House Agriculture Committee outlines rules‑review schedule, flags four new dockets

Representative Raymond opened the committee's rules‑review discussion by noting that "rules have the same effect as law" and that the committee must ensure rules reflect the original legislative intent. He said the legislature will review 145 dockets statewide this session and that the House Agriculture Committee will begin its docket review next Monday, continue Wednesday the 22nd with representatives from the Idaho Department of Agriculture, and aim to finish around the 30th.

Raymond told the committee this is the fourth year of a zero‑based regulation process and that members should expect many strikeouts (deletions) and red‑letter additions in the rule drafts. He said most rules have a multi‑year history but that four dockets are new as the result of legislation passed last year. He named three subject areas discussed in the packet: wolf and grizzly depredation, chemigation, and a veterinary association fee rule. Raymond said the new dockets have not yet had negotiated rulemaking with public input beyond the testimony offered during last year's legislative process.

He urged members to review the packet materials that the Idaho Department of Agriculture deputy director provided and said staff will upload rule drafts to the committee OneDrive ahead of next week's meetings. Representative Nelson and other members raised technical issues about accessing RS texts and OneDrive links; staff agreed to ensure documents are available.

Raymond told members the committee would not hurry through the reviews and that members should raise questions so the committee can "dive into whatever concerns you have." The committee adjourned with a reminder to meet Monday to begin docket review.

The committee did not take a formal vote on rules during the meeting; the discussion established schedule and staff follow‑up tasks for document access and docket preparation.