COEUR d'ALENE - The Coeur d'Alene City Council will hold a special meeting on Monday to discuss taking a position on two controversial bills that are currently making their way through the Idaho Legislature.

The first bill, HB 427, would allow Idahoans to refuse service to those they object to on religious grounds. That bill was passed out of the House State Affairs Committee 11-4 on Wednesday after three and a half hours of testimony mostly opposing the bill.

The Idaho Statesman reported on Thursday that Boise City Council President Maryanne Jordan testified that if passed, the law could undo strides that communities like Boise have made by extending local employment and housing protections to gays and lesbians, in the absence of statewide prohibitions.

The cities of Coeur d'Alene, Pocatello, Sandpoint, Moscow, Idaho Falls and Ketchum have passed similar local ordinances that could be impacted by the state legislation if it passes.

Coeur d'Alene Police spokesperson Sgt. Christie Wood, who is also on the board of the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations, will present the issue to the council Monday.

Wood will be representing KCTFHR and the city's legislative committee at the meeting, she said.

The Northwest Coalition for Human Rights is calling on all of those cities that passed anti-discrimination ordinances to take a position opposing HB 427, she added.

Wood serves on several community boards and committees, and will be switching hats during the meeting to represent the North Idaho College Board of Trustees and the city's police chief on another piece of legislation that would allow firearms on college campuses in Idaho.

"I play a lot of different roles, but I am just there to present the facts. I am a conduit for information," she said. "Locally, our chief opposes this legislation and that is what I will present."

Senate Bill 1254 would allow people with enhanced concealed weapons permits and retired law enforcement personnel to carry firearms on Idaho's higher education campuses.

The Idaho State Board of Education and all of Idaho's college presidents have come out publicly opposing the bill, which is set for a hearing in the Senate State Affairs Committee on Wednesday.

That is why the city council called the special meeting on Monday prior to the legislative hearing, said Mayor Steve Widmyer.

"We want to support the college on this," he said.