Lobbying Transparency Overhaul: 2025 Idaho House Bill 309
Idaho House Bill 309 represents an overhaul of the state's lobbying regulations, separating these rules from campaign finance laws and implementing stricter reporting requirements for those who seek to influence government officials. This legislation aims to increase transparency in political influence by establishing clearer definitions of lobbying activities and requiring more frequent disclosures from those engaged in such practices.
The Bill's Purpose
House Bill 309 aims to address growing concerns about the influence of special interests on Idaho's legislative process by completely restructuring how lobbying is regulated in the state. The bill emerged from observations that Idaho's current Sunshine Law, which was established through a voter initiative in 1974, has not kept pace with modern political realities. Secretary of State Phil McGrane and House leadership identified the need to update these regulations in response to unprecedented levels of campaign spending and lobbying activities witnessed in recent elections.
The purpose of this legislation is to bring greater transparency to how special interest groups interact with elected officials, ensuring that ordinary Idahoans can better understand who is attempting to influence their government and how much money is being spent in the process.
The Core Provisions
House Bill 309 makes several significant changes to how lobbying is regulated in Idaho.
Separation of Lobbying and Campaign Regulation
The legislation aims to separate lobbying regulations from campaign finance laws, placing them in a distinct section of the Idaho Code for greater clarity.
This reorganization aims to make the laws more understandable and accessible to both the public and those who must comply with them.
Expanded Definitions
The bill expands the definition of lobbying to include "indirect lobbying" and "education" related to policy matters, broadening the scope of activities that require registration and reporting.
This change recognizes that influence can take many forms beyond direct contact with legislators, hoping to close potential loopholes in the current system.
Updated Reporting Schedule
The legislation also changes reporting requirements, shifting from the current monthly reporting schedule to weekly reporting during legislative sessions.
This provision looks to ensure that information about lobbying activities is made available to the public in a more timely manner when legislative decisions are actively being made.
Expenditure Size and Timeline Reporting
For significant expenditures, the bill creates even stricter reporting timelines, requiring disclosure within 48 hours when a lobbyist spends $1,000 or more on anything other than food.
Required Paid-For Statements
Additionally, the legislation mandates that communications and materials distributed by lobbyists or organizations with registered lobbyists must include "paid for" statements.
The bill accomplishes these reforms by repealing several existing sections of Idaho Code (67-6617 through 67-6622) and replacing them with updated provisions that reflect these new requirements.
Current Status and Sponsors
Sponsor: House Bill 309 was introduced by the House State Affairs Committee.
While the committee is listed as the sponsor, reporting indicates that Secretary of State Phil McGrane worked with House Speaker Mike Moyle on the overall package of campaign finance reforms that includes this bill. Representative Brent Crane, who chairs the House State Affairs Committee, has also been involved in presenting the legislation.
Committee: The bill is currently pending in the House State Affairs Committee, which is chaired by Representative Brent Crane of Nampa.
Current Status: As of March 19, 2025, House Bill 309 remains in the House State Affairs Committee. The bill was introduced on February 21, 2025, read for the first time, and referred to the committee on February 24, 2025. Representative Crane had indicated he intended to hold off on public hearings for two weeks after introduction to allow lawmakers sufficient time to review the bill. This review period has now concluded, so committee movement may happen shortly.
