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HCR059.....................................................by STATE AFFAIRS
VOTER PARTICIPATION - STUDY - Stating findings of the Legislature and
authorizing the Legislative Council to appoint a committee to undertake a
study of declining voter participation, declining competition for state
level public offices, increased funding by private interests of candidates
for public office in Idaho, especially judicial offices, and options that
may limit spending and improve competition and voter participation.
02/28 House intro - 1st rdg - to printing
03/01 Rpt prt - to St Aff
03/06 Rpt out - rec d/p - to 2nd rdg
03/07 To St Aff
|||| LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO ||||
Fifty-sixth Legislature Second Regular Session - 2002
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 59
BY STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
1 A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
2 STATING FINDINGS OF THE LEGISLATURE AND AUTHORIZING THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO
3 APPOINT A COMMITTEE TO UNDERTAKE A STUDY OF DECLINING VOTER PARTICIPATION,
4 DECLINING COMPETITION FOR PUBLIC OFFICE, INCREASED FUNDING BY PRIVATE
5 INTERESTS OF CANDIDATES FOR PUBLIC OFFICE IN IDAHO, ESPECIALLY JUDICIAL
6 OFFICE, AND OPTIONS THAT MAY LIMIT SPENDING AND IMPROVE COMPETITION AND
7 VOTER PARTICIPATION.
8 Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:
9 WHEREAS, voter participation is declining in Idaho; and
10 WHEREAS, voters may become discouraged that their ability to exercise
11 their fundamental American right to vote is undermined by a number of differ-
12 ent factors, including the lack of competition in some races, the increasing
13 amount of money being spent on some campaigns, and the amount and source of
14 money spent on judicial campaigns; and
15 WHEREAS, the principle of one-person, one-vote is a fundamental
16 underpinning of our American Republic; and
17 WHEREAS, the need for more and more money to finance campaigns has forced
18 public officials to have to raise those funds from private groups and individ-
19 uals who have those funds. Elected officials who try really hard not to treat
20 interests who give them campaign money better than those who do not, are still
21 forced to go to moneyed interests in order to finance their campaigns; and
22 WHEREAS, businesses, associations, unions, and other groups are being
23 asked to give more and more money to political campaigns and some feel that if
24 they do not, it may jeopardize their ability to be treated equally and fairly
25 with their competitors who may have given money; and
26 WHEREAS, when the candidate raising the funds is seeking judicial office,
27 there are added concerns that it may affect the public perception of impar-
28 tiality of the courts, especially when groups or individuals which have given
29 funds have cases pending in the courts; and
30 WHEREAS, when good people who would make good public servants are
31 approached to run, increasingly the most important skill they must demonstrate
32 is fundraising. Yet, Idaho communities are filled with qualified people who
33 would make excellent public officials, but they do not have experience raising
34 lots of money or if they do, they are uncomfortable having to raise a lot of
35 money to elect themselves; and
36 WHEREAS, any solution addressed at the financing of campaigns for public
37 office must not threaten the free speech rights of our citizens; and
38 WHEREAS, the American Bar Association has encouraged states which elect
39 judges to consider reform options that would protect the public's confidence
40 in the impartiality and integrity of the court system.
41 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the members of the Second Regular Ses-
42 sion of the Fifty-sixth Idaho Legislature, the House of Representatives and
43 the Senate concurring therein, that the Legislative Council is authorized to
44 appoint a committee to undertake and complete a study of declining voter par-
2
1 ticipation, declining competition for public office, increased funding by pri-
2 vate interests of candidates for public office in Idaho, especially judicial
3 office, and options that may limit spending and improve competition and voter
4 participation, protect the impartiality and integrity of the judicial system
5 and protect citizens' constitutional rights of free speech. The Legislative
6 Council shall appoint up to six legislators, three from the Senate and three
7 from the House of Representatives.
8 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the committee shall include six additional
9 voting members each to be appointed as follows: one member of the staff of the
10 Office of the Idaho Secretary of State appointed by the Idaho Secretary of
11 State; two county clerks appointed by the president of the Idaho Clerks Asso-
12 ciation; two current or former judges appointed by the Chief Justice of the
13 Idaho Supreme Court; and one resident of Idaho appointed by the president of
14 the Idaho League of Women Voters.
15 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the committee shall receive and review input
16 from residents of Idaho and shall conduct public hearings where Idaho resi-
17 dents may provide their input orally or in writing, and that the committee
18 shall conduct five or more such public hearings in different parts of the
19 state.
20 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the committee shall report its findings, rec-
21 ommendations and proposed legislation, if any, to the First Regular Session of
22 the Fifty-seventh Idaho Legislature.
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
RS 12152C1
This resolution would authorize the legislative council to
appoint an interim committee to undertake and complete a study of
declining voter participation, declining competition for public
office, increased funding by private interests of candidates for
public office in Idaho, especially judicial office, and options
that may limit spending and improve competition and voter
participation, protect the impartiality and integrity of the
judicial system and protect citizen's constitutional rights of
free speech. The interim committee will consist of six
legislators, three from the Senate and three from the House of
Representatives, and six other people appointed by the Secretary
of State, Idaho Clerk's Association, Idaho Supreme Court, and the
League of Women Voters.
FISCAL IMPACT
If this resolution is adopted by the Legislature and the
committee is appointed, any necessary travel and per diem expense
would be paid from the existing legislative appropriation to the
Senate and the House of Representatives. Funding for staff
support and expenses would be provided from the existing
appropriation to the Legislative Council for the Legislative
Services Office. There would be no additional impact upon the
state general fund as a result of this resolution.
Contact
Name: Rep. Gary Young
Rep. Tom Trail
Sen. Betsy Dunklin
Phone: 332-1202
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE HCR 59