BOISE, ID – An Idaho legislator is calling on Idaho’s congressional delegation to protect public access to public lands and oppose efforts to sell federal public lands.
Addressed to Congress, Bernt’s joint memorial warns that “selling or transferring these lands would not only jeopardize access and tradition, but also place unsustainable and unpredictable financial burdens on states, local governments and Idaho taxpayers.”
“Whereas, removing the threat of mass disposal of public lands will allow decision makers and stakeholders to focus on solutions for improved management, increased funding for counties with public lands, wildfire response, shared stewardship agreements and mutually beneficial land exchanges,” the joint memorial adds.
Access to public lands became a flashpoint in 2025 after U.S. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, made an unsuccessful proposal to make millions of public acres of land in the West – including in Idaho – available to be sold to the highest bidder.
The new joint memorial was one of six new pieces of legislation the Senate Resources and Environment Committee voted to introduce without any discussion on Monday afternoon.
There has been a sharp increase in the number of new bills introduced at the Idaho State Capitol in recent days because Monday was the deadline for certain committees to introduce new bills.
Bernt’s new public lands joint memorial will be assigned a number and publicly posted on the Idaho Legislature’s website after it is read across the desk on the floor of the Idaho Senate, which will likely happen later Monday or on Tuesday.
Bernt’s public lands joint memorial is one of at least three pieces of public lands legislation making their way through the Idaho State Capitol in Boise during the 2026 legislative session.
Sen. Ben Adams, R-Nampa, previously introduced a proposed amendment to the Idaho Constitution that is designed to protect any new public lands the state acquires from the federal government.
Rep. Britt Raybould, R-Rexburg, previously introduced a different proposed amendment to the Idaho Constitution that is designed to remove the requirement that Idaho manage state lands to ensure the maximum financial return.
This story first appeared on Idaho Capital Sun.
