by Logan Finney, Idaho Reports
The Senate State Affairs Committee introduced a resolution on Thursday denouncing racism and hate speech after a visiting college athletics team was racially harassed last week in Coeur d’Alene.
“We had a recent incident that’s been in the news,” said Senate Assistant Majority Leader Abby Lee, R-Fruitland. “I think it’s especially timely that not only do we come out against what happened, but we acknowledge that Idaho is not a welcoming place for those who are racist in any form.”
The resolution says “while visiting Idaho, the University of Utah women’s basketball team experienced an incident of racism that may have constituted, according to law enforcement, malicious harassment and disorderly conduct… inciting genuine fear in an attempt to intimidate a person jeopardizes such person’s health and safety and is, therefore, not protected speech.”
It also references the state’s long history of combating the Aryan Nations and other hate groups.
“I think it’s important to specifically name the incident,” Lee said. “This is not a welcoming place for those who would have those racist ideologies.”
The bipartisan resolution is co-sponsored by Lee and Rep. Chris Mathias, D-Boise.
“This is not who we are and want to be, and hopefully that sends a good message,” said Senate Minority Leader Melissa Wintrow, D-Boise.
Sen. Treg Bernt, R-Meridian, was visibly emotional as he spoke in support of the message.
“There’s a lot of great people in north Idaho, and it’s a shame that Idaho gets a bad rap over a select few who want to be jerks and insensitive,” Bernt said.
The legislation will be assigned a number in the Senate and returned to the committee for consideration and possible public testimony. If approved by the full chamber it would then go to the House.
Logan Finney | Associate Producer
Logan Finney is a North Idaho native with a passion for media production and boring government meetings. He grew up skiing, hunting and hiking in the mountains of Bonner County and has maintained a lifelong interest in the state’s geography, history and politics. Logan joined the Idaho Reports team in 2020 as a legislative session intern and stayed to cover the COVID-19 pandemic. He was hired as an associate producer in 2021 and they haven’t been able to get rid of him since.