Committee approves introduction of measure to raise Idaho ballot initiative threshold to 60%

A legislative committee voted to introduce RS31832, a proposal that would raise the approval threshold for citizen ballot initiatives in Idaho to 60 percent.

Representative Ponca moved to introduce RS31832, saying, “The initiative process is broken. This is 1 way to level the playing field a little bit by raising it to 60%. There are other states that have 60% or 2 thirds in some of their initiative processes. So I would ask that you would print this today and that we would be able to flesh this out further in a bill hearing.” The motion to introduce the measure passed after members called the question and the committee voiced its assent.

The committee’s action is procedural: introduction (often called “printing”) allows the draft to be scheduled for a formal bill hearing later. Representative Achilles urged that, when RS31832 returns for a full hearing, the sponsor address a series of legal and historical questions. Achilles said the Idaho Supreme Court has “ruled unambiguously that the initiative process is a fundamental right for Idaho voters,” and asked the sponsor to explain how a higher threshold would align with that ruling. Achilles also noted that raising the threshold to 60 percent would set a higher standard for citizens than the 50 percent threshold legislators use for their own votes. He said the sponsor should justify that difference and examine the measure’s effects in the context of past initiatives, observing that, “had we had a 60% threshold on past initiatives, we would not have passed sales tax relief, property tax relief, the homeowners exemption and a couple of others.”

Committee leadership responded that introduction is not a final decision on the merits and that the committee can decline to schedule or can kill RS31832 at later stages. The sponsor’s request to “print this today” was granted, and members voted in favor of introduction. No recorded roll-call vote identifying individual members was taken in the transcript; the committee’s vocal assent carried the motion.

RS31832 will return for a full bill hearing where members can request legal analysis, historical voting data, and other clarifications ahead of any formal vote on the substance of the proposal.