Phil Hart — Finished answering questions and the chair moved to public testimony.
Phil Hart — Was credited with bringing the bill and explaining the need to simplify the language.
Doug Ricks — Doug Ricks questioned the need for Senate Bill 1369, asking for examples supporting the bill and how it would function when a case could be filed in multiple jurisdictions. He specifically asked who would choose the filing location when the plaintiff and defendant are in different counties. After the discussion, he moved to send Senate Bill 1369 to the floor with a due pass recommendation.
Doug Ricks — Asked how many prisoners would be affected on an average year.
Barbara Jordan — Barbara Jordan testified on behalf of the Idaho Trial Lawyers Association in support of Senate Bill 1369. She said the association supports the bill, referenced information provided in the packet, and explained that the current statute is outdated because people are more mobile now, so the law should be updated to give plaintiffs greater flexibility to file in their locale.
Jim Guthrie — Made the motion to send Senate Bill 1369 to the floor with a due pass recommendation.
James Woodward — Senator Kaiser is referenced and participates across a short sequence of committee actions: he seconds a motion on Senate Bill 1369, moves to send House Bill 615 to the floor with a due pass recommendation, is identified as the sponsor/presenter for House Bill 521, and is then credited with having clearly summarized HB 521. The discussion closes with acknowledgment that he has already covered the bill well and no further comments are needed.
James Ruchti — Senator Ruchti stated that he would support the motion and praised Senator Hart for bringing the bill and simplifying the statute. He then explained that, based on his legal experience, the statute is used to confirm the correct filing venue.
Melissa Wintrow — Senator Wintrow questioned why the bill is limited to houses of worship and asked whether other locations, such as schools or courts, should also be included.
Melissa Wintrow — Questioned why county sheriffs, rather than state police, are responsible for retrieving absconded prisoners.
Daniel Foreman — Thanked for filling in while the chair was gone.
Daniel Foreman — The chair invited Senator Kaiser to conclude, and the motion process for House Bill 521 followed.
Daniel Foreman — Thanked Ms. McNeil and asked that House Bill 521 be sent to the floor with a due pass recommendation.
Daniel Foreman — Moved to send House Bill 521 to the floor of the Senate with a due pass recommendation.
Daniel Foreman — Was addressed by the chair during the transition to the next bill.
Daniel Foreman — Thanked for covering House Bill 684.
Daniel Foreman — Made the motion on House Bill 695.
Ms. Leila McNeil — Introduced as Bureau Chief with Idaho State Police and invited to add information.
Lila McNeil — Testified as Bureau Chief of the Criminal Identification Bureau at Idaho State Police and offered to answer questions or read prepared remarks.
Ms. McNeil — Ms. McNeil offered to read her prepared comments or answer questions, explaining that the bill is a technical fix during an FBI grace period. In response to a question, she clarified that the FBI would allow Idaho to get through the current legislative cycle, and if the bill did not pass this year, the grace period would continue into next year. The exchange concluded with thanks for her clarification.
Sheriff Matt Clifford — Sheriff Matt Clifford, representing the Ada County Sheriff’s Office and the Idaho State Sheriffs’ Association, testified in support of the bill addressing IDOC probation absconders. He explained that sheriffs across Idaho are spending local budget funds to capture absconders who flee the state, clarified that the bill is not about escapees but about people under IDOC supervision who abscond from probation, and described the extradition process and its costs, including deputy overtime, airfare, vehicle expenses, and per diem. He noted that these transports typically cost about $3,000 to $5,000 and can strain smaller county budgets, then concluded by offering to answer questions.
Sheriff Clifford — Sheriff Clifford explained that IDOC does not have an out-of-state fugitive recovery team, though it does have a team that investigates absconders. He then confirmed that statute requires county sheriffs to bring people before the court, noting that this applies broadly and is part of the sheriffs’ duties under law. The chair concluded the exchange by thanking the sheriff.
Terry Durden — Terry Durden was welcomed to the committee, identified himself as the chief legal advisor for the Ada County Sheriff and legal counsel for the Idaho Sheriff's Association, and then responded briefly to follow-up questions after his testimony.
Dave Lent — Moved to approve the minutes of February 2nd, 2026.
Phil Hart — Presented Senate Bill 1369 and explained the bill's purpose.
Phil Hart — Explained the current venue rule and gave a construction-project example.
Phil Hart — Continued explaining why the bill would improve venue convenience.
Todd Lakey — Referenced as the senator the chair is filling in for.
Todd Lakey — Todd Lakey presented House Bill 684, explaining that it would reimburse county sheriffs for costs incurred when retrieving Idaho Department of Corrections prisoners, probationers, or parolees from out of state. He argued that sheriffs are assisting the state and should not be penalized for those efforts, noted the fiscal note is about $200,000, and asked for the committee’s support. He also indicated that representatives from the Sheriff's Association were present to answer detailed questions about transport and coordination, and later returned to close by again requesting support for the bill.