Lila McNeil — Identified as the Criminal Identification Bureau Chief with ISP and invited to testify.
Leila McNeil — Leila McNeil, Bureau Chief of the Criminal Identification Bureau at the Idaho State Police, introduced herself and testified on House Bill 521, noting that she would read prepared remarks. She then concluded her testimony by offering to answer questions.
Dori Healey — Representative Scott is identified as a questioner and then engages in a sustained exchange about the bill’s language, asking whether 'active' modifies construction zone and seeking clarification on how the provision should be interpreted. The discussion continues as she explains her concern about the wording and the sponsor responds, with the later references to Heather Scott appearing to continue the same line of questioning about the bill and crash statistics.
Dori Healey — Representative Handy is recognized to make a comment and ask a question, then continues by discussing the Burley interchanges and local transportation issues, noting that the two Burley interchanges are ahead of schedule.
Dori Healey — Representative E. Hart (also listed as Ehart) was recorded in the roll call as voting yes, described as a friendly yes.
Dan Garner — Representative Garner asks for clarification on the meaning of 'active' in the bill language, and the discussion continues with an explanation of how 'active' is being used in the construction zone context.
Dan Garner — Representative Garner asked whether the children were struck by drivers exceeding the school-zone speed limit or whether the collisions would have happened anyway. The exchange continued with a brief response that some were speeding and some were not, followed by the chair directing the witness to answer the question.
Dan Garner — Representative Gannon was invited to ask questions and then raised concerns about Idaho State Police staffing, referencing a ride-along on I-84, vacant positions, and speeding issues. He asked whether ISP needs more troopers and requested comment on the staffing shortage.
Dan Garner — Identified by the chair as next in line for questions after Representative Ehardt.
Dan Garner — Recorded as voting yes.
Kinsey Thatcher — Kinsey Thatcher, owner of Roadwork Ahead Traffic Services in Twin Falls, testified about the dangers of speeding in work zones. She explained that over her 12-year career, speeding through work zones has increased and undermines traffic control plans, which are designed around reduced posted speeds. She described engineering considerations such as perception-reaction time and stopping distance, noting that higher speeds require different sign spacing and increase crash risk. Thatcher said her company has experienced numerous work-zone crashes, including a fatal incident in which an employee was killed while working on the freeway, and she argued that stronger penalties could help deter speeding and improve safety. She concluded by thanking the committee for its time and consideration.
Daniel Murphy — Daniel Murphy is introduced and then provides testimony supporting safe driving while questioning the bill’s clarity. He argues that the term "active" is vague, raising examples from school zones and construction zones to show uncertainty about when the speed limits would apply, such as whether the school-zone limit is in effect only when flashing lights are on or whenever school is in session, and whether a construction zone is considered active even when no workers are present. He concludes that the bill needs further clarification before it can be applied consistently.
Rex Ingram — Rex Ingram, Chief of Police of the Caldwell Police Department and immediate past president of the Idaho Chiefs of Police Association, testified in support of the bill. He said recent crosswalk crashes in Caldwell, including serious injuries to children, show the need to better protect school zones and construction areas and hold reckless drivers accountable. In response to questions, he explained that officers cite drivers based on the primary collision factor—such as speeding or inattentive driving—and that under the bill such conduct would be treated as a misdemeanor reckless driving offense. He clarified that the outcome depends on what the driver actually did and noted that a traffic expert on his staff could answer more detailed questions.
Tom Defer — Tom Defer, a District 14 representative from Caldwell Police and traffic officer, testified in support of HB 570. He described his experience seeing the consequences of speeding, impaired, inattentive, and reckless driving in his daily work, including crashes in school and construction zones. He also shared the personal impact of losing his daughter in a crash caused by an inattentive driver, using that experience to argue for accountability and stronger penalties. He concluded by noting that speeding, reckless driving, inattentive driving, and careless driving are addressed by separate codes with distinct requirements.
Fritz Zweigart / Fritz Swigert / Fritz Swaggart — Introduced himself as representing the Idaho State Police; the name appears in multiple conflicting forms in the transcript.
Fritz Swaggart — Fritz Swaggart testified that the Idaho Transportation Department partners with law enforcement to fund overtime so officers can increase their presence in school and construction zones. He added that citizen complaints typically involve reckless driving and excessive speed, and referenced a recent Idaho State Police investigation as an example to underscore the need for the bill.
John Gannon — Representative Gannon questioned why ITD projects take so long and then continued with a related inquiry about speeding enforcement, asking whether ISP has considered increasing penalties for speeding infractions and what the current penalty structure is.
John Gannon — Representative Gannon asks about the reckless driving statute and whether the suspension is 30 days.
John Gannon — Representative Gannon supported the bill, saying it is a good step in response to serious speeding and unsafe driving problems in his area. He cited tragic crashes and children being hit in Caldwell and elsewhere, including a child killed in his neighborhood, and noted that speed is tied to a driver’s duty of care. He also explained that drivers can still be ticketed for unsafe speed even below the posted limit in hazardous conditions, and said he especially liked the bill’s license-suspension penalty as an alternative to jail.
