Action Alert: New Bill Would Make IDFG Director a Political Appointee
UPDATE 2/14: This morning, after robust testimony from the sporting public, the Senate State Affairs Committee voted to hold S1078 in committee. IWF Executive Director Nick Fasciano spoke in opposition to the bill, citing the 1938 Initiative and the longstanding system that we know today. No further action on S1078 is scheduled at this time.
A new bill at the Idaho legislature would dramatically change the way the director of Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) is selected. Senate Bill 1078, introduced by Sen. Okuniewicz (District 3), would take the appointment of director of IDFG out of the hands of the Fish and Game Commission and transfer this authority to the Governor - effectively making the leader of our state’s game management agency a political appointee. The bill would also set a four-year term for the head of the agency.
The Idaho Wildlife Federation was founded in 1936 and had a significant role in passing the first voter initiative in 1938 which formed an independent Fish and Game Commission. THAT INITIATIVE CARRIED A MAJORITY IN EVERY COUNTY IN THE STATE AND WAS SUPPORTED BY 76% OF ALL VOTERS. In holding true to that legacy, IWF adamantly opposes Senate Bill 1078. The management of our wildlife resources through IDFG must not be subject to unnecessary political influence.
Currently, the director is appointed by the Idaho Fish and Game Commission in a vetted and thorough process. IDFG directors have a historic reputation of being highly regarded leaders who have spent their careers understanding the conservation, restoration, and management of fish and wildlife resources of the state. The Commission consists of seven members, one representing each IDFG region. Commissioners are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate. Not more than four members of the Commission can belong to the same political party. This is a bipartisan approach to prevent undue political influence on natural resource issues. Senate Bill 1078 would upend this longstanding system and subject IDFG leadership directly to ever-changing political winds, setting us back to times before the historic 1938 Voter Initiative.
Tying the head of IDFG so directly to political priorities has the potential to cause long-lasting and damaging impacts to fish and wildlife management - we’ve seen the consequences of this play out in neighboring states in recent years. Idaho has maintained some of the greatest sporting opportunities in the world through a continued dedication to independent, science-based wildlife management. This bill would put that system in peril.