Idaho bill would amend Human Rights Act to include sexual, gender orientation

Idaho Sen. Nicole LeFavour, D-Boise, will bring legislation Friday to amend the Idaho Human Rights Act to prohibit discrimination in employment, education and housing on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

The Human Rights Act already bars discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex and national origin.

LeFavour said the bill is co-sponsored by Democratic Sen. Dick Sagness of Pocatello and Republicans Tim Corder of Mountain Home and Chuck Coiner of Twin Falls. The proposal will be heard at 8 a.m. in the Senate State Affairs Committee.

LeFavour got a similar bill printed last year, but did not get a committee hearing on it. She said because of changes on the committee this year, it might be more difficult to secure committee approval to have the bill printed.

"This is also a chance to educate some new people about the issue and slowly get legislators a better understanding of what gays and lesbians face in Idaho," said LeFavour, Idaho's only openly gay legislator.

"A lot is a matter of education. It takes a long time for people to realize that they have gay family members, for example, and to be touched by it personally."

She said the bill would "ensure that gay people are not fired from our jobs just because we're gay."

According to a survey by the Social Science Research Center at Boise State University, 64 percent of Idahoans said is should not be legal to fire an employee because he or she is perceived to be gay or lesbian. A majority of Idaho Republicans (57.9 percent), Democrats (66.9 percent) and independents (67.4 percent) are "inclined to believe" job discrimination against gays and lesbians should be illegal, according to the study.

The bill did not get the support of the Idaho Human Rights Commission, as it has in the past, losing a 5-4 vote earlier this month. The commission has several new members.

"I would be willing to bet you if you asked the commission members in six months or so they probably wouldn't feel the same way," LeFavour said. "I'm not entirely sure they understood how the commission works or what its mission is."

The commission says its mission is to work "towards ensuring that all people within the state are treated with dignity and respect in their places of employment, housing, education and public accommodations."


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