Gov. Brad Little signed a bill amending reporting requirements for independent expenditures.

House Bill 104 requires reporting of the identity of the candidate or measure and whether the expenditure was made in support of or in opposition to the candidate or measure.

The bill becomes effective July 1.

The Idaho Legislature voted to close down until early April after a coronavirus outbreak among members of the state House.

The recess, which will last until April 6, comes after six members in the lower chamber tested positive for the virus.

The recess will postpone debates on significant issues, including setting the state budget.

The Idaho House passed a constitutional amendment allowing the Legislature to call itself into a special session.

The legislation stems from lawmaker dissatisfaction with restrictions Gov. Brad Little put in place last March.

Specifically, those to reduce coronavirus infections and deaths.

The Legislature had adjourned for the year by then and couldn’t call itself back into session.

Idaho is one of 14 states where only the governor can call a special legislative session.

The legislation must now pass the Senate with a two-thirds vote.

It, then, would go to voters in the November 2022 general election, where a simple majority is needed for approval.

If voters approve it in 2022, lawmakers could call themselves back into session if 60% of members in each the House and Senate agree.

The Legislature concluded its special session late Wednesday night after three days of protests and public outrage regarding the state’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Three bills were sent to Gov. Brad Little’s desk, including two election related bills and a bill shielding businesses and schools from coronavirus-related lawsuits.

The election related bills would guarantee in-person voting would be allowed in some form across Idaho.

This was guaranteed regardless of any emergency orders in effect.

The bills would also buy more time for county clerks to process the expected large influx of mail-in ballots for the November election.

Gov. Little has five days from the time he receives the bills to either sign them or veto them.

If he does neither, the bills will become law automatically.

Due to the special legislative session being called for August 24, 2020, registered lobbyists will be required to file a monthly report.

Monthly reports must be filed on or before September 15, 2020, covering the month of August.

For questions concerning this matter, contact the Idaho Office of the Secretary of State at elections@sos.idaho.gov or call (208) 344-2852.

Gov. Brad Little stated Wednesday he will call the part-time Legislature back into a special session during the week of August 24 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The special session could include how to conduct the November general election amid the pandemic.

Also a topic of discussion is legislation creating a liability shield for protection against lawsuits during declared emergencies such as the pandemic.

How a special session would work during the pandemic and how much it would cost is unclear.

Lawmakers would have to be in the Statehouse in Boise for their votes to count.

On the morning of June 23, 15 House Republicans met in the Statehouse to discuss and air grievances over Gov. Brad Little’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lawmakers read a multi-page statement against the actions of Little, stating he had violated the separation of powers within the state.

However, despite calls from GOP groups and protesters, lawmakers decided not to conduct any legislative action before ending the unofficial session.

Gov. Brad Little appointed Aaron von Ehlinger to fill the Idaho House District 6 seat until November’s general election.

The appointment was made one day after von Ehlinger challenged incumbent Rep. Thyra Stevenson, and won the Republican primary for the seat.

However, Stevenson passed away on May 11 following a heart attack.

She remained on the Republican primary ballot because it was too late to change forms.

The 6th Legislative District Republican Central Committee nominated von Ehlinger and two others as potential picks following the passing of Stevenson.

Von Ehlinger will now be the incumbent in the November general election, where he is running unopposed.

Idaho Gov. Brad Little won’t delay the May 19 primary election, but the election will now be all-absentee due to the risk from coronavirus.

Secretary of State Lawerence Denney has extended the deadline to submit absentee ballots to June 2.

Idahoans will be able register to vote and request an absentee ballot up until 8 p.m. on May 19.

The extension pushes back voters’ deadline to submit ballots to county clerks to 8 p.m. on June 2.

Normally that deadline would have been 8 p.m. May 19.

The Office of the Secretary of State will be sending out absentee ballot requests to every registered voter who has not already requested one.

The second session of the 65th Idaho Legislature has ended.

The House adjourned sine die on Friday after balancing fears of spreading the coronavirus with potential vetoes of several bills representatives will now be powerless to override.

If the House stayed in session, it would have given them the option of holding an override vote.

The override would be necessary if Gov. Brad Little vetoed any of the bills sent to him in the last days of the session.

The House voted 32-28 to end the legislative session a day after the Senate adjourned sine die.

During the session, lawmakers passed a bill relating to the filing of campaign finance reports and a bill relating to codifier’s corrections.

Senate Bill 1233 amends who can file reports of contributions and expenditures to include the political committee and the candidate.

The bill was an emergency and became effective January 1, 2020.

Senate Bill 1334 makes non-substantive changes to definitions relating to lobbying and contributions.

The bill becomes effective May 19, 2020.

This does affect lobbyist reporting.

The statutory requirement to file monthly reports when the Legislature is in session will end with the report due April 15.

The Idaho Senate adjourned sine die Thursday night.

However, the House voted to meet again Friday morning despite recommendations to practice social distancing amid COVID-19 concerns.

Coronavirus has been looming over the last week of the session, causing Gov. Brad Little to be dealing with the increase in cases.

If the House stays in session for three days, it will force the Senate to return to town.

If the House adjourns on Friday, at 75 days, it will be tied for the fourth shortest session in the past 20 years.

At the request of Idaho Secretary of State Lawerence Denney, and in consultation with the office of the Governor, the Idaho Office of the Secretary of State is extending the February 10 filing deadline for PACs and candidates under the Idaho Sunshine Laws to February 17, 2020.

Being the first report due under the new revisions of the Sunshine Law, various unanticipated issues have made achieving the deadline by midnight unlikely for some candidates and PACs.

The fines stipulated by the new laws will also be pushed back and not be assessed at this time.

Another contributing factor to the delayed deadline is for many in local and special district offices, this report represents their first time ever filing with the Office of the Secretary of State and many were not aware of the steps required to gain access to the state’s campaign finance filing system.

The Idaho House of Representatives voted unanimously to expel Rep. John Green, a day after a Texas federal jury convicted him of a felony.

Rep. Green refused to resign from Seat B of House District 2 following a guilty verdict.

The Idaho Attorney General’s Office sent House Speaker Scott Bedke a letter stating based on a review of the Idaho Constitution and state law, under the felony conviction, Green has lost his qualifications for office.

It was also noted in the letter the House is the judge of the qualifications of its own members.

Expelling a House member requires a two-thirds vote of the 70-member body.

With no debate, comment, or discussion the House voted 65-0 to expel Green.

It is the first time a lawmaker has been expelled from the Idaho Legislature.

Gov. Brad Little nominated Tim Kastning to serve as acting state representative during Green’s temporary absence for the trial.

The District 2 Republican Party now has 15 days to present three possible candidates to forward to the governor to choose a replacement.

Gov. Brad Little appointed Lauren Necochea to fill the vacant House of Representatives District 19 seat.

Necochea was one of three possible candidates and the top choice the Democratic Legislative Committee for District 19 submitted to the governor.

The seat became vacant when former Rep. Mat Erpelding resigned to take a job with the Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce.