LDS church announcement on protection for gays makes waves in Idaho

BOISE – As Idaho lawmakers held a second day of hearings Tuesday on legislation to add civil rights protections for gays, big news emerged from the Mormon church, which announced support for measures protecting the rights of gays and lesbians as long as religious rights also are protected. The Latter-Day Saints church, based in Salt Lake City, Utah, has big influence in Idaho. A Gallup survey last year estimated that 24 percent of Idaho’s population is Mormon; many members of the church serve in the Idaho Legislature. However, lawmakers said they didn’t think the announcement would change the outcome for HB 2, the measure to add “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” to the Idaho Human Rights Act and prohibit discrimination on those bases in housing, employment and public accommodations. Hours and hours of public testimony on the bill has been nearly evenly divided, with backers saying it’ll end harmful discrimination and opponents raising religious and moral objections. “It’s welcome,” said Rep. John Rusche, D-Lewiston, the bill’s lead sponsor. But, he said, “I think it’s a little too late for this cycle.” Rep. Ken Andrus, R-Lava Hot Springs, who serves on the House committee that’s hearing the bill and is a member of the LDS church, said, “I think it plays into the discussion. I don’t know if it affects the outcome of this bill. But I thought it was interesting, very interesting.” Asked if he’s decided yet on the bill, Andrus said, “Something could come up to make me change my mind.” The hearings mark a breakthrough on the issue for Idaho, after lawmakers refused to grant the bill a hearing for nine straight years. During last year’s Idaho legislative session, hundreds of people were arrested in protests calling for a hearing. An Idaho House committee that’s heavily dominated by conservative Republicans is scheduled to vote on the bill on Wednesday.