Sen. Nicole LeFavour, D-Boise, has been overruled in her attempt to challenge Senate Assistant Majority Leader Chuck Winder's ruling that her amendment to SB 1215 can't be considered. The bill is about increasing penalties for prison contraband; LeFavour argued that the bill says it's about promoting safety and security, and so was her amendment - to expand the Idaho Human Rights Act to cover discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. That would include prison employees who are gay or lesbian, she said.

"Within the bill we are addressing public safety and security," LeFavour told the Senate.

Senate Majority Leader Bart Davis, R-Idaho Falls, who repeatedly interrupted LeFavour with objections, told the Senate, "If this body were to merge these two together, it is my opinion you would lose the whole bill. I do not believe the court would sustain the proposition that we are dealing with just one subject."

Lt. Gov. Brad Little then ruled against LeFavour's challenge. "Indubitably, the Constitution trumps everything we have in this body," he said. He said allowing her amendment would be "a very slippery slope given the very, very weak nexus that is here."

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