Advocates of extending civil rights protections to gays are getting a big boost from the author of the Idaho Human Rights Act, former Republican Gov. Phil Batt. Batt has endorsed the eight-year campaign to add four words - "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" - to the act's prohibition of discrimination based on race, gender, color, religion, national origin and disability. "A homosexual who can't rent a room or get a job because of his orientation doesn't make any sense to anybody," Batt said Tuesday as he became the first recipient of the Idaho Human Rights Commission's Lifetime Achievement Award. "Why some of the politicians are not more sensitive than that - more sensible, I should say, than that - beats me." Batt also said the Legislature's refusal to amend the law earlier this year "accomplished absolutely nothing" for legislators "except to be made to look like fools"/Dan Popkey, Idaho Statesman. More here.

Question: Do you think the 2014 Legislature will "add the words"?