What rules changed at the GOP winter meeting?

The outcomes from the winter meeting of the Idaho Republican State Central Committee meeting are arguably the most conservative in recent memory.

There are some monumental changes to the way the Idaho Republican Party will operate.
Here are the changes to the Idaho Republican Party State Rules which were made this past weekend.

• P2: Changes how members of the Standing Rules Committee are appointed, to be at the discretion of the Chairman.

Submitted by: Mark R. Fuller, Bonneville County Central Committee Chairman; Doyle Beck, Legislative District 30 Chairman; Kirk Larson, Legislative District 33 Chairman; Jared Gifford, Bonneville County Youth Committeeman; Karie Caldwell, Bonneville County State Committeewoman; and Tony Potts, Bonneville County State Committeeman, and passed by the Bonneville County Central Committee.

Changed Article I, Section 15(A), regarding the Rules Committee, struck the words “in consultation with each Region Chairman,” and added, “The Chairman shall appoint the two (2) members of the Republican State Central Committee from each Region at his discretion unless the Region Chairman submits the names of the two (2) members in which case the Chairman shall appoint the individuals whose names are submitted.”

• P3: Changes how members of the Standing Resolutions Committee are appointed, to be at the discretion of the Chairman.

Submitted by: Mark R. Fuller, Bonneville County Central Committee Chairman; Doyle Beck, Legislative District 30 Chairman; Kirk Larson, Legislative District 33 Chairman; Jared Gifford, Bonneville County Youth Committeeman; Karie Caldwell, Bonneville County State Committeewoman; and Tony Potts, Bonneville County State Committeeman, and passed by the Bonneville County Central Committee.

Changed Article I, Section 15(B), regarding the Resolutions Committee, struck the words “in consultation with each Region Chairman,” and added, “The Chairman shall appoint the two (2) members of the Republican State Central Committee from each Region at his discretion unless the Region Chairman submits the names of the two (2) members in which case the Chairman shall appoint the individuals whose names are submitted.”

• P5: Adds a new section on electronic means of casting votes.

Submitted by: Mark R. Fuller, Bonneville County Central Committee Chairman; Doyle Beck, Legislative District 30 Chairman; Kirk Larson, Legislative District 33 Chairman; Jared Gifford, Bonneville County Youth Committeeman; Karie Caldwell, Bonneville County State Committeewoman; and Tony Potts, Bonneville County State Committeeman, and passed by the Bonneville County Central Committee.

Added the following new section:

“Article XI: Electronic Meetings
***
Section 10: State party bylaws shall not be construed so as to exclude electronic means of casting and collecting votes at County and Legislative District reorganization meetings so long as all persons casting votes are physically present and the method employed maintains voter anonymity. Such means shall be employed at the discretion of the committee as determined by a majority vote of those present.”

• P6: Established a new Judicial Committee and delegated it power to compel performance, prohibit act(s) and to “otherwise remedy violations” of the state Party rules.

Submitted by: Mark R. Fuller, Bonneville County Central Committee Chairman; Doyle Beck, Legislative District 30 Chairman; Kirk Larson, Legislative District 33 Chairman; Jared Gifford, Bonneville County Youth Committeeman; Karie Caldwell, Bonneville County State Committeewoman; and Tony Potts, Bonneville County State Committeeman, and passed by the Bonneville County Central Committee.

Added a new section, thereby creating a Judicial Committee, which “shall exercise supervisory and judicial oversight of all Region Executive Committees, Region Central Committees, County Central Committees, Legislative District Central Committees, and any other affiliated clubs or groups denominated in the Rules.”

The powers given to the committee are quite broad. According to the new rule, the Judicial Committee “may issue orders to compel performance, prohibit an act from being done, and to otherwise remedy violations of the Idaho Republican Party Rules.”

• P7: Established a new “Integrity in Affiliation” section, aka a “loyalty oath.”

Submitted by: Mark R. Fuller, Bonneville County Central Committee Chairman; Doyle Beck, Legislative District 30 Chairman; Kirk Larson, Legislative District 33 Chairman; Jared Gifford, Bonneville County Youth Committeeman; Karie Caldwell, Bonneville County State Committeewoman; and Tony Potts, Bonneville County State Committeeman, and passed by the Bonneville County Central Committee.

