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Greater Idaho update: statewide bills stall in committee; local advocates urge renewed legislative outreach
Summary
Greater Idaho executive director Matt McCaw briefed the Baker County Board of Commissioners on two Oregon measures — SJM 7 and HB 3488 — seeking to initiate border talks with Idaho or study border relocation; he asked county leaders to renew legislative outreach and push the Eastern Oregon Counties Association to send a collective letter.
Matt McCaw, executive director of Greater Idaho, told the board on March 12 that two bills relevant to the group were sitting in Oregon legislative rules committees: SJM 7 (a Senate joint memorial inviting Idaho to begin border talks) and HB 3488 (a House bill to create a task force to study what moving counties into Idaho would look like).
McCaw said Idaho passed a mirror measure in 2023 and the Idaho legislature and governor indicated willingness to discuss border talks, but Democratic committee leadership in Oregon had not scheduled hearings on the Oregon measures. He said HB 3488 — the task-force bill introduced by Representative Owens — included a defined membership and reporting deadlines and had gathered multiple cosponsors, including some from outside Eastern Oregon.
McCaw asked that Baker County renew its prior letter asking the Oregon Legislature to take up the issue and to contact Senator McLean to request his support. He also asked the county to urge the Eastern Oregon Counties Association to send a collective letter asking the legislature to schedule hearings.
Public comment followed. Resident David Spall asked county commissioners what "promoting Baker County interests regarding border relocation" (as described in an earlier county ballot measure) specifically meant for services such as roads, health services, and the local prison. Commissioners described the county's current role as facilitating community discussion and reiterated that many operational and legal questions would need study at the state level — a reason McCaw said a legislatively chartered task force would be useful. Resident Bob Pierce offered practical examples about how inmate housing and retirement benefits have been handled across state lines, noting such issues would need technical review by the task force.
Commissioners agreed to continue holding Greater Idaho public meetings as required by local measures and to raise the bills on the next legislative call to learn whether sponsors will pursue hearings. Commissioners asked staff to provide a copy of the county's 2023 letter of support to the commissioners and to reach out to Representative Owens' and Senator McLean's offices for status updates.
Ending: The board took no formal legislative position at the special session beyond instructing staff to follow up with lawmakers and to provide copies of prior correspondence.
