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Read. Follow. Verify.Idaho merges Office of Species Conservation and Office of Energy and Mineral Resources into a single office
Last action · March 20, 2026: Reported Signed by Governor on March 19, 2026 Session Law Chapter 66 Effective: 07/01/2026
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What This Bill Does
Idaho merges the Office of Species Conservation and the Office of Energy and Mineral Resources into a new Office of Species, Minerals, and Energy Coordination effective July 1, 2026. The legislation consolidates natural resource functions, establishes a livestock depredation appeals board, and renames the species conservation fund.
The reorganization combines state oversight for energy, mining, and wildlife under a single administrative head appointed by the governor and confirmed by the senate, altering how state agencies coordinate natural resource permitting and federal liaison duties.
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
State agencies
Personnel, records, and equipment from separate natural resource offices are transferred to the newly consolidated office.
Livestock owners
Claims for livestock depredation by grizzly bears and wolves are processed through the designated office and funded by annual appropriations.
Key Facts
- Repeals Section 67-818, Idaho Code, and establishes the Office of Species, Minerals, and Energy Coordination within the office of the governor.
- The administrator of the new office is appointed by the governor and subject to senate confirmation.
- On July 1, 2026, all personnel, records, and equipment of the office of energy and mineral resources and the office of species conservation transfer to the new office.
- Creates the Idaho depredating wildlife appeals board in the office of the governor to handle unconfirmed wildlife depredation claims involving grizzly bears, black bears, mountain lions, and wolves.
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- Revises the species conservation fund and renames it to reflect the new office.
- Maintains an annual legislative appropriation of $225,000 to the livestock depredation and prevention fund, with $150,000 for confirmed claims and $75,000 for conflict prevention.
- Asserts state primacy over the management of natural resources, prohibiting the introduction or reintroduction of species without state consultation and approval.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the purpose of merging the two offices?
When does the new office begin operations?
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News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Current status: Signed into law.
Procedural history
17 actions- Mar 20, 2026EnrolledReported Signed by Governor on March 19, 2026 Session Law Chapter 66 Effective: 07/01/2026
- Mar 19, 2026Delivered to Governor at 4:22 p.m. on March 18, 2026
- Mar 18, 2026Returned Signed by the President; Ordered Transmitted to Governor
- Mar 18, 2026Signed by President; returned to House
- Mar 18, 2026Received from the House enrolled/signed by Speaker
- Mar 17, 2026Reported Enrolled; Signed by Speaker; Transmitted to Senate
Show 11 earlier actions
- Mar 17, 2026FloorReturned from Senate Passed; to JRA for Enrolling
- Mar 16, 2026FloorRead third time in full – PASSED - 30-2-3 AYES – Adams, Bernt, Bjerke(Bjerke), Blaylock, Burtenshaw, Carlson, Cook, Den Hartog, Foreman, Galloway, Grow, Guthrie, Harris, Hart, Keyser, Kohl, Lakey, Lenney, Lent, Nichols, Okuniewicz, Ricks, Semmelroth, Shippy, Taylor, Toews, Ward-Engelking, Woodward, Zito, Zuiderveld NAYS – Wintrow, Woller(Rabe) Absent and excused – Anthon, Ruchti, VanOrden Floor Sponsor - Den Hartog Title apvd - to House
- Mar 10, 2026Read second time; filed for Third Reading
- Mar 9, 2026Reported out of Committee with Do Pass Recommendation; Filed for second reading
- Feb 27, 2026IntroducedIntroduced, read first time; referred to: Resources & Environment
- Feb 27, 2026FloorReceived from the House passed; filed for first reading
- Feb 26, 2026FloorRead Third Time in Full – PASSED - 66-4-0 AYES – Alfieri, Barbieri, Beiswenger, Bingham, Boyle, Bruce, Burgoyne, Cannon, Cayler, Cheatum, Cornilles, Crane(12), Crane(13), Dygert, Egbert, Ehardt, Ehlers, Erickson, Fuhriman, Furniss, Galaviz, Gannon, Garner, Green, Hall(Stone), Handy, Harris, Hawkins, Healey, Hill, Holtzclaw, Hostetler, Leavitt, Manwaring, Marmon, Mathias, McCann, Mendive, Mickelsen, Miller, Mitchell, Monks, Nelsen, Palmer, Petzke, Pickett, Pohanka, Price, Rasor, Raybould, Raymond, Redman, Sauter, Scott, Shepherd, Shirts, Skaug, Tanner(13), Tanner(14), Thompson, Vander Woude, Veile, Weber, Wheeler, Wisniewski, Mr. Speaker NAYS – Berch, Church, Haws, Rubel Absent – None Floor Sponsor - Boyle Title apvd - to Senate
- Feb 25, 2026Read second time; Filed for Third Reading
- Feb 24, 2026Reported out of Committee with Do Pass Recommendation, Filed for Second Reading
- Feb 20, 2026CommitteeReported Printed and Referred to Resources & Conservation
- Feb 19, 2026IntroducedIntroduced, read first time, referred to JRA for Printing
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Natural Resource Consolidation
Idaho is consolidating separate energy, mineral, and species conservation functions into a single executive office to streamline permitting and federal coordination.
Connected Entities
Sources
legislature.idaho.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance85How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy25Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz40Current news / social attention level
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