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SJR 101

REFERENDA AND INITIATIVES – Proposes a state constitutional amendment to require any referendum petition or initiative petition to be signed by at least 6% of legal voters at the last general election in each legislative district.

68th Legislature, 1st Regular Session (2025)

Requires 6% of legal voters in each Idaho legislative district for any referendum or initiative petition.

Recommitted to State Affairs
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Bill Summary · SJR 101

Summary: SJR 101 — Referenda and Initiatives – 6% Per District Amendment

Purpose and intent

  • Seeks to amend Idaho’s Constitution to require that any referendum petition or initiative petition be signed by at least 6% of legal voters in each of Idaho’s 35 legislative districts, using the number of legal voters from the last general election.
  • Aims to broaden geographic participation and curb “venue shopping” by well-funded groups, ensuring proportional involvement from all districts.
  • The measure preserves the current total signature requirement but adds a per-district floor to signatures.

Key provisions

  • Constitutional amendment to Section 1, Article III:
    • Before any referendum or initiative petition may be submitted to voters, signatures must come from legal voters in every legislative district, with at least 6% of the last general election’s legal voters in each district.
  • Ballot language:
    • The measure includes a voter question asking whether Section 1, Article III should be amended to require 6% district-by-district signatures.
  • Administrative duties:
    • Legislative Council to prepare required statutory statements.
    • Secretary of State to publish the amendment and accompanying arguments per law.

Who is affected

  • All referendum and initiative petitions in Idaho, affecting how signature requirements are gathered.
  • Voters in each of Idaho’s 35 legislative districts, since district-level participation is now a prerequisite for petition validity.
  • Petition circulators and proponents who must plan campaigns to meet the per-district threshold.

Absent or changed variables

  • Total number of signatures remains the same as currently required; the change is in distributing those signatures across districts.
  • Some districts could pose a higher practical hurdle if they have fewer eligible voters, potentially impacting petition feasibility.

Fiscal and procedural implications

  • Fiscal note: No increase in the total signatures collected; workload becomes more geographically distributed.
  • Ballot placement cost: Potentially up to approximately $200,000 for statewide ballot printing if this is the sole ballot question; could be $0 if other questions are already on the ballot.
  • Process timeline:
    • Introduced: January 29, 2025.
    • Referred to State Affairs; later actions include a recommitment to State Affairs (March 27, 2025) and related readings/amendments.
    • If approved by the Legislature, the measure would appear on the November 2026 General Election ballot for voter approval.

Status and next steps

  • Status: Recommitted to State Affairs.
  • The next step would be consideration by the State Affairs committee and, if advanced, potential placement on the November 2026 ballot pending legislative approval and voter passage.

Note: This is a joint resolution proposing a constitutional amendment, not a standalone statute. Adoption requires approval by both the Legislature and Idaho voters.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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