Boise lawmaker reintroduces ‘Add the Words’ bill on LGBTQ rights to Idaho Legislature
Boise state Sen. Maryanne Jordan and her fellow Democrats are bringing another “Add the Words” bill to the Idaho Legislature.
Senate Bill 1226, proposed Tuesday by Jordan, would add the terms “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” to Idaho’s Human Rights Act to protect members of the LGBTQ community from discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodation. All Democratic representatives and senators are co-sponsors, according to a news release.
“Protection from discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodation for all is a human right,” Jordan said in the release. “While several cities across Idaho ... have ordinances prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, all citizens should be protected from being kicked out of their home or being fired from their job regardless of their gender or who they love.”
This is not the first time Jordan has introduced this type of bill. During the 2019 session, she introduced the measure with Democratic support, but it failed to pass due to a lack of Republican backing — an ongoing theme at the Legislature for such legislation.
The past decade has seen attempts to “Add the Words” fail repeatedly, as Republicans make claims that barring discrimination could infringe on religious freedom.
Following the legislation’s failure to reach a compromise in 2016, citizens protested at the Capitol’s doors. Protests and demonstrations from advocates have been common each year the bill is introduced. Although the legislation has received support from a few Republican lawmakers, it has not been enough to pass.
At a recent Interfaith and LGBT Summit on Religious Liberty and Public Accommodations at the Idaho Capitol, Senate Pro Tem Brent Hill, R-Rexburg, discussed trying to reach a compromise that has been elusive.
“I sincerely believe that our LGBTQ friends should never be discriminated against, never be belittled, never be bullied. Never,” Hill said at the summit. And he said those with religious conviction should never be discriminated against, belittled or bullied.
“Intolerance in either direction is unacceptable,” Hill said. “How do we protect both sides?”
This story was originally published January 14, 2020 at 2:08 PM.
