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LEGISLATURE
OF
THE
STATE
OF
IDAHO
Sixty-eighth
Legislature
Second
Regular
Session
-
2026
IN
THE
HOUSE
OF
REPRESENTATIVES
HOUSE
BILL
NO.
503
BY
RESOURCES
AND
CONSERVATION
COMMITTEE
AN
ACT
1
RELATING
TO
THE
SOIL
AND
WATER
CONSERVATION
COMMISSION;
AMENDING
SECTION
2
22
-
2718,
IDAHO
CODE,
TO
REVISE
PROVISIONS
REGARDING
THE
IDAHO
STATE
3
SOIL
AND
WATER
CONSERVATION
COMMISSION;
AND
DECLARING
AN
EMERGENCY
AND
4
PROVIDING
AN
EFFECTIVE
DATE.
5
Be
It
Enacted
by
the
Legislature
of
the
State
of
Idaho:
6
SECTION
1.
That
Section
22
-
2718,
Idaho
Code,
be,
and
the
same
is
hereby
7
amended
to
read
as
follows:
8
22
-
2718.
IDAHO
STATE
SOIL
AND
WATER
CONSERVATION
COMMISSION.
(1)
9
There
is
hereby
established
and
created
in
the
department
of
agriculture
10
department
of
water
resources
of
the
state
of
Idaho
the
Idaho
state
soil
and
1
1
water
conservation
commission
which
shall
perform
all
functions
conferred
12
upon
it
by
this
chapter
and
shall
be
a
nonregulatory
agency.
13
(a)
The
commission
shall
consist
of
seven
(7)
members
appointed
by
the
14
governor
from
divisions
of
the
Idaho
association
of
soil
conservation
15
districts
as
follows:
one
(1)
member
from
division
I,
one
(1)
member
16
from
division
II,
one
(1)
member
from
division
III,
one
(1)
member
from
17
division
IV,
one
(1)
member
from
division
V,
one
(1)
member
from
divi
-
18
sion
VI,
and
one
(1)
at
-
large
member
appointed
at
the
governor's
discre
-
19
tion.
20
(b)
Commission
members
shall
be
chosen
with
due
regard
to
their
demon
-
21
strated
expertise,
including
knowledge
of
conservation
districts
and
22
their
functions,
knowledge
of
production
agriculture,
knowledge
of
23
banking
or
other
similar
financial
experience,
or
experience
as
a
24
county
commissioner.
25
(c)
Commissioners
serving
on
July
1,
2022,
will
be
assigned
to
the
di
-
26
visions
that
they
would
represent.
On
July
1,
2022,
current
commission
-
27
ers,
at
the
will
of
the
governor,
will
be
reappointed
to
the
position
28
representing
the
divisions
in
which
they
live.
29
(d)
For
divisions
that
have
vacant
positions,
or
divisions
with
no
cur
-
30
rent
commissioner
residing
there,
the
division
shall
submit
a
list
of
31
up
to
three
(3)
names
for
each
open
commission
position.
The
governor
32
shall
appoint
commission
seats
from
the
list
submitted.
33
(e)
The
term
of
each
commissioner
shall
be
for
five
(5)
years,
with
the
34
ability
to
serve
two
(2)
terms;
except
that
on
July
1,
2022,
the
terms
of
35
each
commission
position
will
be
reset:
The
term
of
the
commissioners
36
from
districts
I
and
IV
will
be
set
for
two
(2)
years.
The
term
of
the
37
commissioners
from
districts
II
and
V
will
be
set
for
three
(3)
years.
38
The
term
of
the
commissioners
from
districts
III
and
VI
and
the
at
-
large
39
commissioner
will
be
set
for
four
(4)
years.
From
and
after
the
initial
40
appointment
or
reappointment,
commissioners
may
serve
two
(2)
full
41
terms
of
five
(5)
years,
in
addition
to
their
initial
appointment.
From
42
2
and
after
the
initial
appointment,
the
corresponding
division
shall
1
provide
the
list
of
three
(3)
names
to
the
governor
to
choose
from
on
or
2
before
July
1
of
each
year
with
a
vacancy.
3
(f)
Each
vacancy
on
the
commission
shall
be
filled
by
appointment
by
4
the
governor
following
the
guidelines
set
forth
in
this
subsection.
