Idaho State Capitol – On Monday, Governor Little signed HB 440, 500, and 509 into law. House bill 440 will remove discrimination protections for hiring practices in public entities. House bill 500 will require high school girls to prove their gender to participate in high school sports through a genital exam, DNA test, or testosterone levels test. House bill 509 will ban all Idahoans from changing the gender marker on their birth certificate (in direct violation of a recent court order).
Representative Lauren Necochea/(D-Boise) commented on the decisions by the Governor.
“Idaho’s Attorney General, legal advocacy groups, and numerous qualified lawyers have already made it clear that these unconstitutional pieces of legislation will end up in court and Idaho will lose,” Rep. Necochea explained. “I am disgusted and disappointed that Governor Little has decided to waste valuable taxpayer money to fight court battles over issues that are not a priority to Idahoans. Our residents are losing their jobs, getting kicked out of their homes, and struggling to make ends meet. Instead of wasting state money to fight court battles that we have already lost in the past, we should be prioritizing taking care of our fellow Idahoans.”
“During a national pandemic like we have never seen before, Governor Little has vetoed several other bills with the justification of saving money to help Idahoans handle this ongoing crisis. He should have vetoed these hateful, discriminatory laws as well. I am stunned the GOP would prioritize genital exams for children and allowing hiring discrimination while people are dying by the thousands nationwide.”
“Idaho’s economy depends on our ability to attract business and talent to our state. This requires being inclusive and forward-thinking. Several Idaho companies have made it clear that they will not be able to continue operating here if we continue to shrink the hiring pool. These bills send the message Idaho is not a good place for a company to invest if they are looking for diverse, qualified, hardworking individuals.”