1. United States
2. Idaho
3. Letter

This isn’t just a concern for the transgender community; it is a threat to privacy and freedom for everyone in Idaho. The details of this bill are frightening. Most people assume a “bathroom ban” means being asked to leave a building, but HB 752 uses the full weight of the criminal justice system to punish transgender people. A first offense is a misdemeanor that can land someone in jail for a year. A second offense is a felony. Most shocking of all, because of Idaho’s “persistent violator” law, a fourth offense could carry a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of life in prison. We are talking about locking someone away forever, using the same harshness we reserve for the most violent criminals, simply for being present in a restroom that matches who they are. Even our own law enforcement officers are asking the governor to stop this. Groups like the Idaho Fraternal Order of Police and the Idaho Sheriffs’ Association have warned that this law is impossible to enforce fairly. There is no way for a police officer to “prove” someone’s biological sex on the spot without being invasive and inappropriate. We have already seen what happens when these laws exist: women with short hair or a “masculine” look, including pregnant women right here in Idaho, have been harassed and kicked out of restrooms by people who didn’t think they looked “feminine” enough. HB 752 gives a green light to that kind of bullying and forces our police to participate in it. This law also places an unfair and heavy burden on our local business owners and anyone running a public building. Under HB 752, small business owners in Kootenai County are essentially forced to become “gender police.” The law applies to private businesses and places of public accommodation, meaning a shop owner or a restaurant manager could find themselves in the middle of a police investigation just because a customer complained about someone else in the restroom. Instead of focusing on serving customers and growing our local economy, our business community will be forced to worry about legal liability and high-stakes confrontations in their own hallways. Perhaps most frustrating is the timing of this extreme overreach. Idaho is currently in a budgetary emergency. We have schools that need fixing and roads that need repair, yet our lawmakers are obsessed with a “culture war” that will cost us millions. Everyone knows that if this bill becomes law, it will be challenged in court immediately. Defending unconstitutional laws is incredibly expensive, and Idaho taxpayers will be the ones picking up the tab for the legal fees while our state budget is already struggling. We simply cannot afford to throw away our hard-earned money on a law that is designed to intimidate and scare rather than keep everyone safe. Governor Little, you have a choice to make. You can choose to sign a bill that makes Idaho a national example of cruelty and fiscal irresponsibility, or you can choose the path of common sense. We are asking you to stand up for all Idahoans, protect our state’s budget and our people’s dignity. This law is an embarrassment to the values of freedom that you claim to hold dear.