A
5
vacancy
that
occurs
in
an
unexpired
term
shall
also
be
filled
for
its
6
remainder
by
the
governor's
appointment
following
the
guidelines
set
7
forth
in
this
subsection.
Each
commissioner
appointed
to
fill
an
unex
-
8
pired
term
may
serve
the
length
of
the
unexpired
term
and
be
eligible
to
9
be
reappointed
for
an
additional
two
(2)
full
terms.
10
(g)
All
appointments
shall
be
confirmed
by
the
senate.
Commission
mem
-
1
1
bers
shall
serve
at
the
pleasure
of
the
governor.
The
commission
may
in
-
12
vite
the
state
conservationist
of
the
United
States
department
of
agri
-
13
culture
natural
resources
conservation
service,
the
dean
of
the
uni
-
14
versity
of
Idaho
college
of
agricultural
and
life
sciences
or
his
des
-
15
ignated
representative,
or
any
other
person
or
entities
the
commission
16
deems
appropriate
to
serve
as
nonvoting
advisory
members
of
the
commis
-
17
sion.
The
commission
shall
keep
a
record
of
its
official
actions,
shall
18
adopt
a
seal,
which
seal
shall
be
judicially
noticed,
and
may
perform
19
such
acts,
hold
such
public
hearings,
and
promulgate
such
rules
as
may
20
be
necessary
for
the
execution
of
its
functions
under
this
chapter.
21
(2)
The
state
soil
and
water
conservation
commission
shall
appoint
22
the
administrator
of
the
state
soil
and
water
conservation
commission.
The
23
state
soil
and
water
conservation
commission
may
employ
such
technical
ex
-
24
perts
and
such
other
agents
and
employees,
permanent
and
temporary,
as
it
25
may
require,
and
shall
determine
their
qualifications,
duties
and
compen
-
26
sation.
The
commission
may
call
upon
the
attorney
general
of
the
state
for
27
such
legal
services
as
it
may
require.
It
shall
have
authority
to
delegate
to
28
its
chairman,
to
one
(1)
or
more
of
its
members,
or
to
one
(1)
or
more
agents
29
or
employees,
such
powers
and
duties
as
it
may
deem
proper.
The
commission
30
may
establish
offices,
incur
expenses,
enter
into
contracts
and
acquire
31
services
and
personal
property
as
may
be
reasonable
for
the
proper
adminis
-
32
tration
and
enforcement
of
this
chapter.
Upon
request
of
the
commission,
for
33
the
purpose
of
carrying
out
any
of
its
functions,
the
supervising
officer
of
34
any
state
agency,
or
of
any
state
institution
of
learning,
shall
insofar
as
35
may
be
possible
under
available
appropriation,
and
having
due
regard
to
the
36
needs
of
the
agency
to
which
the
request
is
directed,
assign
or
detail
to
the
37
commission
members
of
the
staff
or
personnel
of
such
agency
or
institution
of
38
learning,
and
make
such
special
reports,
surveys
or
studies
as
the
commis
-
39
sion
may
request.
40
(3)
The
commission
shall
designate
its
chairman,
and
may
from
time
to
41
time,
change
such
designation.
A
majority
of
the
commission
shall
consti
-
42
tute
a
quorum
and
the
concurrency
of
a
majority
in
any
matter
within
their
43
duties
shall
be
required
for
its
determination.
The
chairman
and
members
of
44
the
commission
shall
be
compensated
as
provided
by
section
59
-
509(h),
Idaho
45
Code.
The
commission
shall
provide
for
the
execution
of
surety
bonds
for
46
all
employees
and
officers
who
shall
be
entrusted
with
funds
or
property;
47
shall
provide
for
the
keeping
of
a
full
and
accurate
record
of
all
proceed
-
48
ings
and
of
all
resolutions,
and
orders
issued
or
adopted;
and
shall
provide
49
for
a
periodic
management
review
of
the
accounts
of
receipts
and
disburse
-
50
3
ments
as
determined
by
the
legislative
auditor
pursuant
to
section
67
-
702,
1
Idaho
Code.
2
(4)
In
addition
to
the
duties
and
powers
hereinafter
conferred
upon
the
3
state
soil
and
water
conservation
commission,
it
shall
have
the
following
4
responsibilities:
5
(a)
To
offer
such
assistance
as
may
be
appropriate
to
the
supervisors
of
6
soil
conservation
districts
in
the
carrying
out
of
any
of
their
powers
7
and
programs.
