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Idaho Senate Leader Says Add The Words Bill Growing Unlikely

Adam Cotterell
/
Boise State Public Radio
Large-scale "Add the Words" protests have been largely absent this session as activists waited for senators to draft a bill.

The President Pro Tem of Idaho’s Senate, Brent Hill (R-Rexburg) Tuesday said his greatest disappointment for the current legislative session is that lawmakers have not brought forth a bill to prevent discrimination against the LGBT community that also ensures religious freedom. A week ago Hill told KBSX that negotiations had been going on behind the scenes and that there was still time in the session to present a bill. Hill told reporters at an Idaho Press Club event today he didn’t know if we’d see a bill this year.

“I’d be extremely surprised to see something actually get passed in this legislative session,” Hill said. “Whether there will be something actually presented or not, I think that will depend on the strategy of those who are pushing it on both sides.”  

Hill said his preference is not to present a bill this year that doesn’t have enough buy-in to pass.

People in the Add the Words movement have been asking lawmakers to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity for nearly a decade. 

Find Adam Cotterell on Twitter @cotterelladam

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