1. United States
2. Idaho
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to oppose House Bill 557, which passed the Idaho House on February 5, 2026, and would prohibit cities and counties from enacting anti-discrimination ordinances. This legislation threatens the protections currently in place in Idaho's largest county and at least 12 cities that prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. House Bill 557 represents a dangerous overreach of state power that undermines the local control Idaho communities depend on. As Rep. Mark Sauter of Sandpoint noted during House debate, this bill uses "a sledgehammer to kill a fly." His own city of Sandpoint demonstrated that local control works when residents repealed their anti-discrimination ordinance in November 2024 within a month of community concerns arising. Local governments are fully capable of addressing these issues without state interference. This bill would make Idaho at least the third state to prohibit local anti-discrimination protections, putting our state in the company of jurisdictions that have chosen to limit rather than expand civil rights protections. The measure invalidates ordinances that protect Idaho residents from discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations based on characteristics that are not currently protected under state law. Rep. Monica Church articulated an important principle during floor debate: "Decentralization is the principle we live by. It's the way of the West, and it's the Idaho way." Stripping local governments of their authority to address discrimination within their own communities contradicts Idaho's tradition of local governance and self-determination. Communities should retain the right to establish protections that reflect their values and needs. I ask you to vote against House Bill 557 when it comes before the Senate. Idaho's cities and counties should maintain the authority to protect all their residents from discrimination without state government interference.