Idaho Senators MUST protect women, children, and transgender people by making changes to HB 264

Idaho legislators are intent on creating laws that discriminate against trans people. HB 264 would require universities, community colleges, domestic violence shelters, and correctional facilities to create and enforce policies that will exclude transgender people from using the bathroom and allow for private citizens to sue the public entity if they believe they have encountered a person of the wrong sex in a restroom or changing facility. Idaho's lawmakers ignored concerns from their constituents in committee hearings about how this bill harms women and children, not just transgender people.

This bill places a target on anyone who does not conform to rigid gender stereotypes, putting those who appear “not feminine or masculine enough” at risk when using public restrooms in important community hubs like universities and colleges. While this bill intends to allow any person to police public bathrooms, it does not contain any language to say how a persons gender or sex will be verified if a lawsuit is filed. This dangerous loophole opens the door to invasive inspections, endangering everyone—including women, children, and transgender people.Idaho's Senators have a responsibility to protect women, children, and transgender people from government overreach into private spaces like university bathrooms and changing rooms. They must also protect our public entities from frivolous and bad-faith lawsuits by adding provisions to this bill to resolve legal fees in the case that a wrongful lawsuit is filed.

Take action now. Tell Idaho Senators: VOTE NO on this harmful bill and ADD protections to prevent invasive and dangerous sex-verification inspections.

ID2025H 264

PROTECTING THE PRIVACY OF WOMEN – Adds to existing law to establish provisions regarding safety and privacy in certain covered entities and to provide for remedies.

Last Action

Effective: 07/01/2025

House • Apr 02, 2025

Latest Version

Engrossment 1

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What's your district & how can legislators reach you?

Your Message to the legislators

Dear (name and title inserted automatically),

I strongly oppose HB 264 because although being titled "Protecting the Privacy of Women," this bill creates dangerous environments in restrooms and changing facilities.
 
This bill is dangerous, vague, and unenforceable. It doesn’t make anyone safer—it creates harm for children, women, transgender people, and endangers vital public institutions like universities and community colleges.
 
I strongly urge you to vote no. However, if you cannot fully oppose this bill, I ask that you support two critical amendments to minimize its harm.
 
1) Prohibit physical or genital inspections.
 
HB 264 leaves enforcement open-ended, which means genital inspections could become a reality. This is an amendment that anyone should be eager to include. West Virginia had to amend a similar bill after public outcry over this exact issue. Idaho should not make the same mistake.
 
2) Protect Universities & Community Colleges from bad-faith lawsuits.
 
This bill let's anyone sue based on suspicion alone, forcing universities and community colleges to waste public funds defending baseless claims—even if dismissed. Amend the bill to require those who file unsuccessful lawsuits to cover legal fees and allow wrongfully accused individuals to seek legal action for harm done to them.
 
I oppose this bill and urge you to vote no. But if you won’t, at the very least, make it more practical and reduce the harm it will cause to children, women, and transgender people.
 
Thank you for your time.