BOISE -- The "Add the Words" bill failed to pass by the Senate State Affairs Committee Friday morning.
So many people turned out to support changes state's Human Rights Act to protect gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people from workplace and housing discrimination, that they had to move the meeting to a larger room to accommodate everyone.
All session, a low-key "Add the Words" campaign to update the act with the words "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" has been working to win at least an introduction hearing for the bill.
Similar measures have failed in the past, but Republican Senate State Affairs Committee Chairman Curt McKenzie scheduled an introduction hearing on this measure for the first time since 2009.
The state's Human Rights Act currently protects people from discrimination based on age, sex, religion and race in employment, housing, education and public accommodations.
