Ballot Measures & Propositions

What the Measure Does • Changes the Idaho Constitution: It adds a rule saying only the state legislature can change laws about marijuana, narcotics, and other psychoactive substances. • Removes Citizen Rights: It stops citizens from using ballot petitions or state initiatives to legalize or decriminalize these drugs.

No fiscal impact noted.

Idaho House Joint Resolution 4 is a proposed constitutional amendment that awards the state legislature exclusive authority over marijuana and psychoactive drugs and excludes citizens from being able to legalize these substances through citizen initiatives.

• A YES vote supports: Giving the Idaho Legislature total and exclusive control over drug legalization. • The result: Citizens will no longer be able to put marijuana or drug legalization questions on the ballot themselves.

A NO vote opposes: Giving the legislature sole control over these laws. • The result: The current system stays the same, and citizens keep the right to petition and vote on state statutes to legalize or decriminalize these substances.

English would be the official language for Idaho, to be used exclusively in public documents, instruction, and any other public actions of public institutions,except in instances required by federal law.

None provided.

Shall Article X of the Constitution of the State of Idaho be amended by the addition of a new Section 8, to provide that the English language shall be the official language for the state of Idaho, and to further provide that, except as required by federal law, English shall be used in all public proceedings, public documents, public instruction, and any other public acts of any public institution in the state of Idaho?

A "yes" vote supports adding a provision to the Idaho Constitution that designates English as the state's official language

A "no" vote opposes adding a provision to the Idaho Constitution that designates English as the state's official language, maintaining English as the state's official language in state statute only

Vote on the designated state gun of Idaho.

Which of the following guns should be designated as the state gun of Idaho? Please choose only one answer. (a) Winchester Model 1894 (.30-30); (b) Winchester Model 1873 "Gun that Won the West" (.44-40); (c) 1873 Colt Single Action Army Revolver "Peacemaker" (.45 Colt); (d) M1 Garand rifle (.30-06); (e) Colt M1911 .45 automatic Colt pistol (.45 ACP); or (f) Remington Model 700 bolt-action rifle (.30-06).

This measure would establish a right under Idaho law to make private reproductive health care decisions, including decisions involving contraception, fertility treatment, pregnancy and childbirth care, miscarriage care, and abortion. For abortion, the measure would protect the right to obtain an abortion before fetal viability. After fetal viability, abortion would be protected when a medical emergency exists. The measure defines the circumstances under which the state could restrict reproductive health care and generally requires such restrictions to be narrowly tailored to protecting or maintaining the health of the person seeking care. The measure would also prohibit the state from penalizing or discriminating against a person for exercising these reproductive health care rights, or against health care providers and others for assisting someone in exercising them.

The State estimates the initiative would increase state expenditures between $3,100 and $7,800 annually, less than 0.001% of the state share of Idaho's Medicaid budget. This impact is derived from the costs of treating chemical abortion complications for women enrolled in Idaho's Medicaid program. Medicaid covers medically necessary services to treat complications from all abortions. It is anticipated that as legal abortions increase, the complications will also increase. This will likely result in an increase in Medicaid covered services and expenditures to treat complications from chemical abortions, which the State has reliable and readily accessible data to support.

The measure seeks to change Idaho's laws by introducing a right to reproductive freedom and privacy including a right to abortion up to the point of the fetus's ability to survive outside the womb. After fetal viability, there would be no general right to abortion except in case of a "medical emergency." The "medical emergency" exception would expand Idaho's current life exception and allow abortions when a pregnant woman faces a complicating physical condition that threatens her life or health, including "serious impairment to a bodily function" or "serious dysfunction of any bodily organ or part." The proposed measure codifies a right to make reproductive decisions, including contraсерtion, fertility treatment, and prenatal and postpartum care. The measure seeks to prevent the state from enforcing current abortion laws protecting the life of the unborn child. It would also impose a requirement that any restrictions on reproductive freedom and privacy, including abortion prior to fetus viability, must be justified by a "compelling state interest" that must be "limited solely to improving or maintaining the health of an individual seeking care." The measure would also prevent the state from penalizing patients, healthcare providers, or anyone who assists in exercising the proposed right.

A YES vote would support creating a right to abortion before fetal viability—defined as a fetus’ ability to survive without extraordinary medical measures—and after fetal viability in cases of medical emergency; providing protections against professional discipline and civil and criminal liability for healthcare providers; and codifying a statutory reproductive right to freedom and privacy.

A NO vote would support making no change to Idaho’s current law, which preserves the life of preborn children by prohibiting abortion, except when necessary to prevent the death of the pregnant woman, and during the first trimester in documented cases of rape or incest reported to law enforcement

The estimated average annual cost to the taxpayer of the proposed levy is a tax of $159 per $100,000 of taxable assessed value, per year, based on current conditions. The proposed levy replaces an existing levy that will expire on June 30, 2027, and that currently costs $121 per $100,000 of taxable assessed value. If the proposed levy is approved, the tax per $100,000 of taxable assessed value is expected to increase.

Shall the Board of Trustees of the St. Maries Joint School District No. 41, Benewah and Shoshone Counties, Idaho, be authorized and empowered to levy a supplemental levy, as permitted in Section 33-802(3), Idaho Code, in the amount of Two Million Four Hundred Eighty-Eight Thousand Dollars and No Cents ($2,488,000.00) each year for two years, for a total amount of Four Million Nine Hundred Seventy-Six Thousand Dollars and No Cents ($4,976,000.00), for the fiscal years beginning July 1, 2027 and ending June 30, 2029? for the following purposes: -Extracurricular and co-curricular programs such as athletics, cheerleading, BPA, drama, etc. -Upriver Elementary School -Career Technical Vocational Programs, such as welding, wood shop, business, nursing, forestry, and auto repair. These programs are also available to online and homeschooling students. -Advanced college-ready courses -Electives such as music, art, and band -Heyburn Preschool program -Classroom student support, including bus drivers, librarians, and classroom paraprofessionals.