Justice Jones to lead event on citizen ballot initiative

A constitutional issue that generated heated debate during the 2019 legislative session will be dissected during a town hall meeting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Coeur d’Alene Library.

In November 2018, the Medicaid expansion ballot initiative passed with 61 percent of the vote. Reclaim Idaho, a nonpartisan grassroots organization, spearheaded the campaign to get Medicaid expansion on the ballot.

In March 2019, the Idaho Legislature passed Senate Bill 1159, a proposal that would make it so difficult to organize ballot initiatives in Idaho that opponents said SB1159 violates the state constitution. Citizen ballot initiative rights are part of Idaho’s constitution.

SB 1159 would increase the valid signature requirements from 6 percent of voters in 18 of Idaho’s 35 legislative districts to 10 percent of voters in 32 districts. It would also cut the time to collect signatures from 18 months to six.

Medicaid expansion qualified for the ballot after gathering 75,134 signatures in 21 districts. That would not have been enough to qualify under SB 1159’s requirements.

Gov. Brad Little vetoed SB 1159 in April, as well as its trailer House Bill 296, which had less stringent restrictions but would still result in the most restrictive initiative process in the U.S. Little cited concerns over their constitutionality and possible “unintended consequences.”

“The bills invite legal challenges that likely will result in the Idaho initiative process being determined by the liberal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals,” Little wrote in his transmittal letter to the lieutenant governor.

At the town hall Tuesday, former Idaho Supreme Court Chief Justice Jim Jones will speak in favor of preserving Idaho’s citizen ballot initiative rights.

Reclaim Idaho Communications Director Jeremy J. Gugino will present the opposing side of the issue, while Reclaim Idaho Executive Director Rebecca Schroeder will moderate.

In addition, Representatives Jim Addis (R-Coeur d’Alene) and Paul Amador (R-Coeur d’Alene) are scheduled to attend. Sen. Mary Souza (R-Coeur d’Alene) is expected to provide a statement to be read at the event.

The Coeur d’Alene event is the third in the “Idaho Speaks” town hall series traveling across Idaho.