Bill Analyses and Ratings
Bill Information: S1365 – Religious Org Campaign Finance Disclosure Exemption
Bill Summary
Senate Bill 1365 amends Idaho Code Section 67-6606 to create a new exemption for religious organizations from the state’s campaign finance disclosure requirements. Under existing law, any nonbusiness entity spending more than $1,000 to support or oppose candidates or ballot measures must file a statement with the secretary of state identifying the organization’s officers and donors who contributed more than $500. The new subsection (3) removes this obligation for religious organizations when their electoral expenditures or contributions amount to less than 10% of their total receipts from the prior calendar year.
The exemption applies only to actions supporting or opposing ballot measures, not candidates. A religious organization that spends, for example, $50,000 on a ballot measure campaign would qualify for the exemption as long as that figure represents less than one-tenth of its annual receipts — meaning a church with $600,000 in annual receipts could spend up to $59,999 on ballot measure advocacy without disclosing its donors or officers to the state. The bill carries an emergency clause, making it effective July 1, 2026.
Overall Assessment
Senate Bill 1365 carves out a specific disclosure exemption for religious organizations engaged in ballot measure campaigns, shielding their donor lists and officer information from public view when their electoral spending stays below 10% of annual receipts. While the bill touches on areas such as religious liberty, election transparency, and citizen access to government information, it does not advance the priorities reflected in the evaluation metrics in any meaningful way. The bill’s narrow scope — exempting one category of organization from existing campaign finance disclosure rules — does not produce positive outcomes across the range of policy areas under consideration.
The bill received a score of zero across all nineteen evaluation metrics. This reflects the determination that the legislation neither advances nor meaningfully addresses the substantive policy priorities covered by those metrics. Voters and the public lose the ability to identify who is funding ballot measure campaigns when the source is a religious organization operating within the exemption threshold, and no offsetting policy benefit is identified across any of the evaluated categories.
Rating Breakdown
ARTICLE I. RESPONSIBILITY IN GOVERNMENT (0)
This bill reduces government transparency by exempting religious organizations from campaign finance disclosure requirements that apply to all other nonbusiness entities. It does not advance accountability or responsible governance and therefore receives a score of zero.
ARTICLE II. CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT IN GOVERNMENT (0)
By shielding donor and officer information from public view, this bill diminishes citizens' ability to make fully informed decisions about ballot measure campaigns and their funders. It does not promote meaningful citizen involvement in government and receives a score of zero.
ARTICLE III. EDUCATION (0)
This bill has no connection to education policy, curriculum, school funding, or any related educational concern. It receives a score of zero as it does not address this metric in any way.
ARTICLE IV. AGRICULTURE (0)
This bill has no bearing on agriculture, farming practices, rural economies, or related policy areas. It receives a score of zero as it does not address this metric in any way.
ARTICLE V. WATER (0)
This bill has no connection to water rights, water quality, irrigation, or any water-related policy. It receives a score of zero as it does not address this metric in any way.
ARTICLE VI. NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT (0)
This bill has no relevance to natural resources, environmental protection, or land stewardship. It receives a score of zero as it does not address this metric in any way.
ARTICLE VII. ENERGY (0)
This bill has no connection to energy production, energy policy, or energy infrastructure. It receives a score of zero as it does not address this metric in any way.
ARTICLE VIII. IDAHO NATIONAL LABORATORIES (0)
This bill has no bearing on the Idaho National Laboratories, nuclear research, or related federal partnerships. It receives a score of zero as it does not address this metric in any way.
ARTICLE IX. PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS (0)
This bill has no connection to private property rights, land use, or property-related legal protections. It receives a score of zero as it does not address this metric in any way.
ARTICLE X. STATE AND FEDERAL LANDS (0)
This bill has no relevance to state or federal land management, public lands policy, or related concerns. It receives a score of zero as it does not address this metric in any way.
ARTICLE XI. WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT (0)
This bill has no connection to wildlife management, hunting, fishing, or conservation policy. It receives a score of zero as it does not address this metric in any way.
ARTICLE XII. ECONOMY (0)
This bill does not address economic development, job creation, business climate, or fiscal policy in any substantive way. It receives a score of zero as it does not advance this metric.
ARTICLE XIII. HEALTH AND WELFARE (0)
This bill has no connection to health care, public health, social services, or welfare policy. It receives a score of zero as it does not address this metric in any way.
ARTICLE XIV. AMERICAN FAMILY (0)
This bill does not address family policy, parental rights, child welfare, or related concerns in any substantive way. It receives a score of zero as it does not advance this metric.
ARTICLE XV. OLDER AMERICANS (0)
This bill has no bearing on policies affecting older Americans, senior services, or retirement security. It receives a score of zero as it does not address this metric in any way.
ARTICLE XVI. LAW AND ORDER WITH JUSTICE (0)
This bill does not address criminal justice, public safety, law enforcement, or judicial integrity in any meaningful way. It receives a score of zero as it does not advance this metric.
ARTICLE XVII. NATIONAL DEFENSE – SECURING THE BORDER (0)
This bill has no connection to national defense, military affairs, or border security. It receives a score of zero as it does not address this metric in any way.
ARTICLE XVIII. ELECTION OF JUDGES AND IDAHO SUPREME COURT JUSTICES (0)
This bill does not address judicial elections, the selection of judges, or the integrity of the Idaho Supreme Court. It receives a score of zero as it does not advance this metric.
ARTICLE XIX. RELIGIOUS LIBERTY (0)
Although this bill creates an exemption specifically for religious organizations, it does so in the context of campaign finance disclosure rather than protecting the free exercise of religion or preventing government interference with religious practice. The exemption does not constitute a meaningful advancement of religious liberty as a policy priority and therefore receives a score of zero.