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Judge rules transgender people won’t face criminal charges for using Idaho public restrooms
NBC News • • general
Key Points:
- A U.S. District Judge Amanda Brailsford ruled that transgender people in Idaho will not face criminal charges for using public restrooms that align with their gender identities, temporarily blocking key parts of a law set to take effect July 1.
- The Idaho law, signed in March, was stricter than similar laws in other states, applying to restrooms in private buildings open to the public and imposing criminal penalties including jail time for violations.
- The law faced criticism for vague terms like "dire need," which concerned law enforcement, and was challenged by transgender residents represented by Lambda Legal and the ACLU for being unconstitutionally vague.
- Judge Brailsford’s ruling set limits on enforcement, allowing use of single-stall restrooms or when no single-user restroom is available on the same floor, emphasizing the need to protect transgender individuals from arrest or harassment.
- Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador announced plans to appeal the ruling, defending the law as clear and necessary, and stating it still applies to changing rooms and some restrooms, including for non-transgender individuals.
