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Senate State Affairs advances bill to require disclosure of out-of-state travel paid by others
Summary
The Senate State Affairs Committee advanced H 378 after Representative Mickelsen said the bill would require legislators and candidates to disclose out-of-state travel paid for by others within 30 days; a substitute motion to send the bill to the 14th Order for possible amendment passed 7–1 with one excused.
The Senate State Affairs Committee voted to send H 378, a bill to require disclosure of certain out-of-state travel paid for by others, to the 14th Order of Business for possible amendment.
Representative Mickelsen told the committee H 378 would require legislative candidates, legislators and members-elect to report out-of-state travel paid for by another entity within 30 days; she described the bill as aimed at giving voters greater transparency about outside influences. She said in-state travel is already covered by existing reporting requirements and that the bill’s reporting window for out-of-state trips would be 30 days.
Committee members pressed for clarifications about scope and unintended consequences. Senator Adams asked whether the bill would capture travel a well-funded legislator pays for independently and noted that some out-of-state study trips can be valuable for Idaho legislators. Senator Shippy questioned whether the proposal would meaningfully increase transparency given alternatives such as video briefings and raised cost concerns; Representative Mickelsen told the committee the implementation cost would be less than $5,000.
Vice Chairman Bernt praised the bill as a way to expose out-of-state influence to voters. Senators discussing the bill noted that other 2025 proposals address transparency for different categories of elected officials and that separate bills were drafted to cover those distinct categories.
Senator Harris made a substitute motion to send H 378 to the 14th Order for possible amendment; Senator Adams seconded. Chairman Guthrie called a roll call. Senators Ruchti, Adams, Toews, Harris, Anthon, Vice Chairman Bernt and Chairman Guthrie voted aye; Senator Shippy voted nay; Senator Den Hartog was absent and excused. The substitute motion carried.
The committee did not take a final floor recommendation vote on the do-pass motion during this meeting; the substitute motion sends the bill forward for amendment and further consideration.