John Gannon — Representative Gannon agreed with Representative Shirts and supported the idea of adding optional driver's license suspension language to the inattentive driving statute, noting that any additional language could be addressed when the bill reaches general orders. He then voted yes.
Chantelle Kelly — The chair welcomes the next virtual witness.
Jensal Kelly — Jensal Kelly, principal at Caldwell High School, introduces herself and begins testimony by describing how two students’ lives were changed when they were struck by cars in front of the school while crossing the road to get to school on time.
Principal Kelly — Principal Kelly described the aftermath of two students being struck by a vehicle while crossing to school, explaining that neither had returned to school and detailing the severity of their injuries. He recounted calling one student’s mother to report that her son had been hit and was in critical condition, noted that the student underwent seven hours of surgery and would be unable to walk for months, and said the other student’s education and career plans were also disrupted. He concluded by emphasizing that the driver was speeding significantly in a crosswalk zone and urged the committee to keep children safe.
Zach Hessing — Zach Hessing, Chief Deputy with the Ada County Sheriff's Office, testified in support of the bill on behalf of the Ada County Sheriff and Idaho Sheriffs Association. He cited rising school-zone violations in Ada County, noted increasing construction-zone violations and crash concerns in the Treasure Valley, and described dangerous speeding in school and construction zones, including areas near Highway 16 and State Street. He concluded that law enforcement needs discretion under the new statutory language to better hold speeding drivers accountable in these zones.
Sean Shupak — Sean Shupak testified on behalf of commercial building and highway contractors, explaining that their employees work in right-of-way construction zones and face significant health and safety risks. He emphasized that complex projects create tight work areas where traffic should be slowed, and argued that the bill would give law enforcement an additional tool to improve safety. He also noted that the bill’s wording, including the term "active," was shaped with LSO feedback. His testimony then concluded, and the chair thanked him before moving on.
Representative Pahonk — Representative Pahonk delivered closing remarks tying the bill to public safety and the need to address dangerous driving. He argued that officers would use discretion but could still cite egregious speeding, and he emphasized that driving is a privilege that comes with accountability, referencing Representative Handy’s grandson as an example.
Principal Chantel — Speaker expresses sympathy for Principal Chantel in connection with students being hit in the crosswalk.
Roadwork(s) Ahead — Speaker expresses sympathy for Roadwork(s) Ahead and references the owner losing an employee/family member.
Roadwork(s) Ahead owner — Speaker references the owner of Roadwork(s) Ahead and the loss of an employee/family member.
Edward Hill — Representative Hill is called on as questions are invited.
Edward Hill — Representative Hill is called on before the motion is made.
Edward Hill — Representative Stone clarifies the mandatory suspension periods under code 49-1401.
Edward Hill — Not mentioned directly in this section by name, but the chair is being addressed in the procedural discussion.
Clint Hostetler — Representative Hostetler is addressed after the statistics clarification.
Clint Hostetler — Representative Hostetler thanks the presenter and comments on the emotional testimony and the complexity of the bill.
Clint Hostetler — Representative Pohanka is addressed as the sponsor responding to the question.
Clint Hostetler — Recorded as voting yes.
Cindy Carlson — Representative Carlson is called on and then engages in a follow-up discussion with the presenter about the bill’s enforcement and sentencing implications, including officer discretion, mandatory minimums, traffic safety concerns, comparisons to marijuana policy, and possible jail time for repeat offenses.
Cindy Carlson — Recorded as voting yes.
Mike Pohanka — Was addressed in the discussion about confusion over active school and work zones.
Mike Pohanka — Is referenced in a joking/procedural remark and told to sit down.
Mike Pohanka — Referenced again in a procedural aside before the vote.
Mike Pohanka — Recorded as voting no.
Ted Hill — Representative Ted Hill is identified as the original mover of the motion, with speakers noting that he is no longer present, so the motion is being discussed in his absence.
Ilana Rubel — Representative Rubel was recorded as voting yes and was then jokingly noted as ready to dash out of the room.
Heather Scott — Heather Scott introduces RS 33227C1, explaining that it is similar to a prior RS tied to House Bill 524, and is later referenced as she sits down during the same discussion of that proposal.
Heather Scott — Representative Scott is referenced in the question as the earlier questioner; the transcript says 'Representative V. Hart,' but context suggests a misrecognition and the member is likely Heather Scott.
Heather Scott — Asked whether speeding and hitting someone are treated the same and whether another crime applies.
Heather Scott — Followed up, asking for clarification about the difference between speeding penalties and penalties for hitting someone without speeding.
Heather Scott — Pressed further, asking whether a driver going 15 mph and hitting a child in a school zone would receive only a speeding ticket.