Rep. John McCrostie, D-Boise, told former Sen. Nicole LeFavour, “I want to congratulate you on finally getting your hearing after nine years. … Could you tell this body what it was that made you decide to bring forth legislation like this?” LeFavour responded, “I don’t…
Among the 18 people who have testified this afternoon on HB 2, the “Add the Words” bill, 14 in spoke in favor, three against, and one was neutral. Among those testifying: Nicole LeFavour, who was Idaho’s first openly gay state legislator, told the committee, “The...
In more testimony this afternoon on HB 2, the bill to ban discrimination in housing, employment or public accommodations on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity: Scott Nicholson said he grew up in the South and saw “whites-only” restrooms, drinking fountains and the…
In testimony so far this afternoon on HB 2, the “Add the Words” bill, seven people have testified, five for the bill, one against, and one undecided. Christine Antoniuk said, “Our son would not ever willingly subject himself to the hardship and ridicule that being…
"We will not be taking a vote today, but we will tomorrow," House State Affairs Committee Chairman Tom Loertscher, R-Iona, announced at the opening of this afternoon's portions of the hearing on HB 2, the "Add the Words" bill. "I think we can get through…
Idaho’s last NRA license plate was discontinued for lack of sales, but the National Rifle Association’s Boise lobbyist says that’s because the money from the sale of the specialty plates all went to Idaho road funding. A new proposed “Friends of the NRA” plate will…
The House State Affairs Committee hearing on HB 2, the “Add the Words” bill, has recessed for the morning; it’ll reconvene at 3 p.m. “We will not be having a night session tonight, so we will go ‘til about 5 this afternoon,” said Chairman Tom...
With time running out for this morning’s portion of the hearing on HB 2, people who passed up notes saying they couldn’t return this afternoon are being called up, but urged to be very brief. Among those speaking: Michael Reineck told the panel he’s an…
More from today’s HB 2 testimony: Gretchen Bates said, “Imagine if Rosa Parks got off the bus to find another.” Things wouldn’t have changed, she said. “Religious liberty must have limits when it hurts someone else.” Breaking into tears, she said, “A few years ago...
More from this morning’s testimony, which has been heavily in favor of HB 2, the “Add the Words” bill: Hannah Brass Greer referred to earlier testimony from HB 2 opponents about Facebook’s many options for people to identify themselves. “It’s a good thing we don’t…
From this morning’s testimony on HB 2: Maddelynn Lee Taylor told the committee, “You all know my story, you’ve read it in the newspapers, trying to get my wife interred out at the Veterans Cemetery. That was discrimination.” She said, “I lost two jobs for...
Of the 20 people who have testified on HB 2 so far this morning, in the first hour and a half of testimony, just one has opposed the bill, and one other said he wanted a delay rather than a yes or no vote. All…
More testimony this morning on HB 2: Steve Martin of Boise told the committee, “I did not choose to be gay. … I can tell you that growing up gay in Idaho was difficult. I was always afraid.” He asked the lawmakers to pass HB...
So far this morning, 10 people have testified on HB 2, the bill to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, all of them in favor of the bill. Among them: Jill Gill, a professor of American history, said she’s a historian who…
At the opening of this morning’s hearing on HB 2, the “Add the Words” bill regarding discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, House State Affairs Chairman Tom Loertscher, R-Iona, announced, “We’ll be using a timer today. … We’re really appreciate it…
The head of Idaho’s state Racing Commission, Frank Lamb, has been paid lobbyist for the company that operates instant racing machines in six locations of instant in Wyoming, the Idaho Statesman reported today, and he’s never formally revealed the conflict of interest to state officials....
An Idaho Attorney General’s opinion on HB 2 concludes that the bill as written would not force clergy to marry gay couples, and would not impair any Idahoan’s freedom of speech; you can read it here. Both questions were posed by Rep. Ilana Rubel, D-Boise,...
Tonight’s portion of the two-day hearing on HB 2 has wrapped up; the House State Affairs Committee heard from 25 people tonight, just three of them opposed to the bill, and all the rest in favor. Committee Chairman Tom Loertscher, R-Iona, said the committee will...
In continuing testimony tonight on the “Add the Words” bill: Ben Wilson, a board member of the Interfaith Alliance of Idaho, said, “It is unfair and not an Idaho value at all to discriminate against anyone in the employment or social marketplace. … No one…
From testimony tonight on HB 2: Larry Chase told the lawmakers, “Never in my business career have I ever seen any difference between gay or straight workers.” He said he once had to respond to an age discrimination complaint at the Idaho Human Rights Commission…
More testimony: Linda Brown, who spoke at length in opposition to HB 2, said she was born in Tunisia, but can’t check the box saying she’s African-American. “They want to claim that what is inside their head is their true sexuality. It’s not logical,” she...
More testimony from tonight’s hearing on HB 2: Barry Peters said he thought the term “sexual orientation” in HB 2 could be interpreted as including pedophilia. He said if he had a four-plex to rent and had families with children in three of the four…
The House State Affairs Committee has resumed taking public testimony on HB 2, the bill to add the words “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” to the Idaho Human Rights Act, to ban discrimination in housing, employment or public accommodations on those bases. Among those testifying:…
Idaho pays its bills for firefighting after the fact – about a year and a half after the fact, after other agencies responsible for part of the costs have paid up, and the net cost to the state is known. So when the latest firefighting…
Sherri Ybarra More than 500 people, including hundreds of Idaho charter school students wearing bright-yellow fleece scarves, gathered on the state Capitol steps today for a rally celebration National School Choice Week, and state schools Superintendent Sherri Ybarra offered supportive words. “Instead of pitting charter...
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
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