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Amend the Idaho Human Rights Act to protect all citizens
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For the past three years, the undersigned organizations have worked together to amend the Idaho Human Rights Act (IHRA) to prohibit discrimination in the areas of employment, housing, education and public accommodation on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation and
gender identity.
The IHRA is enforced by the Idaho Commission on Human Rights, an independent agency established by the Legislature to protect Idahoans from discrimination. On February 9, the nine commissioners-gubernatorial appointees-voted 5 to 4 against endorsing the amendment. This was profoundly disappointing to our coalition and to statewide human rights leaders. This vote was blatantly inconsistent with the Commission’s stated purpose: “Our commission works towards ensuring that all people within the state are treated with dignity and respect in their places of employment, housing, education, and public accommodations.”
Our coalition is resolute. Adding sexual orientation and gender identity to the Idaho Human Rights Act is critical to ensuring basic fairness for all Idahoans. Sadly, it is still legal in Idaho to fire someone, deny housing or even refuse college admission just because that individual is or is perceived to be lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.
This is wrong. Finding and keeping a job, securing housing and seeking higher education are fundamental to our lives. Public opinion in Idaho agrees. According to Boise State University’s June 2008 Public Policy Survey, 63 percent of Idahoans believed that it should be illegal to fire an employee because he or she is or is perceived to be gay or lesbian. Several Idaho cities, including Boise, Moscow, Pocatello, McCall, Troy, and Ketchum already provide protections against discrimination for gay municipal workers.
The greatness of our state and nation is due in no small part to our legacy of expanding protections for our most vulnerable members. The federal Civil Rights Act illustrates how government institutions evolve to be more inclusive. Similarly, in 2005, the IHRA was expanded to protect people with disabilities in public accommodations. This latest proposed amendment to the IHRA would have continued that proud tradition by protecting tens of thousands of Idahoans from unfairly losing their jobs and homes. The amendment offered exemptions to religious institutions and employers with five or fewer workers, just as they are exempted from the current statute guarding against discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age (40 and over), and disability.
This amendment was first introduced to the State Legislature in 2007 and denied printing. It was reintroduced in 2008 and printed, but denied a public hearing. The amendment was presented again this year on February 20. The Senate State Affairs Committee voted against printing the bill, killing the legislation without public comment for the third consecutive year.
What can you do to help? Equality is never achieved without public outcry. If this issue appeals to your sense of justice or if you need these protections to continue to work and raise a family in Idaho, please contact your state legislator throughout the coming year and urge them to support the Idaho Human Rights Act Amendment. You can also submit an application for appointment to the Idaho Commission on Human Rights
(Forms are available on the Governor’s webpage: http://gov.idaho.gov/boards/
boards.cfm).
Our coalition will continue bringing this amendment before the Legislature until it passes. Join our movement and remember, as we do, Dr. Martin Luther King’s words, “The arc of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice."
AMY HERZFELD
Guest Opinion