For more than 20 year the ACLU of Idaho has been at the forefront of defending the Constitutional rights of Idahoans. As attacks come from many directions and many sources, our unceasing efforts fall into three principal areas. One - we educate people about their rights and provide guidelines for them when they feel those rights have been violated. Two - we work with state and local lawmakers while specific legislation is being debated. (Our parent organization, the American Civil Liberties Union, is a major presence in the national defense of the Constitution.) Three - when a law is passed that abrogates individuals’ rights, we litigate to attempt to get it reversed.
Citizens intent on preserving peoples’ rights had been active in the state for several years, leading to the establishment in 1989 of the Idaho chapter of ACLU. Supported by the Mountain States Office, it had limited authority and duties. The following year the new organization underwent its baptism of fire. Intense activity by out-of-state groups resulted in the introduction of more than a dozen anti-abortion bills in the state legislature in 1990. Four of them would have prohibited abortion without exception. The ACLU of Idaho swung into vigorous action and contributed to the defeat of all of the bills except one. Renewed efforts by pro-choice advocates, including ACLU, led to a veto of that bill by Governor Cecil Andrus.
These efforts attracted national attention. In 1991 ACLU National President Nadine Strossen attended the Idaho Bill of Rights Celebration. Having shown its mettle, the ACLU of Idaho became an official ACLU affiliate in 1993.
In the intervening years, the ACLU of Idaho has continued to grow as one of the most influential sources of Constitutional protection for all the people of the state. For example, in 2011 the ACLU filed suit against the Correctional Corporation of America (CCA) alleging poor treatment of prisoners at the Idaho Department of Corrections. The suit led to an inquiry by the Federal Bureau of Investigations; in 2014 the state retook control of the corrections facility.
The attack on abortion rights has not slacked off. In 2012 the Legislature considered a bill that would have required an ultrasound examination for every woman seeking an abortion. There was no exception for rape, incest or fetal abnormalities. Once again the ACLU worked with its partners and allies to forge another victory by preventing the bill from passing.
In 2014 the ACLU lobbied successfully to overturn a Boise city ordinance that would have outlawed panhandling, thereby depriving many citizens of their livelihood. The rights of immigrants continue to be a focus. The ACLU has prepared a list of rights for various segments of society, including prisoners, immigrants, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) members, women, would-be voters, etc.
Threats to citizens’ liberties will never end – and the ACLU of Idaho will be there to fight for them and to continue advocating for the rights of all who live in Idaho. Throughout the country, local ACLU affiliates continue to be the principal Constitutional watchdogs. We will remain vigilant in working to ensure that the rights promised to all citizens will not be taken away from this or succeeding generations.
Do you want to be a part of this organization? You can help: Volunteer your time and effort, join the ACLU, contribute to ensure we have a source of funding for the future. Just remember that if one member of our community loses a single one of his or her rights … we all lose.