By James Hehn, Pendletonian Times
Oregon Representative Bobby Levy, Echo, co-sponsored a “Greater Idaho” bill in the Oregon State Legislature on February 4, 2025, that would create a task force to document the legal and legislative processes that would be needed to relocate the boundary between Oregon and Idaho.
According to Citizens For Greater Idaho, HB 3844 would create a study group comprised of multiple stakeholders from across Oregon who would then try to answer some of the detailed questions of a border change, such as the impact on certain industries. Citizens For Greater Idaho began pitching the idea in 2020 and seeks to move the Oregon and Idaho border westward so that the traditionally conservative eastern counties would join the State of Idaho.
13 counties have passed measures supporting the move including Baker, Crook, Gilliam, Grant, Harney, Klamath, Lake, Malheur, Morrow, Sherman, Umatilla, Union, Wallowa and Wheeler Counties. Additionally, Citizens For Greater Idaho wants “that portion of Wasco County that is east of the Deschutes River plus eveything within a few miles of the City of Maupin … all of Jefferson County except Deschutes National Forest and Warm Springs Indian Reservation, Terrebonne, Redmond, Alfalfa, southeastern Deschutes County, Three Rivers and La Pine … [plus] Coos, Curry, Douglas, Jackson and Josephine counties.” Parts of Washington and California are included in the proposal.
The secessionists believe that moving the border would create a better situation for both Oregon and Idaho by better matching voters to state governance and would lower political tension across the state. The secessionists have previously reached out to the Oregon Governor Tina Kotek and President Donald J. Trump, asking for their support in getting border talks between the two states started but Trump and Kotek have yet to take action.
According to the donation page on their website, contributions to the secessionist organization are not tax deductible but donors are speculated not to itemize their income taxes, being under the threshold for reporting. Citizens For Greater Idaho is a 501(c)(4) with revenue in 2022 totaling $163,599.
According to the text of the bill, a legislator who is appointed to the Greater Idaho task force is entitled to compensation for meals, lodging and incidentals plus expenses. Other members of the task force are entitled to compensation and expenses as though they were a member of the Legislative Assembly. The proposed task force would consist of:
- an unknown number of members of county governing bodies of counties within the Oregon relocation area that are appointed by the Association of Oregon Counties
- an unknown number of members of city governing bodies of cities that are located within the Oregon relocation area that are appointed by the League of Oregon Cities
- an unknown number of members of tribal governments of those federally recognized tribes in Oregon that have territory located in the Oregon relocation area, and that are appointed by the Commission on Indian Services
- an unknown number of members of school districts within the Oregon relocation area that are appointed by the Oregon School Boards Association
- an unknown number of members of special districts within the Oregon relocation area that are appointed by the Special Districts Association of Oregon
- an unknown number of members who are appointed by the Eastern Oregon Counties Association
- an unknown number of members of the Senate who are appointed by the President of the Senate
- an unknown number of members of the House of Representatives who are appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives
- an unknown number of individuals who have expertise in agriculture in the Oregon relocation area
- an unknown number of individuals who have expertise in ranching in the Oregon relocation area
- an unknown number of individuals who have expertise in forestry or forest products manufacturing in the Oregon relocation area
- an unknown number of individuals who own and operate small businesses located in the Oregon relocation area
- an unknown number of individuals with a demonstrated history of advocating for the Oregon relocation area to become a part of the State of Idaho
- an unknown number of individuals who are appointed as public members of the task force and who are residents of the Oregon relocation area
The Governor of Oregon or a person she designates will be a member of the task force and serve as its chair. Governor Kotek, President Trump and Speaker [Mike Johnson] shall jointly solicit one individual each representing the Governor of Idaho, the President of the Idaho Senate and the Speaker of the Idaho House of Representatives to serve as nonvoting members of the task force.
Appointments to the positions described are to be made on or before December 1, 2025. After this, the task force shall meet at the call of the chair, which must first occur on or before January 15, 2026 and the task force must meet at least monthly after then. The task force is to gather public comments and input on the plan to secede from the State of Oregon and will report to the Legislative Assembly, making recommendations on the matter by January 15, 2027.
Levy is a Republican who was elected to the Oregon State Legislature in 2020 and is a member of the Cunningham family, which owns Cunningham Sheep Co. The company provides Pendleton Woolen Mills with some of its award-winning wool and has been a fixture of Eastern Oregon since Charles Cunningham founded the company in 1863. In the 1930s, Mac Hoke took control of the company and the Corey and Levy families, descendants of Hoke, run the ranch today. The ranch has a long history of selling its wool exclusively to Pendleton Woolen Mills, who in turn make it into blankets, jackets and other products that are sold around the world.