BOISE, Idaho (AP) - A House committee on Thursday proposed changing a ballot initiative bill that critics say makes the process so difficult that it violates Idaho’s Constitution.
The House Ways and Means Committee sent to the full House legislation that increases the length of time to gather signatures and cuts the number of legislative districts where signatures must be collected.
If approved, people would have 270 days to collect signatures from two-thirds, or about 24, of the legislative districts. The existing bill allows only six months and requires signatures from 32 of 35 districts. It still requires signatures from 10 percent of voters.
“Many people thought the six-month timeline was a little bit too short,” said Republican Rep. Sage Dixon.
The law currently requires 6 percent of voters in 18 districts and 18 months to collect signatures.
The Senate narrowly approved the original bill 18-17 last week, and it appeared poised to pass the House as well.
In previous public hearings in House and Senate committee meetings, public testimony was overwhelmingly against the legislation.
Backers of making the initiative process tougher say it’s needed to give rural voters an equal voice because of information technology and social media that will increasingly allow initiative backers to target growing population centers where groups supporting particular issues live.
Supporters also say that signatures in just four highly populated areas can get an initiative on the ballot.
Opponents contend that the tougher requirements would give four legislative districts with just 9 percent of Idaho voters veto power over the entire initiative process.
Earlier this week, four former state attorneys general released a letter urging lawmakers to kill the original legislation, saying it could be unconstitutional.
Under House rules, the new legislation can’t be taken up until Friday.
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