S 1271 — RATS – Adds to existing law to declare certain rats a public health and safety nuisance and to require abatement.

12711271, As Amended BY AGRICULTURAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE AN ACT RELATING TO ABATEMENT OF RATS;

AMENDING TITLE 52, IDAHO CODE, BY THE ADDI- TION OF A NEW CHAPTER 5, TITLE 52, IDAHO CODE, TO DECLARE CERTAIN RATS A PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY NUISANCE AND TO REQUIRE PROMPTTHE ABATEMENT;DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT AND SCOPE OF SUCH RATS IN IDAHO AND WHETHER ABATEMENT IS NECESSARY;

AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.EMER- GENCY.

(2)(a)(2) The Norway rat and the roof rat (rats),(rats) are hereby declared to be:

(i)(a) A public health and safety nuisance, pursuant to the provi-provisions sions of this section;

(ii)(b) An invasive species for the purposes of chapter 19, title 22, Idaho Code;

(iii)(c) An agricultural pest for the purposes of chapter 26, title 25, Idaho Code;

and (iv)(d) A vermin and public health and welfare pest for the purposes of chapter 28, title 39, Idaho Code.

(b) The public health and safety nuisance created by the presence of such rats in Idaho shall be summarily abated consistent with the pro- visions of this section, existing statutory authority, and due process requirements.

(a) ExecuteCoordinate theefforts, provisions of this section as expeditiously as possible and to the fullestmaximum extent permittedpossible, bywith: law;

(b)(i) CoordinateThe efforts,boards toof thecounty maximumcommissioners extentwithin possible,Idaho; with:

(i) The boards of county commissioners wherein the rats are, are suspected to be, or may soon be present;

(v) Any other state agency, department, or political subdivision that the director determines necessary to summarilyenact abatethe ratsprovisions inof Idaho;this section;

and (vi) Any other entity, public or private, that the director de-deter- terminesmines necessary to summarilycoordinate abateor ratscontract inwith Idaho,to includingenact through the promotionprovi- sions of this section, including to promote public education materials;mate- rials;

(c)(b) Develop and implement a coordinated plan ofto actionengage bythe Novemberpublic, 1,po- 2026,litical tosubdivisions, summarilyand abateother relevant stakeholders to determine the rats;extent and scope of rats in Idaho;

and (d)(c) Develop and distribute the public educationaleducation material that willpromotes assiston- ingoing eradicationreporting ofand thebest ratspractices andto preventionprevent ofand theireradicate return.rats.

(4)(a)(4) The publicfinding isof encourageda torat report,in andIdaho politicalis subdivisionsencouraged ofto thebe statepromptly shallreported report,to the presencedepartment of ratsagriculture. to the Idaho invasive species hotline.

(b)(a) The directordepartment shall collect and compile all such reports regarding the presence of rats in order to:to determine:

(i) DetermineThe the movement and location of the rats;

(ii) DetermineWhere where abatement is necessary;

and (iii) DetermineThe wheretype theof departmentabatement needsthat assistanceis tonecessary; abate the rats.

(c)and Such(iv) reportsWhere along with the department'sdepartment abatementmay plan,need theassistance ac- tions already taken and currently in progress to abate the rats,rats. and educational materials shall be made publicly available on the depart- ment's website.

(5)(b) IfSuch thereports directorand requestseducational assistancematerials fromshall anybe politicalmade subdivisionpublicly ofavailable theon state to execute the provisionsdepartment's ofwebsite. this section, the political subdi- vision shall make itself available, to the maximum extent possible.

(6)(5) The directordepartment isshall authorizeduse tosuch expendreports funds pursuant to sectioncreate 22-1912,an Idahoabatement Code,plan tothat executeincludes theongoing provisionspublic ofeducation thismaterial sectiondistribution. as quickly as possible.

Cooperating(a) entitiesThe withabatement availableplan fundingshall: mechanisms shall share in the cost of abating the rats, to the extent that funds are available.

(7)(i) ThisSummarize sectionthe mayextent be known and shallscope be cited as "The Idaho Rodents of Unusualrats Sizein Act."Idaho; SECTION 2.

(ii) Describe the actions already taken and that are currently in progress to address the rats;

(iii) Describe any planned future actions to address the rats;

(iv) Provide information on how to report the presence of rats to the department;

and (v) Provide accessible ways to prevent or eliminate rats within the community and household.

(b) The abatement plan shall be made publicly available on the depart- ment's website.

(c) The department shall review and update, if necessary, the abatement plan at least every three (3) years.

(d) The director shall present and provide the abatement plan to the following legislative bodies for review during the 2027 legislative session and any legislative session following a revision of the plan:

(i) The house and senate agricultural affairs committees;

(ii) The joint finance-appropriations committee;

and (iii) The interim committee on natural resources, if so requested.

(e) If the director determines that abatement actions should be under- taken, the anticipated costs to abate the rats shall be included in the director's report.

Such moneys may be requested by the director and ap- propriated by the legislature.

(6) State agencies and political subdivisions shall make themselves available, subject to available personnel, equipment, and funding, to as- sist the department in enacting the provisions of this section.

Nothing in this section shall require mandatory participation or the expenditure of local funds.