Rating: 0

Bill Summary:

Senate Bill 1003 amends Idaho Code §36-1402 to prohibit individuals from applying for any hunting, fishing, or trapping license, tag, or permit if they have outstanding fines, reimbursement, or restitution obligations resulting from Fish and Game violations. This restriction applies to all applicants, including lifetime license holders, unless the individual is on an approved payment plan and not more than 90 days in arrears. The bill includes an emergency clause and takes effect July 1, 2025.

Reason for Rating:

While the bill enforces personal accountability for wildlife-related violations and aligns with principles of law and order, it introduces a significant condition to exercising rights recognized as fundamental under the Idaho Constitution and valued by the Idaho Republican Party Platform. Specifically, hunting, fishing, and trapping are defined as heritage rights, not privileges. Conditioning access to those rights on the full payment of fines — including in cases where no new violations have occurred — risks transforming constitutionally protected activity into a financial transaction. Although the bill does not expand government or create new bureaucracy, it introduces a potentially overreaching mechanism that could conflict with the platform’s commitment to individual rights and restrained government power. As such, the bill is best viewed as neutral in its alignment with the platform.