A bill banning preferential treatment on the basis of race, ethnicity, and sex in public contracting, education, and employment — a.k.a. “affirmative action” — has advanced through the Idaho legislature’s relevant house committee.

The heart of the bill is straightforward and should not be controversial:

The state shall not discriminate against, or grant preferential treatment to, any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in the operation of public employment, public education, or public contracting.

Whatever finally happens in Idaho, here’s hoping that state legislators in more states follow Idaho representative Heather Scott in proposing such a bill. It’s precisely in line with state constitutional enactments in California, Washington, Michigan, Arizona, Nebraska, and Oklahoma, as well as laws (less precisely) in Florida and New Hampshire.

Too bad the federal legislature hasn’t done something like this. By the way, I’ve co-authored Heritage Foundation papers on this topic with proposed language for both state and federal bills.