Bill Analyses and Ratings
Bill Information: H0970 – Foreign Influence Ban & Donor Privacy in Elections
Bill Summary
House Bill 970 targets foreign money in Idaho elections through three coordinated mechanisms. First, it requires political committees supporting ballot measures to file certifications with every periodic report confirming that no foreign national funded any preliminary activity (polling, drafting language, focus groups, travel) and that each donor has not knowingly accepted more than $10,000 from foreign nationals in the preceding four years. Donors themselves must sign written certifications to this effect; if a committee fails to obtain a donor’s certification, it must divest that contribution the same way unlawful contributions are handled under existing law.
Second, the bill substantially expands the definition of ‘foreign national’ and the scope of prohibited conduct under Section 67-6610D. The new definition captures U.S.-incorporated entities that are wholly or majority owned by foreign nationals — closing a loophole that previously allowed foreign-controlled domestic subsidiaries to participate in Idaho elections. The prohibited conduct now extends beyond making contributions to include directing, dictating, controlling, or indirectly participating in any campaign decision-making process. A narrow exception permits contributions from U.S.-based foreign-owned entities only when the funds originate entirely from U.S. operations and all decisions (except setting overall budget amounts) are made by U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
Third, the bill creates new Section 67-6610E, which establishes a donor privacy right for contributors to tax-exempt organizations. Government entities — including the Secretary of State and county clerks — are prohibited from collecting donor identity information beyond what is directly relevant to an alleged violation of the campaign finance statutes, and are barred from publicly disclosing donor identities until a final determination of a violation has been made. Knowing or willful violations of this donor privacy provision are punishable as a misdemeanor. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026.
Overall Assessment
HB 970 closes significant gaps in Idaho’s campaign finance law by barring foreign-controlled domestic corporations from funding ballot measure campaigns and prohibiting foreign nationals from participating in any campaign decision-making — not just from writing checks. Ballot measure committees face new certification and divestiture obligations that create real compliance burdens but also give voters greater assurance that initiative and referendum campaigns are free from foreign influence. The bill simultaneously creates a statutory privacy shield for donors to tax-exempt organizations, limiting government collection and disclosure of donor identities to active, confirmed violation investigations.
Rating Breakdown
ARTICLE I. Responsibility in Government (0)
The bill adds transparency requirements for political committees — specifically, public certifications filed with the Secretary of State confirming the absence of foreign funding — which modestly supports the principle that political spending should be traceable and accountable. However, the bill does not address government budgets, expenditures, contracts, audits, or the size and cost of state agencies, which are the core concerns of this metric.
ARTICLE II. Citizen Involvement in Government (0)
By requiring ballot measure committees to certify freedom from foreign influence and mandating divestiture of uncertified contributions, the bill works to ensure that Idaho's initiative and referendum process reflects the will of citizens rather than foreign actors. However, the bill does not address voter registration procedures, primary election structures, ranked-choice voting, or in-person voting protections — the specific mechanisms this metric prioritizes for citizen participation.
ARTICLE III. Education (0)
HB 970 is a campaign finance bill with no provisions touching education policy, school funding, curriculum, parental rights in education, or school choice. No section of the bill affects Idaho's educational institutions or the people who work and learn in them.
ARTICLE IV. Agriculture (0)
The bill contains no provisions related to farming, ranching, agricultural water rights, commodity markets, or rural land use. Its scope is limited entirely to campaign finance and election integrity.
ARTICLE V. Water (0)
HB 970 makes no changes to water law, water rights appropriation, irrigation infrastructure, or federal water policy affecting Idaho. The bill's subject matter — campaign disclosures and foreign election influence — has no connection to water management.
ARTICLE VI. Natural Resources and Environment (0)
The bill contains no provisions addressing natural resource extraction, environmental regulation, federal land management, or conservation policy. Its provisions are confined to campaign finance reporting and foreign influence prohibitions.
ARTICLE VII. Energy (0)
HB 970 does not address energy production, utility regulation, hydropower, fossil fuels, or energy independence. No section of the bill affects Idaho's energy sector or energy policy.
ARTICLE VIII. Idaho National Laboratories (0)
The bill makes no reference to the Idaho National Laboratory, nuclear research, technology transfer, or federal research partnerships. Its subject matter is campaign finance law.
ARTICLE IX. Private Property Rights (0)
HB 970 does not affect property ownership, eminent domain, regulatory takings, or due process protections for property owners. The bill's donor privacy provision in Section 67-6610E protects informational privacy, not real or personal property rights.
ARTICLE X. State and Federal Lands (0)
The bill contains no provisions concerning the ownership, management, or transfer of state or federal lands in Idaho. Its scope is limited to campaign finance and election integrity.
ARTICLE XI. Wildlife Management (0)
HB 970 makes no changes to wildlife management, hunting and fishing regulations, predator control, or federal wildlife policy. The bill has no connection to Idaho's fish and game laws.
ARTICLE XII. Economy (0)
The bill imposes compliance obligations on political committees — including certification requirements and divestiture procedures — but these burdens fall on campaign organizations, not on businesses, employers, or commercial enterprises. The bill does not regulate commerce, labor markets, taxation, or economic development.
ARTICLE XIII. Health and Welfare (0)
HB 970 contains no provisions affecting healthcare access, health insurance markets, Medicaid, public health programs, or social welfare services. The bill's subject matter is campaign finance and foreign election influence.
ARTICLE XIV. American Family (0)
The bill does not address marriage, parental rights, abortion, child welfare, or any other family-related policy. Its provisions are confined to campaign finance reporting requirements and foreign influence prohibitions.
ARTICLE XV. Older Americans (0)
HB 970 contains no provisions affecting retirement security, Medicare, long-term care, or any other policy area specifically impacting older Idahoans. The bill's scope is limited to campaign finance law.
ARTICLE XVI. Law and Order with Justice (0)
The bill does create new criminal penalties — a misdemeanor for government officials who knowingly violate the donor privacy provisions of Section 67-6610E, and existing felony provisions in Section 67-6610D are retained for large-scale foreign contribution violations. However, these penalties are narrowly targeted at campaign finance offenses rather than the broader criminal justice, firearms, sentencing, or law enforcement priorities that define this metric.
ARTICLE XVII. National Defense - Securing the Border (0)
While the bill restricts foreign nationals from influencing Idaho elections, its mechanism is campaign finance regulation rather than border security, immigration enforcement, military readiness, or veterans' affairs. The foreign national definition in Section 67-6610D addresses election integrity, not the national security and border control priorities this metric covers.
ARTICLE XVIII. Election of Judges and Idaho Supreme Court Justices (0)
HB 970 applies broadly to candidates, political committees, and ballot measures but contains no provisions specifically addressing judicial elections, the selection or retention of Idaho Supreme Court justices, or judicial philosophy standards. The bill's foreign influence prohibitions apply to all elections but do not single out or modify the judicial election process.
ARTICLE XIX. Religious Liberty (0)
The donor privacy protections in Section 67-6610E could incidentally benefit religious organizations that are structured as tax-exempt entities by shielding their donors from government disclosure, but the bill does not address the free exercise of religion, religious exemptions, or any faith-based policy concern. The connection to religious liberty is too attenuated to warrant a rating in either direction.