department of Health and Welfare.
3/9
Passed
31-0-4
3rd Reading Calendar
SB 1447
Supports with amendments
FORFEITURE DEFENSES – Provides for specific defenses to forfeiture of water rights; and that the Director of the Department of Water Resources may approve a ground water management plan for water withdrawals.
3/9
Passed
31-0-4
3rd Reading Calendar
SB 1488
Supports
RARE AND DECLINING SPECIES CONSERVATION – Creates the Office of Rare and Declining Species Conservation within the Dept. of Fish and Game and will coordinate the implementation of conservation strategies regarding the management of rare and declining species with other state agencies.
Held in Res. & Env. Comm.
SB 1489
Supports
RESUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS BASED ON LOCAL PUBLIC INTEREST – When a transfer or application of a water right is denied or withdrawn because of the local public interest that change cannot be resubmitted for a 5 year period.
3/7
Passed
30-1-4
Res. & Con. Comm.
SB 1490
Supports
OFFICE OF SPECIES CONSERVATION – Creates an Office of Species Conservation in the Office of the Governor and provides for a delisting management team.
3/16
Passed
29-4-2
Res. & Con. Comm.
SB 1517
Supports
IRRIGATION PENALTY – Provides that persons who make a change to a lateral ditch or buried irrigation conduit contrary to the Idaho Code are guilty of a misdemeanor.
3rd Reading Calendar
SCR 145
Supports
MINIMUM STREAM FLOW – Approves an application of the Idaho Water Resource Board to appropriate water for a minimum stream flow on the North Fork Payette River tributary to Big Payette Lake and the Payette River.
