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LEGISLATURE
OF
THE
STATE
OF
IDAHO
Sixty-eighth
Legislature
Second
Regular
Session
-
2026
IN
THE
SENATE
SENATE
BILL
NO.
1449
BY
STATE
AFFAIRS
COMMITTEE
AN
ACT
1
RELATING
TO
ELECTIONS;
AMENDING
SECTION
34
-
1807,
IDAHO
CODE,
TO
REVISE
PRO
-
2
VISIONS
REGARDING
THE
CIRCULATION
OF
PETITIONS,
TO
REVISE
PROVISIONS
3
REGARDING
SIGNATURE
GATHERERS,
AND
TO
MAKE
TECHNICAL
CORRECTIONS;
4
AMENDING
CHAPTER
66,
TITLE
67,
IDAHO
CODE,
BY
THE
ADDITION
OF
A
NEW
5
SECTION
67
-
6628B,
IDAHO
CODE,
TO
PROVIDE
CERTAIN
REQUIREMENTS
FOR
PER
-
6
SONS
ENGAGED
IN
PAID
IN
-
PERSON
CANVASSING
ACTIVITIES;
AMENDING
SECTION
7
67
-
6625,
IDAHO
CODE,
TO
PROVIDE
A
CODE
REFERENCE;
PROVIDING
SEVERABIL
-
8
ITY;
AND
DECLARING
AN
EMERGENCY.
9
Be
It
Enacted
by
the
Legislature
of
the
State
of
Idaho:
10
SECTION
1.
That
Section
34
-
1807,
Idaho
Code,
be,
and
the
same
is
hereby
1
1
amended
to
read
as
follows:
12
34
-
1807.
CIRCULATION
OF
PETITIONS
-
-
PAID
SIGNATURE
GATHERERS
-
-
13
VERIFICATION
OF
PETITION
AND
SIGNATURE
SHEETS
-
-
CERTIFICATION
OF
PETITION
14
SIGNERS
-
-
CERTAIN
PETITIONS
AND
SIGNATURES
VOID.
(1)
Any
person
who
circu
-
15
lates
any
petition
for
an
initiative
or
referendum
shall
be
a
resident
of
the
16
state
of
Idaho
and
at
least
eighteen
(18)
years
of
age
and
shall
comply
with
17
all
provisions
of
section
67
-
6628B,
Idaho
Code,
in
the
course
of
circulating
18
any
such
petition
.
19
(2)(a)
Any
person
who
accepts
payment
to
circulate
a
petition
for
an
20
initiative
or
referendum
shall,
prior
to
accepting
a
signature:
21
(i)
Verbally
notify
any
potential
signatory
that
such
person
is
22
accepting
payment
to
gather
signatures
and
provide
the
name
of
the
23
person
or
entity
providing
payment
to
such
person;
and
24
(ii)
Cause
to
be
printed
on
each
page
of
any
petition
for
an
ini
-
25
tiative
or
referendum
a
prominent
and
legible
declaration
that
26
such
person
is
receiving
payment
in
exchange
for
circulating
the
27
petition
and
the
name
of
the
person
providing
payment
to
such
per
-
28
son.
29
(b)
At
all
times
a
person
is
circulating
a
petition
pursuant
to
para
-
30
graph
(a)
of
this
subsection,
such
person
shall
wear
a
badge
that
is
31
clearly
visible
to
any
potential
signatory
and
that
contains
the
words
32
"paid
petition
circulator"
on
it
.
33
(c)
The
Idaho
secretary
of
state
shall
promulgate
rules
to
implement
34
the
provisions
of
this
subsection,
which
shall
provide
details
re
-
35
garding
the
font
specifications
that
shall
be
required
for
the
printed
36
declaration
required
under
paragraph
(a)(ii)
of
this
subsection
and
the
37
specifications
regarding
font,
shape,
color,
and
size
requirements
for
38
the
badge
required
under
paragraph
(b)
of
this
subsection.
39
(3)
(2)
Each
and
every
sheet
of
every
such
petition
for
an
initiative
40
or
referendum
containing
signatures
shall
be
verified
on
the
face
thereof
in
41
2
substantially
the
following
form,
by
the
person
who
circulated
said
sheet
of
1
said
petition,
by
his
or
her
affidavit
thereon,
and
as
a
part
thereof:
2
(a)
For
persons
not
accepting
payment
for
circulating
a
petition:
3
State
of
Idaho
)
4
)ss.
5
County
of....
)
6
I,....,
being
first
duly
sworn,
say
that
I
am
a
resident
of
the
State
of
7
Idaho
and
at
least
eighteen
(18)
years
of
age
;
that
I
have
not
and
will
not
8
accept
remuneration
in
any
way
related
to
the
petition;
that
every
person
who
9
signed
this
sheet
of
the
foregoing
petition
signed
his
or
her
name
thereto
in
10
my
presence;
that
I
believe
that
each
has
stated
his
or
her
name,
address
and
1
1
residence
correctly;
and
that
each
signer
is
a
qualified
elector
of
the
State
12
of
Idaho
and
a
resident
of
the
county
of.....
