Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Eye On Boise

‘Add the Words’ bill hearing starts Monday at 8 a.m.

The Idaho Legislature will hold a full hearing on an “Add the Words” bill starting Monday morning at 8 in the Lincoln Auditorium, after nine years of refusing to do so. The measure would add the words “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” to the Idaho Human Rights Act, to ban discrimination on those bases.

House State Affairs Committee Chairman Tom Loertscher has reserved the room for up to three days, saying he wants to let everyone be heard. Sign-in sheets for public testimony will be set out at 7:30 a.m. There will be two: one for people from out of town, and one for locals. Loertscher said he’ll call on those who’ve traveled from out of town first.

Last year, more than 100 silent protesters wearing black “Add the 4 Words” T-shirts were arrested at the state Capitol as they blocked doorways and entrances, standing with their hands over their mouths to symbolize that they hadn’t been heard on the issue.

Sen. Grant Burgoyne, D-Boise, a co-sponsor of the bill, said it was gratifying to see introduction of the bill approved on a 6-1 vote earlier in the House Ways and Means Committee. “I’m taking from the way this was handled that there is an increased recognition of the need to deal with this legislation in a serious and straightforward way,” he said. “I personally believe that a full and fair hearing will change minds.”



Betsy Z. Russell
Betsy Z. Russell joined The Spokesman-Review in 1991. She currently is a reporter in the Boise Bureau covering Idaho state government and politics, and other news from Idaho's state capital.

Follow Betsy online: