BOISE — Lawmakers will be pushing for a debate of an "Add the Words" bill again this session.
State Senator Maryanne Jordan of Boise is proposing the bill that would add the words "Gender Discrimination" and "Sexual Orientation" to the Idaho Human Rights Acts. People backing the bill say those phrases would protect members of the LGBTQ+ community and protect them from discrimination--especially when they're looking for housing or jobs.
A number of attempts have been made to get the words added in past legislative sessions, dating back longer than a decade, but bills have only ever received one hearing--not advancing out of committee.
Past bills have always had strong democratic support but without a full hearing the legislature as a whole has never weighed in.
