After three and a half hours of testimony this morning and another four hours tonight, the hearing on HB 2 has ended for now, just after 9 p.m. Mountain time. In all, 70 people testified over the course of the day, exactly evenly split –…
The “Add the Words” hearing has gone well past the planned 8 p.m. close tonight. Three juniors at Mountain View High School were among the final people called to testify at this evening’s hearing on HB 2, the civil rights bill regarding sexual orientation and…
More testimony from tonight’s hearing on HB 2, the anti-discrimination bill regarding sexual orientation and gender identity: Chelsea Lincoln said, “I stand before you as a proud member of the community that is being personally affected by the passage of this legislation. I grew up…
More testimony at this evening’s hearing on the “Add the Words” bill: Derek Cassel of Caldwell, who testified against HB 2, said, “I’ve been thinking a lot about rights recently. … No government and no majority can take away specific rights that we have. If…
More testimony from tonight’s hearing on HB 2, the non-discrimination bill regarding sexual orientation and gender identity: Sisto Zavala, a pastor, told the committee, “It’s going to affect our churches, it’s going to affect our businesses, our bathrooms. It’s going to affect that.” He said,...
More testimony from this evening’s hearing: Janelle Wintersteen drew plenty of laughs, lightening the mood in the Lincoln Auditorium. She said as a lesbian, “I have lived an open life in Idaho.” She said she didn’t announce her sexual orientation outright, but after getting to…
More testimony from this evening’s “Add the Words” hearing: Patrick Smith of Meridian told the committee, “I believe that everyone deserves respect and the freedom to work hard and support themselves without fear.” He said, “We’re not here to stomp on anyone’s religious beliefs, I…
In continuing testimony on the “Add the Words” bill, HB 2, which bans discrimination in employment, housing or public accommodations based on sexual orientation or gender identity: Ben Baker of Pocatello told the committee, “We do not want to participate in such sorts of activities...
The hearing on HB 2, the civil rights bill to ban discrimination against gays, has resumed. The Lincoln Auditorium is full again. Here’s some of this evening’s testimony: Bob Compton of Midvale said, “It has been argued that sexual orientation and gender identity are genetic…
A North Idaho state senator is questioning why the Post Falls Police Department is investigating the “instant racing” machines in use at the Greyhound Park and Event Center in Post Falls. Sen. Bob Nonini, R-Coeur d’Alene, said today he thinks it’s fitting for the Idaho...
You can read my full story here at spokesman.com on today’s “Add the Words” bill hearing, in which nearly 500 people flocked to Idaho’s state Capitol to give heartfelt testimony both for and against a proposed law to ban discrimination against gays and transgender people…
University of Idaho President Chuck Staben wants to freeze resident undergraduate tuition rates next year – if the Legislature commits to fully funding a 3 percent salary increase for faculty and staff. “We only get about 50 percent of the general funds needed to pay...
Kicking off a week of education budget hearings this morning, Emma Atchley, president of the State Board of Education, offered a sobering statistic to the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee: 20 years ago, Idaho’s colleges and universities received about 13 percent of the state’s general-fund budget. This…
Idaho Sen. Bob Nonini, R-Coeur d’Alene, and House Education Chairman Reed DeMordaunt, R-Eagle, are forming a new “STEM Caucus” of state lawmakers who want to promote science, technology, engineering and mathematics education in the state. “It’s a nonpartisan thing,” Nonini said. “Both Reed and I…
Testimony has wrapped up for the morning at today’s public hearing on HB 2, the bill to add discrimination protections for gays and transgender people in housing, employment and public accommodations to Idaho law. So far, 30 people have testified, 13 in favor of the...
In continuing testimony today on HB 2: A 16-year-old told the committee, “My legal name is Sawyer Johnson but I identify as Oliver Simon.” As a transgender teen, he said he was cornered in a women’s restroom at the age of 13 because of the…
After Paul Thompson of Twin Falls told the committee that he spoke out of faith telling the panel to reject HB 2 as protecting sin, Rep. John McCrostie, D-Boise, told him that he, too, is a Christian, and a graduate of Oral Roberts University. “I…
In continuing testimony on HB 2 today: Jenny Seibert of Post Falls told the committee in her deep voice, “You may be able to tell the reason why I’m here today, is I’m fairly certain I was born this way. If the Family Research Council…
In continuing testimony at today’s hearing on HB 2: Diane Terhune of Meridian told lawmakers, “I am the mother of a transgender child. ... Having children has been the absolute greatest gift in my life because it taught me to love unconditionally. When my littlest...
In continuing testimony at today’s public hearing on the “Add the Words” bill, HB 2: Emilie Jackson-Edney of Garden City told the House State Affairs Committee, “Look into your hearts and into your humanity to include Idaho’s gay and transgender population in the Idaho Human...
More testimony from today’s hearing on HB 2, the “Add the Words” bill to amend Idaho’s human rights act to bar discrimination against gays: Juli Stratton of Post Falls spoke on behalf of herself and her wife, Amy, a physician who couldn’t travel to the...
More testimony from today’s HB 2 hearing: Nick Dumas of Nampa spoke on behalf of “Integrity Idaho,” a religious organization that backs HB 2. “Everyone should be welcomed equally within our beautiful state,” he said. “All of Idaho’s citizens deserve every protection possible. … It…
In continuing testimony at today’s hearing on HB 2, the “Add the Words” civil rights bill to add anti-discrimination protections for gays to the Idaho Human Rights Act: James Hanna told the House State Affairs Committee, “I never expected discrimination to happen based on my…
The first two people to to testify at this morning’s “Add the Words” hearing were both from Pocatello, Heather Disselkoen, testifying against HB 2, and Julie Zicha, testifying in favor. Zicha’s son Ryan committed suicide at the age of 19 after years of harassment for…
Bill Roden, attorney, lobbyist and former state lawmaker, told the House State Affairs Committee this morning that he was among the original co-sponsors of Idaho’s first civil rights law in 1961, which covered only discrimination based on race, creed, color and national origin. Over the…
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