TITLE 34

ELECTIONS

CHAPTER 18

INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM ELECTIONS

34-1812.  fiscal impact statements. (1)   After receiving a copy of an initiative petition from the secretary of state as provided in section 34-1804, Idaho Code, the division of financial management, in consultation with any other appropriate state or local agency, shall prepare an unbiased, good faith statement of the fiscal impact of the law proposed by the initiative. The division of financial management shall complete the fiscal impact statement and file it with the secretary of state’s office within twenty (20) working days of having received the initiative petition from the secretary of state’s office. The secretary of state shall immediately transmit a copy of the fiscal impact statement to the person or persons who filed the initiative petition pursuant to section 34-1804, Idaho Code.

(2)  A fiscal impact statement shall describe any projected increase or decrease in revenues, costs, expenditures, or indebtedness that the state or local governments will experience if the ballot measure is approved by the voters. The fiscal impact statement shall include both immediate expected fiscal impacts and an estimate of any state or local government long-term financial implications. A fiscal impact statement must be written in clear and concise language and shall avoid legal and technical terms whenever possible. Where appropriate, a fiscal impact statement may include both estimated dollar amounts and a description placing the estimated dollar amounts into context.

(3)  A fiscal impact statement must include both a summary of the fiscal impact statement, not to exceed one hundred (100) words, and a more detailed statement of fiscal impact that includes the assumptions that were made to develop the fiscal impact. When collecting signatures, a signature gatherer shall offer a copy of the fiscal impact statement summary, along with a copy of the initiative and the sponsor’s proposed funding source information, to the elector for review before signing. The fiscal impact statement summary and the sponsor’s proposed funding source information shall also be published in the state voters’ pamphlet and on the official ballot. The fiscal impact statement summary, the detailed fiscal impact statement, and the sponsor’s proposed funding source information shall be made available to the public on the secretary of state’s website no later than August 1.

(4)  The provisions of this section shall not apply to a city or county ballot initiative.

History:

[34-1812, added 2020, ch. 317, sec. 3, p. 903.]