1999 Legislation
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SENATE BILL NO. 1150 – State land, trespass, penalty

SENATE BILL NO. 1150

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Daily Data Tracking History



S1150aaH.......................................by RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT
STATE LAND - TRESPASS - Amends existing law relating to trespass on state
lands to provide for treble damages if the trespass is willfully or
intentionally committed; and to provide that in other cases of trespass,
the person shall be liable to the state of Idaho for double the amounts of
damages which may be recovered in a civil action.

02/11    Senate intro - 1st rdg - to printing
02/12    Rpt prt - to Res/Env
02/16    Rpt out - rec d/p - to 2nd rdg
02/17    2nd rdg - to 3rd rdg
02/18    3rd rdg - PASSED - 34-0-1
      AYES--Andreason, Boatright, Bunderson, Burtenshaw, Cameron, Crow,
      Danielson, Darrington, Davis, Deide, Dunklin, Frasure, Geddes,
      Hawkins, Ingram, Ipsen, Keough, King, Lee, McLaughlin, Noh, Parry,
      Richardson, Riggs, Risch, Sandy, Schroeder, Sorensen, Stegner,
      Stennett, Thorne, Twiggs, Wheeler, Whitworth
      NAYS--None
      Absent and excused--Branch
    Floor Sponsor - Schroeder
    Title apvd - to House
02/19    House intro - 1st rdg - to Res/Con
03/04    Rpt out - to Gen Ord
03/04    Rpt out amen - to 1st rdg as amen
03/05    1st rdg - to 2nd rdg as amen
03/08    2nd rdg - to 3rd rdg as amen
03/10    Ret'd to Res/Con

Bill Text


S1150


                                                                        
 ||||              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ||||
Fifty-fifth Legislature                 First Regular Session - 1999
                                                                        

                                      IN THE SENATE

                                   SENATE BILL NO. 1150

                          BY RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE

 1                                        AN ACT
 2    RELATING TO TRESPASS ON STATE LANDS; AMENDING SECTION 6-211,  IDAHO  CODE,  TO
 3        PROVIDE  FOR  TREBLE DAMAGES IF THE TRESPASS IS WILLFULLY OR INTENTIONALLY
 4        COMMITTED, TO PROVIDE IN OTHER CASES OF TRESPASS, THE PERSON SHALL BE LIA-
 5        BLE TO THE STATE OF IDAHO FOR DOUBLE THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGES  WHICH  MAY  BE
 6        RECOVERED IN A CIVIL ACTION AND TO MAKE TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS.

 7    Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:

 8        SECTION  1.  That  Section  6-211,  Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby
 9    amended to read as follows:

10        6-211.  TRESPASS ON STATE LANDS -- DAMAGE ACTIONS.  Any  person  who  cuts
11    down  or  carries  off  any  wood,  trees, or timber or removes  top soil
12      topsoil  from, or  dumps  trash  or  debris  on,  any  land
13    belonging  to  the    S   s tate of Idaho without lawful
14    authority is liable to the  S  s tate of Idaho for  tre-
15    ble  the amount of damages,  where such action is willfully or intention-
16    ally committed,  which amount may be recovered in a civil action  there-
17    for.  In all other cases, such person is liable to the state of Idaho for
18    double the amount of damages, which amounts may be recovered in a civil action
19    therefor. 

Amendment


AS1150


                                                                        
 ||||              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ||||
Fifty-fifth Legislature                 First Regular Session - 1999
                                                                        

                                       Moved by     Stoicheff            

                                       Seconded by  Barrett              


                             IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
                             HOUSE AMENDMENT TO S.B. NO. 1150

 1                                AMENDMENT TO SECTION 1
 2        On page 1 of the printed bill, in line 16,  delete " is "   and
 3    insert: " may be ".

 4                                 CORRECTION TO TITLE
 5        On page 1, in line 4, delete "SHALL" and insert: "MAY".

Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact




                                                      STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
                                   
                                                           RS08962
                                       
Section 6-211, Idaho Code, specifies that "Any person who cuts down or carries off
any wood, trees, or timber or removes top soil from, or dUmps trash or debris on,any
land belonging to the State of Idaho without lawfuI authority is liable to the State of
Idaho for treble the amount of damages, which amount may be recovered in a civil
action therefor.                                             
The purpose of this legislation is to give the Idaho Department of Lands flexibiiity in
detenmining the penalty to be assessed against those who "trespass" on state-owned
lands. This bill would allow the penalty to be set based on the circumstances
surrounding the specific case. Idaho Code currently does not allow this flexibility. The
code authorizes no level of damages except treble damages. Some courts have
taken the position that treble damages can only be imposed in cases of willful or
deliberate (intentional) trespass. Under this position, no damages may be imposed in
trespass situations that are negligent or unintentional, but nevertheless result in
damages.

Most cases of trespass are not willful. They are typically caused by negligence on
the part of the trespasser in determining whose land they are on, or by their
misguided belief that state land is open for free removal of timber, or other product
removal, to all citizens. While some penalty is needed as a deterrent in cases of
trespass, treble damages is excessive in most cases.

                                                             This change in the law would give the state the flexibility to impose penalties in
trespass cases that are appropriate to the circumstances surrounding the specific
case.


                             FISCAL IMPACT

                                                             No additional General fund money will be needed to implement this bill.



Prepared by:

                                                             Stan Hamilton
                                                             Director, Department of Lands   334-0239  

                                   STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/ FISCAL IMPACT     S 1150