Capitol Letters: Senator moves to make citizen initiatives more difficult
By Ryan Suppe, State Politics Reporter
In 2021, the Idaho Supreme Court rejected the Legislature’s attempt at toughening standards for ballot initiatives.
Now, a senator is asking voters to approve the change.
Sen. Doug Okuniewicz, R-Hayden, yesterday introduced a joint resolution to amend the state constitution and require 6% of voters in 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.
The Supreme Court unanimously rejected a 2021 law that did the same thing, saying that it conflicted with “the democratic ideals that form the bedrock of the constitutional republic.”
“What this approach does is, it puts the question to the people, and it allows them to make that decision and decide if this is something that’s in their best interest,” Okuniewicz told the Senate State Affairs Committee on Wednesday. “That should inoculate it from any legal troubles.”
Read my full story here.
Labrador joins immigration lawsuit
Idaho joined a coalition of 20 states suing the Biden administration over a new immigration program that would allow 360,000 people from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela to enter the United States annually.
Idaho Republican Attorney General Raúl Labrador called the program “illegal,” noting federal law directs the Department of Homeland Security to evaluate immigrants on a “case-by-case” basis.
“The Biden administration is now attempting to create a new federal ‘program’ that goes way beyond case-by-case review and potentially grants status to hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants,” he said in a news release. “If this administration wants to amend federal immigration law, they need to ask Congress.”
The lawsuit was assigned to U.S. District Judge Drew Tipton, who was appointed by former President Donald Trump, Reuters reported. Tipton last year sided with Texas and Louisiana when the states sued to block a Biden administration policy that restricted who can be targeted for arrest by immigration law enforcement.
What to expect today
8 a.m. Joint Finance-Appropriations. Idaho community colleges, including the embattled North Idaho College, will present their 2024 budgets.
9 a.m. House Revenue and Taxation. The committee will host a public hearing on a bill from Rep. Bruce Skaug, R-Nampa, that would penalize local governments that defy the state’s abortion ban.
Catch up on last session
Last year, in 81 days of the legislative session, the Statesman wrote at least 84 in-depth stories and 54 Capitol Letters newsletters, covering more than 40 pieces of legislation.
Lost track of high-profile bills? We got that covered. Find out where they landed at the end of last year’s regular legislative session here.
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