Idaho Updates - Legislative Watch

In this issue:

1. Campaign Finance Bill
2. Initiatives & Referendums Bill
3. FLSA/Overtime Rules

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Update on Campaign Finance Bill 

​Last Friday, the Senate State Affairs Committee heard an updated version of the campaign finance bill S1183 (Previously known as bill number S1114). Click here for more information and to track it. 

We also received a copy of the legislation, now being referred to as Electioneering Communications. Please click here to review the draft version. The changes from the original version are: a shortened reporting period and the requirement of disclosure of donors who contribute to support electioneering communications. 

The bill will be heard again on March 13 and testimony will likely continue through Friday, March 15. Amy Little, President/CEO of the Idaho Nonprofit Center, will be in attendance at the Senate State Affairs committee on Friday to provide additional testimony on the revamped legislation. 

While the Idaho Nonprofit Center is not yet taking a position on this bill, analysis still raises concerns even with the most recent changes. More specifically, the time frame could still pose a threat to legislative related speech that may trigger a disclosure of donors. Especially with the addition to the donor disclosure piece about disclosing any donation used for an electioneering communication – that becomes very tricky to track because it doesn’t necessarily correlate with how nonprofits engage in fundraising and budgeting.  

For example, we (Idaho Nonprofit Center) do not receive donations for the purpose of our advocacy efforts and electioneering communications. Would we then still have to disclose any/all donors if we meet the expenditure threshold and send electioneering communications during the reporting period?  

If you would like to submit support or concerns to the committee, click here to access their contact information (click on the Members tab). 

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Initiatives & Referendums Bill 

​Over the weekend we were alerted to another piece of legislation: S1159 Initiatives & Referendums. The Idaho Nonprofit Center is not taking an official position on this bill yet, but we invited Kathy Griesmyer of the ACLU to share her testimony regarding their concerns.  
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• If you support or oppose this bill, please contact members of the state Senate Affairs Committee (click on the Members tab).

ACLU Testimony

• ​"Direct democracy is at the heart of Idaho’s values, and citizens have been using ballot initiatives since its adoption in 1933. Without the ability to bring policies directly to the people through the ballot, Idaho citizens are unable to act on issues of grave importance that elected officials have otherwise ignored."

read more

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FLSA/Overtime Rules Return

​After a couple of years of input and review, the Labor Department recently issued its new proposed regulations on overtime. If you recall back in 2016, the threshold was planned to increase from $23,660 to $47,476 but a federal lawsuit put the changes on hold.

The newly issues guidelines propose raising the pay threshold for overtime exemption from $23,660 to $35,308.

If you would like to review the proposal, you can see it posted on the federal website www.regulations.gov where you can also post comments. Sources say that this is a proposal and the final regulations will be similar but may have changed based on public input.

As always, the Idaho Nonprofit Center will keep an eye on this proposal as it develops and, as we did in 2016, we will deploy our resources to provide the training and support you need to be in compliance when these new rules take effect.

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Follow the Idaho Legislature With ‘Idaho in Session’

​Stay informed about the discussions, issues and legislation that affect your nonprofit with Idaho Public Television’s ‘Idaho in Session.’ This free online service provides live feeds of the Idaho House and Senate; the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee (JFAC); and the Lincoln Auditorium, East Wing 42, and eight additional committee legislative hearing rooms while the Idaho Legislature is in session.

more information here

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Contacting Idaho’s Senators and Congressmen 

• Learn who your representatives are
• Contact information for Senators Mike Crapo and James E. Risch and Congressmen Russ Fulcher and Mike Simpson

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past legislative watches

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Legislative Watch is written by Albertine Amouzougan, a student at Boise State University.