‘Add the Words’ legislation introduced by Boise senator

Legislation has been introduced to protect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people from employment and housing discrimination in Idaho.

Democratic Senator Maryanne Jordan of Boise introduced the legislation on Friday.

The legislation would add the words “gender identity” and “sexual orientation” to the Idaho Human Rights Act. The law bans discrimination based on race, sex, color, religion and national origin in housing, employment and public accommodations.

Previous efforts to add the words have been blocked for more than a decade because the state’s Republican-controlled Legislature is concerned the change could infringe on religious freedoms.

Roughly 200 demonstrators on Wednesday gathered inside the Statehouse to get Idaho lawmakers to pass legislation adding the words.