Join us as we monitor legislation that impacts IORC chapters, campaigns, and members.
Active Legislation
Add The Words
Bill Number: HB 440
Position: Support
Sponsor: John McCrostie
Bill Info: Amends Idaho Human Rights Act to include “sexual orientation” and “gender identity.”
Citizenship & Immigration
Bill Number: HB 527
Position: Oppose
Sponsor: Brandon Mitchell
Bill Info: Creates an optional U.S.A. citizen designation on Idaho driver’s licenses and identification and requires applicants show proof-of-citizenship documentation. This puts people at risk of unfair treatment by law enforcement, service agencies, and private businesses if they choose not to display their citizenship status on their ID or are unable to provide adequate documentation of their citizenship.
Grocery Tax
Bill Number: HB 509
Position: Support
Sponsor: Steve Vick, Jim Addis
Bill Info: Raises the grocery tax credit from $100 to $120 per person, and from $120 to $140 for seniors.
Minimum Wage
Bill Number: HB 458
Position: Support
Sponsor: Illana Rubel
Bill Info: Repeals the prohibition against a local minimum wage that is different than the federal & state minimum wage.
Agriculture & Water Quality
Bill Number: HB 559
Position: Support/Needs amendments
Sponsor: Jim Guthrie, Laurie Lickley
Bill Info: Authorizes the creation of a confined animal feeding operation (CAFO) environmental improvement fund to pay for animal waste management projects. The grant program is managed by an oversight committee made up of representatives from the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, Idaho State Department of Agriculture, University of Idaho College of Agriculture, two representatives from the Idaho Dairyman’s Association, and two representatives from the Idaho Cattle Association.
IORC supports the underlying premise of the bill; to clean up big ag but believes large corporate interests are unfairly represented on the oversight committee. The bill should require equal representation of environmental and public health perspectives.
Climate Change & Energy
Position: Oppose
Talking points: Here
Sponsor: Sage Dixon, Brent Crane
Bill Info: Prevents local governments from passing building codes to meet resource planning and efficiency needs such as commitments to reduce reliance on fossil fuels, improve efficiency, and implement electric vehicle charging. Moves building and trade codes into statute instead of rule, giving the Idaho Legislature power to set building efficiency standards. Locks Idaho into the 2018 building code standards when more modern standards already exist. Requires legislation to update or modernize code from the outdated 2018 code to a new code year.
Voting Rights
Bill Number: HB 459
Position: Support
Sponsor: Illana Rubel
Bill Info: Automatically registered to vote when you apply for a new or renewed driver’s license or state issued identification card, unless you opt out.
Bill Number: HB 693
Position: Oppose
Sponsor: Priscilla Giddings
Bill Info: Ballot box ban. Prohibits the use of drop-off boxes or similar drop-off locations to collect absentee ballots
Position: Oppose
Sponsor: Mike Moyle, Mary Souza
Bill Info: Prohibits the practice of “ballot harvesting” or collecting absentee ballots on behalf of another voter unless you are a postal worker, a family member, or a member of the same household. Family/household members are limited to carrying six ballots. Violations are publishable by felony if it is paid ballot collector. All other violations are punishable by misdemeanor. Individuals who require assistance, who live in remote areas, or who do not have a family member or housemate to help them are disadvantaged by this legislation.
Position: Oppose
Sponsor: Dorothy Moon, Regina Bayer
Bill Info: Creates more stringent voter identification requirements, same-day voter registration requirements, and digital/absentee voter registration requirements. Sunsets voter identification by affidavit and replaces it with a provisional ballot. Creates and optional USA citizen designation on Idaho driver’s licenses and ID cards (like HB 527) and creates a fund to provide free state-issued ID cards.