Idaho BHA | 2026 Legislative Session Recap

The 2026 Idaho legislative session was an active and consequential one for Idaho’s hunters, anglers, and public land advocates, and Idaho BHA was deeply engaged across a broad slate of legislation impacting wildlife management, public access, habitat connectivity, and the future of our public lands.

This session, Idaho BHA actively tracked and engaged on 11 pieces of legislation and resolutions, taking formal positions to support science-based wildlife governance, defend public lands, and advance commonsense conservation priorities.

A major focus this year was protecting public lands and public access. Idaho BHA strongly supported SJM 111 (passed), which affirms the importance of keeping public lands in public hands and recognizes the role these lands play in sustaining hunting, fishing, and outdoor traditions across Idaho. The chapter also opposed SJR 103 (dead), a constitutional amendment proposal related to lands acquired from the federal government, due to concerns over potential land transfer implications and the long-term risk to public access.

This work was reinforced by the release of Idaho BHA’s 2026 Economic Assessment on Proposals to Transfer Ownership of Federal Lands to the State of Idaho, which underscores the fiscal and management risks of federal land transfer proposals and strengthens the case for keeping these lands public.

Wildlife governance was another major priority. Idaho BHA formally opposed S 1300 (passed), which changes the appointment process for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game Director by shifting that authority from the Fish and Game Commission to the Governor. The chapter’s engagement emphasized the importance of preserving Idaho’s long-standing commission model, created by voters in 1938 to insulate wildlife management from shifting political pressures and keep decision-making grounded in science and the public trust.

This session also included one of the most consequential wildlife enforcement bills in recent memory. Idaho BHA opposed SB 1326 (passed) because the measure effectively eliminates the use of the Open Fields Doctrine in Idaho by prohibiting government agents from entering private lands without a warrant, consent, or exigent circumstances, while also creating potential civil liability for conservation officers. The chapter emphasized that wildlife is a public trust resource held for the benefit of all Idahoans and that effective enforcement of hunting, fishing, and trapping laws depends on officers’ ability to investigate violations wherever wildlife occurs. While Idaho BHA strongly supports private property rights and the stewardship role of landowners, the chapter warned that SB 1326 upsets the long-standing balance between constitutional privacy protections and the state’s responsibility to conserve and manage wildlife in the public trust.

The chapter also leaned into proactive conservation policy by supporting SCR 124 (passed) and HCR 26, both focused on wildlife crossings and habitat connectivity. These measures align closely with Idaho BHA’s work to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions, protect big game migration corridors, and improve public safety. Idaho continues to see significant wildlife collision impacts, and the chapter’s advocacy helped elevate the importance of strategic infrastructure investments that benefit both sportsmen and the broader public.

Additional engagement included support for HB 652 (passed), designating hunting as the official state sport, while opposing HB 677 (dead) related to blind location provisions and maintaining a watch position on measures involving wildlife relocation, predator control, FLPMA implementation, and other public lands proposals.

Taken together, the 2026 session demonstrated Idaho BHA’s grassroots commitment at the Capitol by activating BHA’s supporters to stand up for public lands, public trust resources and policies that protect Idaho’s hunting and angling heritage for future generations. While not every outcome aligned with our priorities, Idaho BHA was at the table on the issues that matter most to sportsmen and women across the state.