Legislative panel rejects financial disclosure proposal

A panel of Idaho lawmakers has killed proposed legislation that would have required lawmakers to disclose some of their personal financial information.

Under the legislation, which was unanimously endorsed by a legislative interim committee, candidates for the state legislature or any state, county or city office would have had to file annual forms listing their primary employer, what businesses they own and each entity that paid them more than $5,000 in the past year. The bill would also have covered stocks, corporate office holders and board positions.

But some members of the House State Affairs committee said they felt the bill was intrusive or unnecessary.

Rep. Christy Zito, a Republican from Hammett, said if her constituents have questions about her interests, they can just ask. And Rep. Vito Barbieri, a Republican from Dalton Gardens, said people who disagree with lawmakers could use the information to attack their sources of income.