The House has voted 66-0 in favor of HB 688, enabling legislation to accompany HJR 4, the local-option tax amendment. There was no debate. “This is necessary legislation and I would certainly urge your green light,” House Tax Chairman Dennis Lake, R-Blackfoot, told the House. The bill would let cities and counties enact local-option sales taxes of up to 1 percent, if they do so by a two-thirds supermajority vote at a November general election. It would take effect only if voters in November agree to amend the constitution via HJR 4, which would limit all future local-option sales taxes to those terms – only by city or county, only by two-thirds, and only in November general elections. The amendment is pending in the Senate, where senators want to consider both the amendment and the enabling legislation together.

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