‘Add the Words’ bill to protect LGBTQ residents from discrimination in Idaho returns

BOISE (Idaho Statesman) – A bill to add the terms “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” to classes protected from discrimination in state law has returned to the Idaho Legislature. But it’s not expected to get a hearing.

Rep. John McCrostie, D-Garden City, on Monday introduced a bill that would give LGBTQ residents protection under the Idaho Human Rights Act, which bars discrimination in housing, employment and public services based on someone’s race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin or disability.

McCrostie told the Idaho Statesman Monday that he was happy to introduce the bill on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Idaho Human Rights Day. McCrostie said the Democratic caucus has continued to try to advance the cause of LGBTQ equality.

McCrostie introduced the legislation as a personal bill, meaning it likely won’t receive a hearing in a legislative committee and won’t advance.

“We introduced this as a personal bill, knowing that it’s not going to get a full public hearing and knowing also that it’s so important, that it is something that needs to be out for public consumption, for public discussion,” he said by phone. “At least this is something that we’re talking about today, and I hope that we can talk about it more.”

So happy to celebrate #MLK Day / Idaho Human Rights Day by introducing the #AddTheWords bill as HB440. I hope we honor Dr. King’s legacy by protecting Idaho’s #LGBTQ community in matters of housing, employment, education and public accommodations. #idleg

— John McCrostie (@McCrostie4Idaho) January 17, 2022

A bill to “add the words” to the Idaho Human Rights Act was introduced or discussed in some capacity among legislators for 14 consecutive years before the last one died in a Senate committee in 2020.

More than a dozen Idaho cities, including Boise and Meridian, have ordinances in place to protect against discrimination on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation.