PINE, IDAHO – Surrounded by mountains, forests and the South Fork of the Boise River, Idaho state Sen. Ben Adams on Friday unveiled the text of a proposed amendment to the Idaho Constitution he says would prevent the sale of any future public lands the state acquires from the federal government.
“One thing I do know is that public lands have and should always remain under the ownership of the people for their enjoyment and their benefit,” the Nampa Republican said during a kickoff event at the Pine Cafe in Elmore County. “Today I present a very different vision than the vision that’s been coming out of Washington, D.C., related to our public lands.”
Adams announced last week he will introduce the proposed amendment to the Idaho Constitution during the beginning of the 2026 legislative session that starts in January.
To amend the state Constitution, it takes at least a two-thirds supermajority vote of both the Idaho Senate and the Idaho House of Representatives.
If that happens, the proposed constitutional amendment would appear on the November 2026 general election ballot in Idaho, where it would take a simple majority of votes to pass.
The proposal does not apply to the 2.5 million acres of state endowment land the state already controls, which can still be sold.
Instead, the proposal would apply to new public lands the state of Idaho acquires or buys from the federal government. That land would be placed into a new land trust, and could not be sold, Adams said.
“Voters in Idaho deserve to have this question on the ballot,” Adams said. “Will Idahoans support a new path forward, conserving our public lands and protecting our Idaho from being sold to the highest bidder? I know my answer. Let’s send a message so loud that they can hear it all the way back in D.C: Our land is not for sale.”
What does the proposed amendment to the Idaho Constitution say?
During Friday’s event, Adams posted and distributed written copies of the text of the proposed amendment to the Idaho Constitution.
He also shared the question that would appear on voters’ ballots if the proposed amendment clears the Idaho Legislature.
“Shall Section 8, Article IX of the Constitution of the State of Idaho be amended to provide that certain lands granted and acquired from the federal government shall never be sold and shall be placed in a trust to be managed for the benefit of the people of Idaho?”
Adams also shared the specific new language that would be added to the Idaho Constitution if the proposed amendment passes.
“Excluding lands granted pursuant to subsection (1) of this section, lands acquired by the exchanging of lands granted pursuant to subsection (1) of this section, and lands purchased with moneys, and lands purchased with moneys of this section, all other lands granted to or acquired by the state by or from the general government shall be held in a separate trust as public lands of the state. The trust shall remain inviolable and intact for this and future generations. Such lands shall not be sold. Such lands may be exchanged, except with lands granted, exchanged, purchased, or otherwise acquired to subsection (1) of this section, with two-thirds approval of the legislature. The State Board of Land Commissioners may lease such lands under such regulations as may be prescribed by law. The State Board of Land Commissioners shall manage such lands by employing best management practices to achieve a harmonious and coordinated management of the various resources, each with the other, that avoids impairment to the land, ensures the development and utilization of the land and its resources occurs in a manner that conserves existing and future uses of the land, preserves valid, existing rights and is in accordance with state law. The State Board of Land Commissioners shall coordinate management with agencies of the state to promote public recreation, scenic values, watershed quality and wildlife habitat and to further effectuate the purposes of this trust. Revenue derived from such lands shall be placed in a permanent designated fund, the proceeds of which shall be annually appropriated by the legislature to support operating and maintaining such lands, to compensate local governments for payment in lieu of taxes, to reduce the cost of hunting, fishing and other recreational use permits for Idaho residents, and to support primary and secondary public education.”
The proposed amendment does not address how Idaho would pay for any new public lands that are bought.
At almost the same time Adams unveiled his public lands proposal on Friday, Gov. Brad Little issued an executive order requiring all state agencies except public schools to reduce spending by 3% for the current fiscal year 2026 budget.
Adams’ proposal well received in Pine
A crowd of a couple dozen people gathered at the Pine Cafe to listen to Adams’ proposal.
Doug Toomer, who lives in Idaho Falls and is the founder of an organization called Stand Up For Idaho, said he liked what he saw and heard of the proposed amendment on Friday.
Toomer said public lands are a major reason why people live in and love Idaho.
Toomer was opposed to U.S. Sen. Mike Lee’s unsuccessful effort earlier this year to make millions of acres of public lands, including in Idaho, available to be sold off.
“It’s time for we the people to get our stuff together because we don’t want to lose everything that we have so only a few can enjoy it,” Toomer said.
Braxton McCoy, an east Idaho veteran who is president and chairman of the conservative Sagebrush Institute, introduced Adams in Pine and said he is supporting the proposed amendment.
In an interview with the Idaho Capital Sun, McCoy said protecting public lands is an important way to protect Western culture.
“My general philosophy is America just isn’t America without access to public lands,” McCoy said.
“Without freedom to roam, our culture – the culture I grew up in, Western cowboy culture – just would not exist,” McCoy added. “We’d be relegated to broken arenas in Texas.”
This story first appeared on Idaho Capital Sun.
