Idaho weighs jail time for transgender bathroom use in private businesses

Idaho lawmakers are considering a bill that would criminalize transgender people using bathrooms and changing rooms that align with their gender identity in any place of public accommodation, with penalties of up to a year for a misdemeanor and up to five years for a felony on a second offense; it includes carve-outs for emergencies, dire need, and other staff roles, but faces opposition from law-enforcement groups and LGBTQ advocates who warn it could lead to profiling and harassment. The Senate was expected to vote on the bill this week, potentially sending it to Governor Brad Little for signing.