Valerie Hall — Valerie Hall identifies herself as a licensed midwife and CPM from Idaho Falls and testifies in support of H-639.
Ms. Hall — Ms. Hall thanked the committee and explained that midwives can provide more complete care at lower cost when properly equipped. The chair then thanked Ms. Hall for her testimony.
Daniel Foreman — Senator Taves was invited to close on HB 639, then gave closing remarks explaining that the bill is a modernization update intended to align the code with surrounding states, and finally moved to send House Bill 639 to the Senate floor with a due pass recommendation.
Lauren Bailey — Lauren Bailey is introduced to the committee, then the chair turns the presentation over to her. She then introduces herself as a principal evaluator with the Office of Performance Evaluations and begins presenting the evaluation report.
Ryan Langrell — Introduces the Office of Performance Evaluations report on children's residential care oversight and explains follow-up steps.
Lauren — Introduces herself, though the surname is not captured in this fragment.
Tasha Shrider — Lauren identifies her colleague as part of the presentation team.
McKenzie Moss — Identified as the project lead for the evaluation.
Tasha Schreider — Introduced herself as a senior evaluator at the Office of Performance Evaluations and began presenting additional findings.
Camille Blaylock — Senator Blaylock asked whether the audit included a statewide total of youth in residential care, and the response addressed her question about the number of youth in residential care.
Ms. Bailey — Ms. Bailey responds to questions about whether the department was aware of runaway or missing-child instances and explains that facilities are required to report runaways to licensing. She then shifts to broader legislative and oversight discussion, deferring to the department for an update on where things stand and referencing possible central oversight or ombudsman-style options for handling complaints involving children and facilities.
Mr. Prow — Is called on by the chair as the department representative preparing to speak.
Laura Studey — Identified herself as administrator for the Division of Licensing and Certification and explained the licensing response process.
Marco Erickson — Was identified as working with the department on a bill to enhance resident rights.
Melissa Wintrow — Raises the policy tension between oversight of foster children and other children in residential care.
Melissa Wintrow — Asks the department to address how to resolve oversight concerns and track children regardless of private pay status.
Melissa Wintrow — Asked about the two major tensions in the report and thanked the department for its work.
Melissa Wintrow — Was addressed directly regarding the question about licensing response times.
Charity Catlin — Charity Catlin identifies herself as a licensed midwife from Sandpoint and states support for H639.
Melissa Wintrow — Senator Wintrow questions the sponsor about how he came to carry the bill, continuing the same line of inquiry across the exchange.
Melissa Wintrow — Compliments the report and notes the department has been responding to recommendations.