Do you have a policy issue that is feasible, doesn’t create an unfunded mandate, affects more than one county, affects more than one county office, and needs a change in statute? If the answer is yes, then we encourage you to submit an IAC Legislative Resolution for consideration at the IAC Annual Conference: 2025 Proposed Legislative Resolution template.
If you have an issue that does not require a change in statute and would like to see it become part of the 2025 official policy of IAC, consider submitting a policy resolution: 2025 Proposed Policy Resolution template.
IAC recommends that members discuss proposed resolutions with their districts and affiliates to help build support and understanding prior to submission. Proposed resolutions must be emailed to IAC’s Director of Government Affairs, Sara Westbrook, no later than September 1, 2024 in order to be considered for the 2025 IAC Legislative Package. IAC policy staff are happy to help throughout the process. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to Sara at swestbrook@idcounties.org with any questions.
Why Have Two Templates?
To comply with IAC’s bylaws, the legislative resolution template should be used by members interested in proposing a change to Idaho Code. This is the traditional template our members are most familiar with and are used to seeing.
The second template may be used by IAC members who would like to see IAC adopt a policy that does not advocate for a legislative change. For example, a few years ago, there was a proposal for IAC to support commemorating the 100th anniversary of adopting the 19th amendment to the US Constitution granting women the right to vote. County clerks ordered special “I voted” stickers to celebrate the achievement as part of the commemoration. IAC chose to adopt the proposed policy but, through the process, discovered that a separate template would be helpful when advocating for this type of policy proposal. This led to an IAC Bylaws amendment to create a mechanism for policy proposals that do not require or advocate for changing statutes in state law.
Tips for Proposal Success
While individual members are welcome to submit legislative and policy resolutions for consideration, IAC highly recommends that you work with your affiliates, IAC Districts, and IAC steering committees to seek their input by vetting policies before proposing them to the general membership. This collaborative approach ensures that the sponsor has time to receive feedback and address concerns before finalizing the proposal, thus strengthening the possibility of your proposal’s adoption by the membership.