S 1445

                    LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO
 Sixty-eighth Legislature  Second Regular Session - 2026
                                 IN THE SENATE
                             SENATE BILL NO. 1445
                          BY STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
1AN ACT
2  RELATING TO RATS; AMENDING CHAPTER 23, TITLE 67, IDAHO CODE, BY THE ADDITION
3      OF A NEW SECTION 67-2304, IDAHO CODE, TO PROVIDE THAT CERTAIN RATS ARE AN
4      INVASIVE SPECIES; AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.
5  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:
6      SECTION 1. That Chapter 23, Title 67, Idaho Code, be, and the same is
7  hereby amended by the addition thereto of a NEW SECTION, to be known and des-
8  ignated as Section 67-2304, Idaho Code, and to read as follows:
9      67-2304. RATS -- INVASIVE SPECIES. (1) The Norway rat, roof rat, and
10 any wild and uncontrolled rat is hereby declared to be an invasive species
11 pursuant to the invasive species act of 2008, chapter 19, title 22, Idaho
12 Code. All local governments are hereby empowered to take whatever reason-
13 able steps, if any, that they deem necessary and appropriate to control and
14 remove the rat on public property within their jurisdiction and to control
15 and remove the rat on private property after obtaining written permission
16 from the legal owner of such property.
17     (2) For the purposes of this section, "local government" means any
18 county, city, municipality, or other political subdivision of the state of
19 Idaho.
20     SECTION 2. An emergency existing therefor, which emergency is hereby
21 declared to exist, this act shall be in full force and effect on and after its
22 passage and approval.