Rating: 0

Bill Summary:

Senate Bill 1041 amends Idaho Code §42-909 to clarify the process for appointing and compensating managers of distributing laterals, ditches, and other irrigation conduits used jointly by multiple water users. The bill affirms that if no manager is chosen by the users, a watermaster may appoint one at the request of a user. Alternatively, if the conduit is owned by an irrigation district, canal company, or similar entity, the board of directors may appoint a manager instead.

The bill specifies that the compensation for the appointed manager is determined either by the watermaster or the irrigation entity’s board, depending on who made the appointment. Costs are shared proportionally among water users based on irrigated acreage. It allows the irrigation entity’s secretary to collect fees on behalf of the manager and provides a mechanism for collecting delinquent payments. The bill includes an emergency clause and takes effect July 1, 2025.

Reason for Rating:

S1041 is a technical and administrative refinement that clarifies irrigation conduit management without significantly impacting core Republican platform principles. It does not expand government power, impose new mandates, or create new spending. While it supports agricultural infrastructure and cooperative water use—values generally upheld in the platform—it does not fundamentally advance or threaten individual liberty, fiscal restraint, or limited government. As such, the bill is best rated as neutral.

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