Eight legislative interim committees approved
All eight proposed legislative interim committees were approved today by the Legislative Council, in addition to three “interim working groups” that were set up by House Speaker Scott Bedke and Senate President Pro-Tem Brent Hill; some of the interim committees are continuing from past years, but four are new. They are on administrative hearings officers; foster care; the public school funding formula; and state employee insurance benefits. Even some continuing interim committees are seeing changes; for example, after House Judiciary Chairman Rich Wills, R-Glenns Ferry, was defeated in the GOP primary, he’s being replaced as co-chair of the Criminal Justice Reinvestment Oversight Committee by Rep. Luke Malek, R-Coeur d’Alene. Here are the committees and their members:
Administrative Hearing Officers Committee, pursuant to SCR 151: Co-Chairs are Sen. Steve Vick, R-Dalton Gardens, and Rep. Gary Collins, R-Nampa. Members are Davis, Souza, Anthon and Burgoyne; and Reps. Luker, Hartgen, Clow and Gannon.
Council on Indian Affairs, pursuant to HB 155 in 1999: Members are Sens. Cherie Buckner-Webb, D-Boise; and Jim Guthrie, R-McCammon; and Reps Marc Gibbs, R-Grace; and Donna Pence, R-Gooding. A replacement for Pence when she leaves office at the end of the year will be named later.
Criminal Justice Oversight Committee, pursuant to SB 1393 in 2014: Co-Chairs are Sen. Patti Anne Lodge, R-Huston; and Rep. Luke Malek, R-Coeur d’Alene. Members are Sens. Keough, Nonini, Schmidt, and Buckner-Webb; and Reps. Dayley, Holtzclaw, McCrostie, and Nye, with Rep. Paulette Jordan taking over for Nye if he moves to the Senate to replace retiring Sen. Roy Lacey.
Foster Care Study Committee, pursuant to HCR 59: Co-Chairs are Sen. Abby Lee, R-Fruitland; and Rep. Christy Perry, R-Nampa. Members are Sens. Davis, Souza, Anthon, and Buckner-Webb; and Reps. Moyle, Luker, Monks and Wintrow.
Natural Resources Interim Committee, pursuant to HCR 8 in 2015: Co-Chairs are Sen. Steve Bair, R-Blackfoot; and Rep. Dell Raybould, R-Rexburg. Members are Sens. Siddoway, Brackett, Heider, Stennett, and ad hoc members Sens. Keough, Patrick, and Lacey; and Reps. Bedke, Moyle, Gibbs, Pence, and ad-hoc members Reps. Gestrin and Shepherd. When Lacey’s term expires at the end of the year, he’d be replaced by Sen. Burgoyne; when Pence’s does the same, she’d be replaced by Rep. Rubel.
Public School Funding Formula Committee, pursuant to HCR 33: Co-Chairs are Sen. Chuck Winder, R-Boise, and Rep. Wendy Horman, R-Idaho Falls. Members are Sens. Mortimer, Bayer, Thayn, and Ward-Engelking; and Reps. Bedke, VanOrden, Dixon and McCrostie. This panel already has held several meetings, and also may include non-legislative members appointed by the co-chairs.
State Employee Group Insurance Benefits, pursuant to HCR 61: Co-Chairs are Sens. Todd Lakey, R-Nampa, and Rep. Fred Wood, R-Burley. Members are Sens. Johnson, Nonini, Patrick, and Schmidt; and Reps. Anderson, Anderst, Monks, and Kloc.
State Procurement Laws, pursuant to HCR 48: Co-Chairs are Sen. Fred Martin, R-Boise, and Rep. Neil Anderson, R-Blackfoot. Members are Sens. Davis, Lee, DenHartog, and Jordan; and Reps. Bell, Crane, VanderWoude, and Nye, who would be replaced by Rep. Elaine Smith when he leaves the House.