The new section requires the State Chairman to send a request to “each Republican candidate for any federal office, statewide office, and any legislative office,” asking him/her to sign and return the following statement:

Candidate Disclosure:

(1) “I have read the Idaho Constitution and the Idaho Republican Party Platform.
I support the Idaho Republican Platform and accept it as the standard by which my performance as a candidate and as an officeholder should be evaluated. I certify that I am not a candidate, officer, delegate or position holder in any party other than the Republican Party.”

Or,

(2) “I have read the Idaho Constitution and the Idaho Republican Party Platform. Except for the provisions specifically noted below, I support the Idaho Republican Party Platform and accept it as the standard by which my performance as a candidate and as an officeholder should be evaluated. I certify that I am not a candidate, officer, delegate or position holder in any party other than the Republican Party.”

The candidates’ responses (“disclosure statements”) will be posted to the Idaho Republican Party website at least 30 days prior to the state primary election.

If a candidate fails to submit the disclosure statement, each Legislative District Chair is mandated to issue a press release stating that the candidate has refused or failed to submit the Candidate Disclosure Statement and that the Idaho Republican Party cannot endorse said candidacy.” This press release may then be provided for “publication in all newspapers within that District…”

The Idaho Republican Party Platform was updated and adopted at the Idaho Republican State Convention on June 29, 2018.

• P11: Allows Vice-Chairmen to vote in the absence of Chairmen in some circumstances.

Submitted by: Rachel Hatton, Fremont County Republican Youth Committeeperson, passed by the Jefferson County Central Committee.

Added a provision to Article I, Section IV to allow a “duly elected Vice-Chairman of a Legislative District or County” to vote “in the absence of the [respective] Chairman.”

Another proposed rule change, “P10” was submitted to achieve a similar outcome, but was defeated in committee.

• P13: Established a new Financial Review Committee.

Submitted by: Britt Raybould, Madison County State Committee Youth Chair, passed by the Madison County Central Committee.

This new Financial Review Committee (FRC) will be composed of three State Central Committee members and “will review the status of the budget (actual versus projected), documentation of expenses, and the general financial status of the State Party.”

Watch for more from Idaho Conservatives on this new committee.

• P14: Adds a section to determine what happens if a Region Chairman fails to call an election meeting (the State Chairman takes action).

Submitted by: David DeHaas, LD17 Chair, Matthew Jensen, passed by the Legislative District 17 Central Committee.

Adds a new section to Article III, Section 6, to outline that if the Region Chairman fails to call for a meeting to elect new Region Officers, “and if such a situation is not already provided for in existing Region Bylaws,” the State Chairman will call for a region meeting to elect officers and chair the meeting personally or appoint a person residing in the region to chair the meeting. The State Chairman will ensure the meeting is held in a timely manner, and if it is not, will promptly “resolve or address the failure as best as possible and elect new Region Officers as needed.”

What didn’t pass: 

There was some interesting discussion on proposed changes to the rules which did not pass in the committee.

• During debate of proposed rule change “P8,” which would have changed three members of the State Executive Committee from voting members of the committee to non-voting members, Committee Co-Chairman Trent Clark argued that the function of the State Executive Committee is not to “lord over” the Central Committee, and that the Executive Committee is “a servant of the Central Committee,” which is established to make interim decisions or until the question can be brought to the full body of the Central Committee.” There was quite a bit of disagreement and grumbling around the committee room, indicating that there may be some difference of opinion of the hierarchy of committees.The three positions in question were the Young Republican State Chairman, the President of the Idaho Republican Women’s Federation and the President of the College Young Republicans.

• Proposed rule changes “P9” and “P15” were submitted on the topic of filling legislative vacancies. Some debate ensued about the proposals being contrary to state law. One committee member moved the body to refer the proposed changes “to the State Affairs Committee in the Senate” to “recommend an RS be printed.” Debate ensued about the authority the committee had to recommend the Idaho State Legislature print routing slips. The committee opted to table the proposed rule changes for discussion at another date.

The full list of Accepted Rule Changes can be found on the Idaho GOP website, as are the updated Idaho Republican Party State Rules.

Holly Cook

Holly Cook earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Economy from the College of Idaho, has been active in Idaho politics for several years, and enjoys writing political commentary and news.