‘We are turning into New York City’: Idaho lawmakers advance bill declaring rats a public health emergency

Senate Bill 1271 would declare rats an emergency and state that they are a nuisance. The bill advanced through the committee on Tuesday.

BOISE, Idaho — Rats have been turning up in dishwashers, attics and home vents across Idaho, and now the problem has crawled its way into the Statehouse.

The Idaho Senate Agriculture Committee advanced Senate Bill 1271 Tuesday, which would declare rats a public health nuisance and a public health emergency. The bill moved forward on a 5-vote majority for amendment, with lawmakers planning to clarify that funding would not come from cities or counties.

Under the legislation, the state would use GIS mapping to track rat movement and identify where eradication efforts are needed. Lawmakers would be required to develop a statewide plan by November 2026.

Supporters of the bill say the problem has grown too large to ignore.

“This is a problem that is not getting controlled and it is getting out of hand,” Senator Julie VanOrden said.

The bill would not ban rats as pets, prohibit zoos from housing them or force cities and counties to participate in eradication efforts. The state’s role, Chair Tammy Nichols said, would center on coordination rather than mandates.

“The state’s role under this bill is coordination and support — not command and control,” Nichols said.

But the committee was split. Some lawmakers raised concerns about the cost of tackling a rat problem during a tight budget year, with Idaho facing a $40 million deficit in fiscal year 2026.

“We have an issue here and a problem that needs to be solved, but unfunded mandates is not the way to do this,” one lawmaker said.

Others questioned whether the state was financially prepared to act.

“If this necessitates funding right now, are we prepared to do that with the year that we are in right now?” Senator Joshua Kuhl said.

There were also broader concerns about setting a precedent for future pest-related legislation.

“If every potential bug or animal comes in and we legislate that, then we are going to be mired in paperwork forever,” one lawmaker said.

Residents dealing with infestations say delays will only make the situation worse.

“If it takes a year or more for these people to step in and help and for us to get some funding, we are really that much more behind — that much closer to New York City,” Jane Rohling, who has been dealing with rats since 2022, said.

The bill now heads toward amendment before further consideration.