Idaho lawmaker seeks constitutional amendment to block citizen-driven drug legalization

Representative Bruce Skog, District 10, told the House State Affairs Committee he is sponsoring RS 32581 to place a constitutional amendment question on the November 2026 ballot that would restrict legalizing marijuana, narcotics and other psychoactive substances to actions taken by the Idaho Legislature.

Skog said the measure mirrors the substance of an earlier resolution (HJR 3) and said he will withdraw HJR 3 if RS 32581 moves forward. "Only the legislature will have authority to legalize drugs of the nature that's they're described," Skog said, adding that the proposal is intended to take the initiative process out of legalizing any drugs in the state.

The bill text, Skog said, invokes language reflecting Idaho's constitutional reference to promoting "temperance and morality" and to the state's interest in preventing what he described as harms from narcotics and psychoactive substances. He told the committee the intent is to let Idaho voters decide whether the state should enshrine that limitation in the constitution.

Representative Hostetler asked whether the measure would target Schedule I substances; Skog said he did not want the bill to use that schedule language but acknowledged the measure would effectively address substances commonly listed in Schedule I. Representative Palmer moved to introduce RS 32581; the committee voted in favor and the request was introduced.

Because RS 32581 is currently at the introduction stage, the text presented at the meeting frames the proposal as a constitutional amendment question to be placed before voters and clarifies the sponsor's intent to remove initiative authority for legalization of the substances described. The sponsor asked for a further hearing and for the committee to send the request to print for additional vetting.

The committee took no final legislative action beyond introducing the request for print.