Wolf attack bill passes House despite questions

Rep. Phil Hart’s bill aimed at imposing liability against those who bring “dangerous or vicious animals” into Idaho that cause damage to people or property also would make it a felony for anyone to knowingly give false or misleading testimony to a local Planning & Zoning Commission, Hart acknowledged to the House today, under questioning from other lawmakers about his bill. The bill passed the House on a 46-24 vote. The measure includes the clause about “false testimony” because, Hart said, he was concerned about “junk science” being cited on issues like introduction of wolves to the state. “There’s been a lot of junk science that facilitated the introduction of these wolves,” said Hart, R-Athol. So he drafted a broad provision making it a felony to give false or misleading testimony “before a governmental commission, whether under oath or not.”

“It seemed to me that if you were to do this in front of a commission … if you were to lie to that commission this would be something that you’d premeditated. I think that act of doing that could rise to the occasion of being a felony,” Hart told the House. “It’s not just an off-the-cuff response that you might make to a government official off the street.” Rep. Bill Killen, D-Boise, an attorney, asked Hart, “So your position is this bill would cover unsworn misleading testimony before a local planning and zoning commission?” “That’s correct,” Hart responded. Rep. James Ruchti, D-Pocatello, also an attorney, told the House, “The idea behind this bill has not been refined. There are going to be some serious unintended consequences and we should vote no.”

Backers of the bill said they’re so concerned about wolves that something needs to be done. “The people of Idaho would like to have some recourse, some place they could turn to when there was damage,” said Rep. JoAn Wood, R-Rigby. “This may be one thing that’s being offered to us in the way of recourse if anything were to happen.” Said Rep. Lenore Hardy Barrett, R-Challis, “I support this bill, yes, because it may relate to wolves. A lot of you here do not understand the wolf situation. … I represent … a district where the wolves were dumped. … These Canadian greys are killers. … The wolf is a decimating, destroying machine.” She said, “This bill may have some imperfections. … I’m not going to pick at this bill. I think this bill needs to be supported, it needs to go forward … to protect the safety and health and welfare of our citizens.”

The measure, HB 138a, also makes it a felony to knowingly introduce a “dangerous or vicious” animal into the state; includes such action under racketeering statutes; and creates civil liability for those whose negligent introduction of such animals causes death or injury to persons or property, though government agencies would be exempt. “It’s a difficult issue to get our hands around,” Hart told the House, saying his bill went through “about 10 revisions,” but “I thought it was ready to go.” He said, “This bill is not just about wolves. It’s about any dangerous animal, within which wolves would be included.” He said, “We’re vulnerable to junk science. … I am attempting to address these things with this bill.”