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H 359 Idaho House · 68th Legislature, 1st Regular Session (2025)

ELECTIONS – Amends existing law to require the disclosure of political affiliation in certain election communications.

This bill requires candidates in partisan elections and groups making independent expenditures to disclose their political party affiliation in all campaign advertisements and materials (like flyers, online ads, or radio spots), except for small items like stickers or wearable items. It mandates that the party name or a recognizable symbol be prominently displayed in these communications. The law aims to reduce voter confusion by making party affiliations clear, building on existing requirements for candidate filings. It takes effect on July 1, 2025, after passing the Idaho House with 39-31 support.
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Mar 2025
Committee Review
Mar 2025
House Passage
Mar 2025
Senate Passage
Governor
Introduced Mar 3, 2025 Last action Mar 21, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Bill Text → Engrossment 1 · 4 edits
MODERATE
The bill was amended to simplify and clarify party affiliation disclosure requirements for election communications. The changes consolidate multiple subsections into a single clear requirement, remove detailed exemptions for various digital media formats, and add a definition for 'party affiliation'. This makes the law easier to understand and enforce while maintaining the core requirement that candidates disclose their party in partisan election communications.
Scope change
The bill's scope was narrowed by removing numerous exemptions for digital communications (social media, internet links, apps, etc.) that previously allowed candidates to avoid party disclosure requirements.
REQUIREMENT

Reorganized party disclosure requirements from multiple subsections into a single consolidated requirement that applies to all election communications except stickers or wearable items.

Removed detailed exemptions for various digital media formats including social media profiles, internet links, software applications, and other technology-related items.

Deleted specific formatting requirements for how party affiliation must be displayed in communications (e.g., exact text format like '[name], [party]').

DEFINITION

Added a clear definition of 'party affiliation' as either the written name of the political party or a recognizable party symbol.

Floor votes · House Mar 20, 2025

How they voted

35–31
Passed
Total votes 66
Mar 20, 2025
D Democratic9
9 Nay
100% Nay
R Republican57
35 Yea 22 Nay
61% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
18
Key actions
3
Committee
6
Mar 21, 2025
Introduced
Introduced, read first time; referred to: State Affairs
upper
Mar 20, 2025
House · Passed
House Vote: pass (35-31)
house
Mar 13, 2025
Committee
Bill as Amended Referred to JRA for Engrossing
lower
Mar 13, 2025
Committee
Amendments Referred to the JRA for Printing
lower
Mar 13, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported out without recommendation as amended
lower
Mar 13, 2025
Committee
Referred to the Committee of the Whole
lower
Mar 6, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported out of Committee with Do Pass Recommendation, Filed for Second Reading
lower
Mar 4, 2025
Committee
Reported Printed and Referred to State Affairs
lower
Mar 3, 2025
Introduced
Introduced, read first time, referred to JRA for Printing
lower
0 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

No sponsor information available.