The House State Affairs Committee has approved HB 496, House Majority Leader Mike Moyle's bill to require people to show a valid photo ID or sign an affidavit before they're allowed to vote. Rep. Phylis King, D-Boise, offered a substitute motion to send the bill to the amending order and change penalties for violations from a felony to a misdemeanor with a $500 maximum fine, but Moyle spoke out against that move. "If you think it's OK for 500 bucks to throw out a fraudulent vote, I have a problem with that," he declared. "Voting is one of the most sacred things that we have in this country. ... If you think your vote is only worth 500 bucks, then go ahead and go there." King said other voting offenses, such as attempting to vote twice, are misdemeanors, not felonies. "I think our jails are full of a lot of people," she said. "So what's the value of a vote? I think it's worth a lot, I really do. I'm not trying to demean it. ... I just don't think we need to send people to prison and I would rather see a fine."

King's motion failed, however, and the original motion, to send HB 496 as-is to the full House with a recommendation that it "do pass," passed on a voice vote.

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