The House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee met in executive session on Feb. 18, 2025, and took formal action on multiple bills. The committee adopted an amendment and reported a substitute for House Bill 1563 with a due pass recommendation; it also reported House Bill 1609 and the proposed substitute to House Bill 1707 with due pass recommendations. The committee deferred action on House Bill 1608 and House Bill 1735.

House Bill 1563 (prescribed fire claims fund pilot)
Representative Melanie Morgan (Vice Chair) moved that House Bill 15 63 be reported out of committee with a due pass recommendation and the committee moved to adopt amendment H1463.1. Representative Dent explained the amendment addresses stakeholder concerns and clarifies eligible claim types and definitions. The adopted amendment broadened landscape references, allowed local government entities to be supported for prescribed burning, removed DNR fire suppression costs from an eligible claim type, and revised the definition of cultural fire practitioner to require tribal approval rather than mere association.

Final committee roll call on the substitute produced 9 ayes and 2 nays. Vote record (as called): Representative Reeves — yes; Representative Morgan — yes; Representative Dent — yes; Representative Engle — yes; Representative Birnbaum — yes; Representative McClintock — yes; Representative Nance — yes; Representative Orcutt — no (nay without recommendation); Representative Richards — yes; Representative Schmick — no (nay without recommendation); Representative Springer — yes. The chair announced the result: "By your vote, due pass recommendation." Several members noted further work remains on the bill even after the amendment’s adoption.

House Bill 1609 (designee for superintendent on Board of Natural Resources)
The committee moved and seconded a motion that House Bill 16 09 be reported out with a due pass recommendation. There were no amendments. The final roll call mirrored the substitute vote pattern: 9 ayes and 2 nays. Vote record (as called): Representative Reeves — yes; Representative Morgan — yes; Representative Dent — yes; Representative Engle — yes; Representative Birnbaum — yes; Representative McClintock — yes; Representative Nance — yes; Representative Orcutt — no (nay without recommendation); Representative Richards — yes; Representative Schmick — no (nay without recommendation); Representative Springer — yes. The committee reported HB 1609 to the next stage with a due pass recommendation.

House Bill 1707 (process before listing agricultural crops as noxious weeds)
The committee moved the proposed substitute of House Bill 17 07 and after discussion the roll call result was 9 ayes and 2 nays. Vote record (as called): Representative Reeves — yes; Representative Morgan — yes; Representative Dent — yes; Representative Engle — yes; Representative Birnbaum — yes; Representative McClintock — yes; Representative Nance — no (nay without recommendation); Representative Orcutt — yes; Representative Richards — no (nay without recommendation); Representative Schmick — yes; Representative Springer — yes. The chair announced the substitute was reported out with a due pass recommendation.

Deferrals
The committee announced it was deferring action on House Bill 16 08 (prohibit selling/possessing farmed octopuses) and House Bill 17 35 (force feeding of birds/foie gras) and said sponsors would be contacted for follow-up work.

Notes on process and next steps
Committee members used roll-call votes to decide reporting recommendations for three items and adopted one amendment on the floor of the committee. Multiple members expressed that additional technical or stakeholder work would continue as the bills proceed to the next legislative stages.