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S 1117

Requires free education for grades pre-K through undergraduate

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Jabari Brisport and 9 co-sponsors

Idaho S 1117 tightens initiative petitions by requiring timely, updated fiscal impact statements and earlier voter pamphlet deadlines, with an emergency July 1, 2025 effective date.

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Bill Summary · S 1117

Summary — S 1117 (Idaho, 2025)

Important note: the text and legislative actions provided with “S 1117” primarily describe an Idaho bill that amends how fiscal impact statements and voter pamphlet arguments are handled for statewide initiative petitions. The packet also includes unrelated material from a Massachusetts docket that uses the same bill number; this summary focuses on the Idaho statute changes contained in the bill text.

Main purpose

S 1117 amends Idaho’s initiative petition statutes (Idaho Code §§ 34-1812, 34-1812A, 34-1812B) to require updated and timely fiscal impact statements from the Division of Financial Management (DFM), to adjust filing deadlines for arguments and rebuttals in the voters’ pamphlet, and to make a technical correction. The act includes an emergency clause and an effective date.

Key provisions

  • Fiscal impact statements (§ 34-1812)

    • DFM must prepare an unbiased initial fiscal impact statement within 20 working days after receiving an initiative petition from the Secretary of State (in consultation with other agencies as appropriate).
    • If petitioners modify a petition after receiving the certificate of review and initial fiscal impact statement, DFM must, within 10 working days, either provide an updated fiscal impact statement reflecting modifications or notify the Secretary of State that the modifications did not change the fiscal impact.
    • Statements must describe projected increases/decreases in revenues, costs, expenditures, or indebtedness for state and local governments, include both immediate and long-term implications, be written in clear, nontechnical language, and may include dollar estimates with context.
    • Each fiscal impact statement must include a summary not to exceed 100 words plus a detailed statement with underlying assumptions.
    • Signature gatherers must offer the fiscal impact summary, the initiative text, and the sponsor’s proposed funding source information to potential signers before they sign.
    • DFM must file a final, updated fiscal impact statement no later than July 20 of the year an initiative with the requisite signatures is properly filed; the Secretary of State must transmit it to the petition sponsors.
    • The final fiscal impact summary and sponsor funding information must be published in the state voters’ pamphlet and on the ballot; the detailed statement and related materials must be posted on the Secretary of State’s website by August 1.
    • The section does not apply to city or county ballot initiatives.

  • Voter argument deadlines (§ 34-1812A and § 34-1812B)

    • Revises the filing deadline for direct arguments to July 20 (replacing the prior date).
    • Revises the deadline for rebuttal arguments to August 10 (replacing the prior date of August 1). Rebuttals remain limited to 250 words and are printed immediately following the direct argument they rebut.
    • Requirements for naming authors and organizational identification remain.

  • Effective date and emergency clause

    • Declared an emergency; the act takes effect July 1, 2025.

Who is affected

  • Division of Financial Management (additional reporting/update duties and deadlines)
  • Secretary of State’s office (publishing/transmitting required materials; website posting)
  • Initiative petition sponsors and signature gatherers (must provide fiscal summaries to signers; respond to updated statements)
  • Voters (will receive updated, timely fiscal impact summaries in the voters’ pamphlet and on ballots)
  • Local governments: fiscal impact must consider state and local impacts; city/county initiatives are exempt from these provisions

Fiscal impact

  • The accompanying fiscal note (revised) states the bill causes no additional expenditure or revenue change at the state or local level and therefore has no fiscal impact.

Procedural status (selected)

  • Introduced: March 25, 2025
  • Emergency effective date: July 1, 2025
  • Legislative history entries indicate passage and gubernatorial signature in early April 2025 (Session Law Chapter 305 — Effective 07/01/2025) per the provided actions.

Additional notes

  • The materials provided include an unrelated Massachusetts bill also numbered S.1117 (on treatment vs. incarceration). This summary pertains only to the Idaho statutory amendments reflected in the Idaho bill text.

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

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