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Capitol Letters: Idaho citizen initiative change faces heavy criticism

By Ryan Suppe, State Politics Reporter

Idaho residents from across the state yesterday slammed Republican lawmakers’ proposal to raise the bar for ballot initiatives.

“There’s much more pressing issues right now that need to be addressed,” Jean Gerth, of Sagle, told the Senate State Affairs Committee. “I view it as a distraction, and I think it’s been presented, possibly, to do that, to distract us from other things.”

Sen. Doug Okuniewicz, R-Hayden, last week introduced a joint resolution to amend the state constitution and require 6% of voters from each of Idaho’s 35 legislative districts to sign a petition triggering a ballot initiative. Currently, 6% of voters in 18 legislative districts is the benchmark.

GOP members of the Senate State Affairs Committee, four of whom hold leadership positions in the majority caucus, defended the resolution yesterday, bemoaning what they described as the outsized influence of urban areas on ballot initiatives.

Senate Majority Leader Kelly Anthon, R-Burley, said California residents have weaponized their lax ballot initiative standards to “put extremely hard regulations” on the agriculture industry. Activists collect signatures for such proposals in downtown San Francisco, rather than rural areas that will be impacted, he said.

“When it comes time to vote on the matter the votes that they need are back in San Francisco,” Anthon said. “And pretty soon the (agriculture) production is under distress.”

After hours of public testimony, mostly opposed to the resolution, Anthon moved to send the resolution to the amending order, a procedural mechanism that halts the normal hearing process while changes are made to legislation.

“I do have a couple of concerns about it,” Anthon said. “I believe that in its current form, it is not ready for the floor.”

When Sen. James Ruchti, D-Pocatello, asked Anthon to elaborate, he declined, and the committee voted to approve his motion.

Appeals court: Transgender athlete lawsuit can proceed

A federal appeals court ruled that a Boise State University student’s lawsuit against Idaho’s transgender athlete ban can move forward.

Lindsay Hecox temporarily withdrew from Boise State amid her case challenging the constitutionality of Idaho’s ban on transgender women competing in female school sports. State attorneys argued the case was moot because Hecox was no longer a student.

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco sided with Hecox, and pointed out that she has re-enrolled at the school and is currently a member of the women’s club soccer team.

“Lindsay’s case is alive and well and continues to successfully block what we believe is a flagrantly unconstitutional and harmful law,” Aadika Singh, an ACLU attorney representing Hecox, said in a news release yesterday. “This is a great victory at a time when transgender people are experiencing unprecedented attacks by Idaho lawmakers.”

Idaho’s U.S. District Court in 2020 blocked enforcement of the law after ruling Hecox’s lawsuit is likely to succeed. The case now returns to the District Court.

Boyle wants to talk to Oregon about Greater Idaho

The Idaho Legislature may soon ask its neighbors to the west to join a conversation about absorbing some of its counties.

Rep. Judy Boyle, R-Midvale, yesterday introduced a joint memorial that would ask the Democrat-dominated Oregon Legislature to discuss the Greater Idaho movement with the Idaho Legislature.

The movement seeks to secede eastern Oregon counties from their state and join Republican-led Idaho, which better aligns with their political ideals.

“Eastern Oregon has been quite unhappy with their state,” Boyle told the House State Affairs Committee. “Portland seems to be able to run everything there.”

Read my full story here.

What to expect today

  • 9 a.m. House Revenue and Taxation. Three property tax bills are on the docket, one from Sen. C. Scott Grow, R-Eagle; one from Rep. Bruce Skaug, R-Nampa; and one from House Speaker Mike Moyle, R-Star.

  • 9 a.m. House Education. Greg Wilson, chief of staff for the Idaho State Department of Education, will give a presentation on “existing school choice options,” as lawmakers in the Senate consider legislation to direct state funds to private school students.

  • 9 a.m. House State Affairs. Rep. Joe Alfieri, R-Coeur d’Alene, will introduce a proposal related to absentee ballots while Sen. Tammy Nichols, R-Middleton, has a proposal dealing with the right to grow and raise food for property owners within homeowners associations.

  • 3 p.m. Senate Health and Welfare. Lawmakers will consider a bill from Sen. Scott Herndon, R-Sagle, requiring that day care centers disclose exemptions when clients ask about vaccine requirements.

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