1999 Legislation
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HOUSE BILL NO. 36 – Harassment/sexual orientat/unlawful

HOUSE BILL NO. 36

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Daily Data Tracking History



H0036........................................................by MR. SPEAKER
                   Requested by Human Rights Commission
HARASSMENT - SEXUAL ORIENTATION - Amends existing law to provide that it
shall be unlawful for any person, maliciously and with the specific intent,
to intimidate or harass another person because of the person's sexual
orientation.

01/11    House intro - 1st rdg - to printing
01/11    Rpt prt - to St Aff

Bill Text


H0036

                                                                        
 ||||              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ||||
Fifty-fifth Legislature                 First Regular Session - 1999
                                                                        

                             IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                                    HOUSE BILL NO. 36

                                      BY MR. SPEAKER
                          Requested by: Human Rights Commission

 1                                        AN ACT
 2    RELATING TO THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION; AMENDING SECTION 18-7901, IDAHO CODE,
 3        TO INCLUDE SEXUAL ORIENTATION IN THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION PURPOSE;  AND
 4        AMENDING SECTION 18-7902, IDAHO CODE, TO PROVIDE THAT IT SHALL BE UNLAWFUL
 5        FOR ANY PERSON, MALICIOUSLY AND WITH THE SPECIFIC INTENT, TO INTIMIDATE OR
 6        HARASS ANOTHER PERSON BECAUSE OF THE PERSON'S SEXUAL ORIENTATION.

 7    Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:

 8        SECTION  1.  That  Section 18-7901, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby
 9    amended to read as follows:

10        18-7901.  PURPOSE. The legislature finds and declares that it is the right
11    of every person regardless of race, color, ancestry,  sexual orientation,
12     religion or national origin, to be  secure  and  protected  from  fear,
13    intimidation, harassment, and physical harm caused by the activities of groups
14    and  individuals. It is not the intent of this act to interfere with the exer-
15    cise of rights protected by the constitution of the United States. The  legis-
16    lature  recognizes  the  constitutional  right  of every citizen to harbor and
17    express beliefs on any subject whatsoever and to  associate  with  others  who
18    share  similar  beliefs.  The  legislature  further finds that the advocacy of
19    unlawful acts by groups or individuals against other persons or groups for the
20    purpose of inciting and provoking damage to  property  and  bodily  injury  or
21    death  to  persons is not constitutionally protected, poses a threat to public
22    order and safety, and should be subject to criminal sanctions.

23        SECTION 2.  That Section 18-7902, Idaho Code, be, and the same  is  hereby
24    amended to read as follows:

25        18-7902.  MALICIOUS HARASSMENT DEFINED -- PROHIBITED. It shall be unlawful
26    for  any  person,  maliciously  and  with the specific intent to intimidate or
27    harass another person because of that person's race, color,  religion,  ances-
28    try,  sexual orientation,  or national origin, to:
29        (a)  Cause physical injury to another person; or
30        (b)  Damage,  destroy,  or deface any real or personal property of another
31    person; or
32        (c)  Threaten, by word or act, to do the acts prohibited if there is  rea-
33    sonable cause to believe that any of the acts described in subsections (a) and
34    (b) of this section will occur.
35        For  purposes  of this section, "deface" shall include, but not be limited
36    to, cross-burnings or the placing of any word or  symbol  commonly  associated
37    with  racial,  religious or ethnic terrorism on the property of another person
38    without his or her permission.

Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact


                      STATEMENT  OF  PURPOSE
RS08446
This bill amends Idaho's Malicious Harassment Act to add protection
for Idaho citizens from violence and threats because of sexual
orientation.


FISCAL  IMPACT
None.


CONTACT   
Name:          Dan Steckel
Agency:   Idaho Human Rights Commission
Phone:         334-2873

Statement of Purpose/Fiscal Impact                           H 3