Idaho Legislature: Ask Legislators to VOTE YES on H0264 - Privacy of women, facilities (posted 02/20/25)

• Bill: legislature.idaho.gov/s…

• Contact Legislators (link below):

(Check the linked page or use My Bill Tracker for the bill’s current status.)

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Women and girls need protection from acts of abuse, harassment, sexual assault, and violence committed by biological men in traditionally protected single-sex spaces.

H0264 (apparently replacing H0190) establishes COMMONSENSE PROVISIONS for safety and privacy of women and girls in covered entities including correctional facilities, domestic violence shelters, juvenile correctional centers, and state educational institutions. H0264 requires multi-occupancy restrooms, changing rooms, and sleeping quarters be exclusively designated for either females or males, with individuals only permitted to use facilities matching their biological sex.

Exceptions:

• Custodial services, medical assistance, law enforcement, emergency situations, and accompanying family members.

• State educational institutions must provide reasonable accommodations for individuals uncomfortable using sex-specific facilities,; however, these accommodations cannot include access to opposite-sex facilities when others of that sex are present.

Civil Actions:

• People may seek declaratory and injunctive relief within two years against covered entities that fail to enforce these rules, with the ability to recover attorney's fees if they prevail in court.

• Declaratory and injunctive relief allowed if the covered entity:

  • Provided the person permission to use a restroom or changing room of the opposite sex.

  • Failed to take reasonable steps to prohibit the person of the opposite sex from using the restroom or changing room of the opposite sex.

  • Requires a person to share sleeping quarters with a person of the opposite sex.