Idaho Senate Minority Leader Melissa Wintrow, D-Boise, (left) takes questions at a press conference after the State of the State address on Jan. 6, 2025, at the Statehouse in Boise. Also pictured is Idaho House Minority Leader Ilana Rubel, D-Boise. (Pat Sutphin for the Idaho Capital Sun)
Idaho Senate Minority Leader Melissa Wintrow introduced a new personal bill Thursday in the Idaho Senate that seeks to add workforce and housing protections for LGBTQ+ Idahoans.
Wintrow’s new bill, Senate Bill 1004, would amend the Idaho Human Rights Act by adding the words “sexual orientation” and “gender identity.”
The bill’s introduction was intended to send a message and get the proposal in front of the public. Because the bill was introduced by Wintrow as a personal bill – as opposed to following the traditional path of being introduced by a legislative committee – the bill has no chance of advancing.
GET THE MORNING HEADLINES.
“For the past 10 years, we have tried to introduce this bill in committee, and every year, the Republican leadership refuses to have a hearing to add the words ‘sexual orientation’ and ‘gender identity‘ to the State of Idaho’s Human Rights Act,” Wintrow, D-Boise, said in a written statement.
Republicans control a 90-15 supermajority in the Idaho Legislature and have blocked similar bills seeking to amend the Idaho Human Rights Act to add the words for 20 years.
“We come back every year, trying to formally introduce the bill to add the words because of our love and respect for our LGBTQ+ constituents and all LGBTQ+ Idahoans,” Wintrow added. “I have deep appreciation for these Idahoans, many of whom have lived here all their lives, whose families and jobs are here, and who continue to stay here despite how hard the Legislature tries to make their lives. They love Idaho enough to stay and fight to live free from government interference in their personal lives. It breaks my heart that we are still fighting for basic dignity under the law in 2025.”
Republicans call on U.S. Supreme Court to define marriage between one man, one woman
Meanwhile, Republicans in power are pushing in the opposite direction as Wintrow.
During the first day of committee meetings in the 2025 legislative session, the House State Affairs Committee introduced House Joint Memorial 1, which calls on the U.S. Supreme Court to “restore” the definition of marriage as a union between one man and one woman and allow states to enforce laws pertaining to marriage.
Idaho Democrats bring back Queer Caucus in response to anti-LGBTQ+ legislation
The memorial does not carry the force and effect of law, but it does send a message and makes the Idaho Legislature‘s intentions clear.
In the absence of state protection for LGBTQ+ Idahoans, local cities and towns have passed anti discrimination ordinances, beginning with Sandpoint in 2011.
According to the Idaho Democratic Party, 13 Idaho cities and towns have passed nondiscrimination ordinances since 2011, including Sandpoint, Boise, Idaho Falls, Moscow, Lewiston, Meridian, Ketchum, Hailey, Bellevue, Driggs, Victor, Pocatello and Coeur d’Alene.
However, Nikson Mathews, chair of the queer caucus of the Idaho Democratic Party and a former Democratic legislative candidate, said action by local communities is not enough. Mathews called on the state to take action.
“Idaho’s queer community deserves to be safe and to be seen, no matter where in the state they live,” Mathews said in a written statement.
YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE.