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Secretary of State backs bill to allow updated fiscal notes for ballot initiatives
Summary
Secretary of State Phil McGrane supported SB11-17, which would let Division of Financial Management update initiative fiscal notes after petition language changes and again before the ballot; the committee sent the bill to the floor with a due-pass recommendation.
Senator Ben Adams yielded his time to Phil McGrane, the Secretary of State, who described Senate Bill 11-17 as a technical cleanup to the initiative fiscal-note process. McGrane explained that initial fiscal notes are produced early in the initiative process but can become outdated when petitioners amend language after Attorney General review. SB11-17 would let the Division of Financial Management revise initial fiscal notes when petitioners incorporate AG-recommended changes and allow DFM to update fiscal estimates again before the measure appears in the voter pamphlet.
McGrane cited lessons from the recent Proposition 1 process, saying it was difficult to produce an accurate fiscal note in 20 days and that subsequent refinements should be available to voters. “We have that in place...this says if the petition gets enough signatures to move to the ballot, DFM has an opportunity to update the fiscal note before it goes to the voters,” he said.
Conservation Voters Idaho testified in support, urging the committee to ensure voters have current fiscal information. The committee voted to send SB11-17 to the floor with a due-pass recommendation by voice vote.