13
Signed
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
14
Post
office
address
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
15
Subscribed
and
sworn
to
before
me
this....
day
of.....
16
(Notary
Seal)
Notary
Public
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
17
Residing
at
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
18
(b)
For
persons
accepting
payment
for
circulating
a
petition:
19
State
of
Idaho
)
20
)ss.
21
County
of....
)
22
I,....,
being
first
duly
sworn,
say
that
I
am
a
resident
of
the
state
23
State
of
Idaho
and
at
least
eighteen
(18)
years
of
age
;
that
every
person
who
24
signed
this
sheet
of
the
foregoing
petition
signed
his
or
her
name
thereto
in
25
my
presence,
after
I
verbally
notified
each
individual
signer
that
I
will
re
-
26
ceive
payment
in
exchange
for
gathering
the
signatures
on
this
sheet;
that
27
I
believe
that
each
has
stated
his
or
her
name,
address
and
residence
cor
-
28
rectly;
and
that
each
signer
is
a
qualified
elector
of
the
State
of
Idaho
and
29
a
resident
of
the
county
of.....
30
I
am
accepting
payment
for
the
circulation
of
the
foregoing
petition
31
by....
and
the
address
of
such
payor
is.....
32
Signed
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
33
Post
office
address
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
34
Subscribed
and
sworn
to
before
me
this....
day
of.....
35
(Notary
Seal)
Notary
Public
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
36
Residing
at
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
37
(4)
(3)
In
addition
to
said
affidavit,
the
county
clerk
shall
carefully
38
examine
said
petitions
and
strike
from
the
petition
any
names
for
which
he
39
has
determined
that
the
name,
address,
or
signature
do
not
match
and
confirm
40
that
each
name,
address,
and
signature
matches
those
of
a
qualified
elector
41
of
the
proper
jurisdiction
and
that
the
petitions
conform
to
all
other
provi
-
42
sions
of
this
section.
The
county
clerk
shall
attach
to
the
signature
sheets
43
a
certificate
to
the
secretary
of
state
substantially
as
follows:
44
3
State
of
Idaho
)
1
)ss.
2
County
of....
)
3
To
the
Honorable....,
Secretary
of
State
for
the
State
of
Idaho:
4
I,....,
County
Clerk
of....
County,
hereby
certify
that....
signatures
on
5
this
petition
are
those
of
qualified
electors
in
Legislative
District
Num
-
6
ber.....
7
Signed
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
8
County
Clerk
or
Deputy.
9
(Seal
of
office)
10
(5)
(4)
The
county
clerk
shall
deliver
the
petition
or
any
part
thereof
1
1
to
the
person
from
whom
he
received
it
with
his
certificate
attached
thereto
12
as
above
provided.
The
forms
herein
given
are
not
mandatory
and
if
substan
-
13
tially
followed
in
any
petition,
it
shall
be
sufficient,
disregarding
cleri
-
14
cal
and
merely
technical
error.
15
(6)
(5)
Any
petition
on
which
signatures
are
obtained
by
a
person
not
a
16
resident
of
the
state
of
Idaho
and
at
least
eighteen
(18)
years
of
age
shall
17
be
void.
The
definition
of
resident
in
section
34
-
107,
Idaho
Code,
shall
ap
-
18
ply
to
the
circulators
of
initiative
and
referendum
petitions.
19
(7)
(6)
Any
signature
that
is
not
a
physical
signature,
including
an
20
electronic
signature,
is
void.
21
(8)
(7)
Any
petition
for
an
initiative
or
referendum
on
which
signa
-
22
tures
are
obtained
that
is
circulated
in
violation
of
the
disclosure
provi
-
23
sions
provided
in
subsection
(2)
of
this
section
67
-
6628B,
Idaho
Code,
is
24
void.
25
SECTION
2.
That
Chapter
66,
Title
67,
Idaho
Code,
be,
and
the
same
is
26
hereby
amended
by
the
addition
thereto
of
a
NEW
SECTION
,
to
be
known
and
des
-
27
ignated
as
Section
67
-
6628B,
Idaho
Code,
and
to
read
as
follows:
28
67
-
6628B.
PAID
IN
-
PERSON
CANVASSING
ACTIVITIES
-
-
DISCLOSURES.
(1)
29
For
the
purposes
of
this
section:
30
(a)
"Paid
in
-
person
canvassing
activities"
means
canvassing
activi
-
31
ties
performed
by
an
individual
who
accepts
financial
compensation
for
32
the
purpose
of
influencing
how
a
person
votes,
including
but
not
limited
33
to
circulating
any
petition
for
an
initiative
or
referendum;
soliciting
34
personal
residences
or
public
locations
to
communicate
with
or
distrib
-
35
ute
materials
to
possible
voters
about
political
candidates
or
ballot
36
measures;
conducting
in
-
person
get
-
out
-
the
-
vote
efforts
in
relation
to
37
any
candidate
or
ballot
measure;
and
any
other
direct,
in
-
person
con
-
38
tact
or
interaction
intended
to
affect
an
individual's
electoral
par
-
39
ticipation
or
preferences.
