Idaho lawmakers advance federal nullification bill

Legislation allowing state lawmakers to nullify any federal laws, regulations or U.S. Supreme Court decisions is headed to the Idaho House floor.

The House State Affairs Committee advanced the proposal Wednesday.

Rep. Paul Shepherd, a Republican from Riggins, says his bill allows lawmakers to claim any federal law or regulation as unconstitutional. If the Legislature then passed a bill supporting that lawmaker’s claim, the state wouldn’t be allowed to enforce the federal regulation.

Several Republican lawmakers who supported the proposal said they were unhappy with what they see as federal government overreach and argue Idaho needs a process to stop it.

Shepherd introduced similar legislation last year, but the proposal never got a hearing.

A review by Attorney General Lawrence Wasden’s office said the bill’s active obstruction of federal law would likely not hold up in court.