A crowd is gathering in the Lincoln Auditorium this morning for a “listening session” on Health & Welfare issues; the public is invited to speak, with testimony limited to 3 minutes apiece; both the House and Senate Health & Welfare committees will be listening. On Monday, a similar session is planned on education issues, in a joint meeting of the House and Senate education committees; that session will run from 3-5 p.m. You can watch today’s hearing live online here; click on “Lincoln Auditorium.”

Meanwhile, the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee has budget hearings scheduled this morning, starting at 8, with the office of the State Board of Education, Professional-Technical Education, Educational Services for the Deaf and Blind and Idaho Public TV. The House convenes at 8 a.m.; the Senate at 11:30.