40
(b)
"Phone
banking
activities"
means
any
organized
outreach
activity
41
in
which
telephone
calls
are
made
to
Idaho
qualified
electors
for
the
42
purpose
of
persuading
such
electors
to
vote
or
to
vote
in
a
particular
43
manner,
providing
information
to
such
electors
regarding
an
election
or
44
voting,
or
mobilizing
such
electors
to
vote.
45
(2)
Persons
who
engage
in
any
paid
in
-
person
canvassing
activities
46
shall:
47
(a)
Be
a
resident
of
the
state
of
Idaho;
48
4
(b)
Verbally
notify
any
person
with
whom
they
communicate
that
they
are
1
being
compensated
to
perform
paid
in
-
person
canvassing
activities
and
2
provide
the
name
of
the
persons
or
entities
providing
payment
to
such
3
person;
and
4
(c)
At
all
times,
while
engaging
in
paid
in
-
person
canvassing
activi
-
5
ties,
wear
a
badge
that
is
clearly
visible
to
any
person
with
whom
they
6
intend
to
communicate
with
that
contains
the
words
"paid
political
ad
-
7
vocate"
as
well
as
the
name
of
the
persons
or
entities
providing
payment
8
to
such
person.
9
(3)
The
Idaho
secretary
of
state
may
promulgate
rules
to
implement
the
10
provisions
of
this
section,
including
specifications
regarding
font,
shape,
1
1
color,
and
size
requirements
for
the
badge
required
pursuant
to
subsection
12
(2)(c)
of
this
section.
13
(4)
The
provisions
of
this
section
shall
not
apply
to:
14
(a)
Volunteers
acting
without
compensation
or
reimbursement
beyond
in
-
15
cidental
expenses;
16
(b)
Individuals
whose
paid
in
-
person
canvassing
activities
are
inci
-
17
dental
to
broader
campaign
employment
responsibilities;
18
(c)
Phone
banking
activities;
or
19
(d)
Candidates
engaged
in
in
-
person
canvassing
activities
for
their
20
own
election
campaign.
21
SECTION
3.
That
Section
67
-
6625,
Idaho
Code,
be,
and
the
same
is
hereby
22
amended
to
read
as
follows:
23
67
-
6625.
VIOLATIONS
-
-
CIVIL
FINE
-
-
MISDEMEANOR
PENALTY
-
-
PROSECU
-
24
TION
-
-
LIMITATION
-
-
VENUE.
(1)
Any
person
who
violates
the
provisions
of
25
sections
67
-
6603,
67
-
6604,
67
-
6606
through
67
-
6614A,
67
-
6624,
67
-
6627
or
,
26
67
-
6628,
or
67
-
6628B,
Idaho
Code,
shall
be
liable
for
a
civil
fine
not
to
ex
-
27
ceed
two
hundred
fifty
dollars
($250)
if
an
individual,
and
not
more
than
two
28
thousand
five
hundred
dollars
($2,500)
if
a
person
other
than
an
individual.
29
The
burden
of
proof
for
such
civil
liability
shall
be
met
by
showing
a
prepon
-
30
derance
of
the
evidence.
31
(2)
Any
person
who
violates
section
67
-
6605,
Idaho
Code,
and
any
per
-
32
son
who
knowingly
and
willfully
violates
sections
67
-
6603
through
67
-
6614A,
33
67
-
6624,
67
-
6627
or
,
67
-
6628,
or
67
-
6628B,
Idaho
Code,
is
guilty
of
a
misde
-
34
meanor
and,
upon
conviction,
in
addition
to
the
fines
set
forth
in
subsection
35
(1)
of
this
section,
may
be
imprisoned
for
not
more
than
six
(6)
months
or
be
36
both
fined
and
imprisoned.
37
(3)
The
attorney
general
or
the
appropriate
prosecuting
attorney
may
38
prosecute
any
violations
of
this
chapter.
39
(4)
Prosecution
for
a
civil
or
misdemeanor
violation
of
this
chapter
40
must
be
commenced
within
two
(2)
years
after
the
date
on
which
the
violation
41
occurred.
Prosecution
for
a
felony
violation
of
this
chapter
must
be
com
-
42
menced
pursuant
to
the
provisions
of
section
19
-
402,
Idaho
Code.
43
(5)
Venue
for
prosecution
under
the
provisions
of
this
chapter
shall
be
44
in
the
county
of
residence
of
the
defendant
if
the
defendant
is
a
resident
of
45
the
state
of
Idaho,
otherwise
venue
shall
be
in
Ada
county.
46
SECTION
4.
SEVERABILITY.
The
provisions
of
this
act
are
hereby
declared
47
to
be
severable
and
if
any
provision
of
this
act
or
the
application
of
such
48
5
provision
to
any
person
or
circumstance
is
declared
invalid
for
any
reason,
1
such
declaration
shall
not
affect
the
validity
of
the
remaining
portions
of
2
this
act.
3
SECTION
5.
An
emergency
existing
therefor,
which
emergency
is
hereby
4
declared
to
exist,
this
act
shall
be
in
full
force
and
effect
on
and
after
its
5
passage
and
approval.
6