Northern Idaho senator proposes change to initiative process
BOISE — A northern Idaho senator is looking again to change Idaho's initiative process after the state Supreme Court overturned a similar effort in 2021.
Sen. Doug Okuniewicz, R-Hayden, Wednesday morning introduced legislation to the Senate State Affairs Committee that would put on the ballot whether 6% of voters in all of the state's legislative districts need to sign an initiative for it to be put on the ballot. Currently, the law requires 6% of registered voters in 18 of 35 total districts.
If the bill is passed, the question on the November 2024 ballot would amend the state's Constitution to add the requirement.
In 2021, the Legislature passed a law that would have made this change, but the Supreme Court unanimously overturned it. The court wrote in its opinion, "that the Legislature has acted beyond its constitutional authority and violated the people’s fundamental right to legislate directly."
https://lmtribune.com/northern-idaho-senator-proposes-change-to-initiative-process/article_efe31672-9cdb-11ed-ae45-538198b3f8b5.html