8
(b)
To
keep
the
supervisors
of
each
of
the
several
soil
conservation
9
districts
informed
of
the
activities
and
experience
of
all
other
soil
10
conservation
districts
and
to
facilitate
an
interchange
of
advice
and
1
1
experience
between
such
districts
and
cooperation
between
them.
12
(c)
To
coordinate
the
progress
of
the
several
soil
conservation
dis
-
13
tricts
so
far
as
this
may
be
done
by
advice
and
consultation.
14
(d)
To
secure
the
cooperation
and
assistance
of
the
United
States
and
15
any
of
its
agencies,
and
of
agencies
of
this
state,
in
the
work
of
such
16
districts.
17
(e)
To
disseminate
information
throughout
the
state
concerning
the
ac
-
18
tivities
and
programs
of
the
soil
conservation
districts
in
areas
where
19
their
organization
is
desirable.
20
(f)
To
provide
for
the
establishment
and
encouragement
of
the
"Idaho
21
OnePlan"
as
a
primary
computer
-
based
conservation
planning
process
for
22
all
natural
resource
concerns.
Establishment
and
encouragement
will
23
be
accomplished
through
an
executive
group
and
steering
committee
both
24
containing
private,
state
and
federal
representation.
The
information
25
provided
by
those
using
the
"Idaho
OnePlan"
shall
be
deemed
to
be
trade
26
secrets,
production
records
or
other
proprietary
information
and
shall
27
be
kept
confidential
and
shall
be
exempt
from
disclosure
pursuant
to
28
section
74
-
107,
Idaho
Code.
29
(5)
In
addition
to
other
powers,
functions
and
duties
of
soil
conserva
-
30
tion
districts
and
the
state
soil
and
water
conservation
commission
provided
31
in
this
chapter,
the
commission
shall
have
the
following
additional
powers,
32
functions
and
duties:
33
(a)
The
commission
shall
conduct,
in
cooperation
with
appropriate
fed
-
34
eral
and
state
agencies
and
the
owners
and
operators
of
privately
owned
35
forest
lands,
rangelands
and
agricultural
lands
in
this
state,
conser
-
36
vation
improvements
on
or
in
respect
to
these
lands
for
the
purposes
of
37
implementing
conservation
systems
to
conserve
and
improve
natural
re
-
38
source
conditions;
39
(b)
The
commission
shall
assist
and
advise
soil
conservation
districts
40
and
other
entities
in
implementing
the
conservation
improvements,
41
projects
and
the
water
quality
program
for
agriculture.
To
the
extent
42
that
there
are
available
general
funds,
the
commission
shall
provide
43
for
grants
and
cost
-
share
opportunities
and,
as
legislatively
desig
-
44
nated,
utilize
the
resource
conservation
and
rangeland
development
45
fund
for
loans
for
conservation
improvements.
Provided
however,
that
46
the
commission
shall
determine
whether
general
or
resource
conserva
-
47
tion
and
rangeland
development
funds
are
available
before
approving
any
48
conservation
improvements,
projects
and
cost
-
share
opportunities
and,
49
4
after
having
made
such
determination,
shall
enter
into
the
necessary
1
contracts
for
implementation;
2
(c)
The
commission
shall
be
the
agency
responsible
for
the
administra
-
3
tion
of
funds
accruing
to
the
resource
conservation
and
rangeland
de
-
4
velopment
fund
and
for
all
general
funds
appropriated
as
a
separate
and
5
distinct
action
of
the
legislature
to
implement
the
powers,
functions
6
and
duties
of
soil
conservation
districts
and
the
commission;
7
(d)
On
or
before
March
1
of
each
year,
the
commission
shall
report
to
the
8
senate
agricultural
affairs
committee
and
the
house
agricultural
af
-
9
fairs
committee;
and
10
(e)
The
commission
shall
promulgate
such
rules
as
are
necessary
to
1
1
carry
out
the
purposes
of
this
chapter.
12
SECTION
2.
An
emergency
existing
therefor,
which
emergency
is
hereby
13
declared
to
exist,
this
act
shall
be
in
full
force
and
effect
on
and
after
14
July
1,
2026.
15