Panel Trying To Soften Initiative Bill Measure Putting Stricter Rules On Process Faces Amendments
If legislation to restrict ballot initiatives ever gets out of the House State Affairs Committee, it may not look much like it did going in.
That much was clear following a second lengthy discussion of the bill on Tuesday. When it was over, the committee still couldn’t agree what to do with a measure backed by a broad coalition of business, farmers, educators and others.
The committee delayed action until Friday when it will consider amendments proposed by Rep. Bill Deal, R-Nampa, that would remove some of the most contentious parts of the bill.
Deal’s proposed amendments:
Increase from 12 months to 18 months the time initiative sponsors have to gather signatures to qualify for the ballot.
Remove the requirement that initiative backers must turn in 25 percent of the required signatures six months after the petition drive starts.
Eliminate a requirement that people paid to circulate petitions must register with the state and wear photo identification.
Instead, Deal proposed requiring initiative petitions to say whether the person bearing them was a volunteer or paid for it.
Another amendment proposed by Boise Democrat Rep. Margaret Henbest was voted down. It would have removed the requirement that initiative sponsors get signatures from at least 6 percent of the voters in half of Idaho’s 44 counties.
A parade of witnesses Tuesday told the committee the current system is being abused by the use of paid signature-gatherers.
Opponents said the right of citizens to try initiatives if they feel the Legislature won’t act is sacred, and shouldn’t be blocked by imposing impossible requirements.
Spokesmen from the Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry, Idaho Farm Bureau, Idaho Education Association and Idaho Retailers Association backed the bill.
But there were defenders of the current initiative system.
“This is part of the legislative process that must not be compromised,” said Parma farmer Gerald Schroder.