Update on Legislative Bills We Have Covered as of 2-14-21

Idaho Dispatch wants to periodically update citizens on the status of bills that we have converted. These articles are not intended to be an all-inclusive recap of each bill but simply a quick update on their status.

The typical flow of a bill is as follows. It doesn’t always work in this exact way or order but is a general guideline for how bills/resolutions flow:

1. A bill has an introductory hearing where a committee determines if the bill should go forward for a possible public hearing.
2. If the bill gets a hearing, it will go before one of the committees determined by the topic at hand. The committee then holds a public hearing (or the bill can be “drawered” by the committee chairman), and the committee votes on what to do with the bill.
3. Once the bill passes the committee, it then goes to the full House or Senate Floor for a vote depending on which side the bill was started.
4. If the bill passes the full House or Senate floor vote, it then goes to a committee on the opposite side of the rotunda. For instance, if HB 1 passes the House Floor, it then moves to a Senate committee.
5. If the bill passes through the committee of the other chamber, it then moves to a full vote in that chamber.
6. If the bill passes the floor vote in the other chamber, the bill then goes to the governor’s office for consideration.
7. The bill can be vetoed (denied) by the governor, approved by the governor, or let the bill ride into law by taking no action on the bill.
8. If the governor vetoes the bill, the legislature can override the bill if it is not too late in the session.

Please be sure to see the list below for updates:

HB 53 – Relating to public notices being posted on government websites instead of newspapers.
Status – The bill died on the House Floor 32-38.

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SB 1110 – Relating to ballot initiatives to increase the number of districts needed.
Status – The bill has been introduced in the Senate State Affairs Committee but has not had a public hearing.

HB 108 – Relating to decriminalizing medical marijuana in Idaho.
Status – The bill has been introduced in the Health and Welfare Committee but has not had a public hearing.

HB 97 – Relating to COVID-19 vaccine distribution.
Status – The bill has been introduced in the Health and Welfare Committee but has not had a public hearing.

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HB 88 – Relating to ballot harvesting.
Status – The bill passed the House State Affairs Committee but was pulled by the sponsor on the House Floor for possible amendments.

SJR 101 – Relating to a constitutional amendment proposal that would ban marijuana and other psychoactive drugs in Idaho.
Status – The bill has passed the full Senate and is awaiting a hearing in the House State Affairs Committee. We want to note here that this resolution would not go to the governor. It will be voted on by the people if it gets two-thirds support in the House.

HB 122 – Relating to concealed carry of firearms on K-12 schools by district employees (including teachers) under specific conditions.
Status – The bill has been introduced in the House State Affairs Committee but has not had a public hearing.

HCR 2 – Relating to rescinding the part of Governor Little’s Emergency Order limiting gathering sizes.
Status – The resolution has passed the full House and is awaiting a hearing in the Senate State Affairs Committee. This resolution would not go to the governor and would become effective upon passage in the Senate.

HB 54 – Relating to rescinding Idaho law which prohibits local governments from enacting bans on plastic bags and other plastic containers.
Status – The bill is in the House Ways and Means Committee but has not had a public hearing. This bill was submitted as a personal bill, which means it did not go through an introductory hearing.

HB 17 – Relating to cutting funding for some abortions.
Status – The bill is in the House State Affairs Committee but has not had a public hearing.