Delphina — Delphina is referenced as the person whose report triggered the proposed 12-hour verification requirement, and she is later credited with doing her part by reporting the risk.
Gabrielle Messick — Hospital social worker in Nampa who begins testimony.
Gabrielle Messick — Gabrielle Messick described how hospital staff can use medical charts and prior documentation to identify repeat concerns, including prior child harm and emergency room visits. She explained that she speaks with all parents about mental health and basic resources, but social work is typically involved when nurses observe abuse or neglect concerns or when substance-use screening is positive. She noted that child removal is rare; instead, positive substance tests usually trigger CPS involvement and a safety plan, and she referenced that Idaho CPS handling changed after a 2024 lawsuit.
Rob Beiswenger — Representative Beiswenger first asked how much of the issue should be legislated versus left to judgment. The witness responded directly to his question, and Beiswenger then followed up with another related question about whether the hospital can communicate urgency directly to CPS.
Rob Beiswenger — Representative Beiswenger supported the bill as a modest, targeted measure, agreeing with Representative Furman and emphasizing that it is not a full suspension of parental rights or a criminal referral system, but rather a small step focused on verified risk factors and a written safety assessment. He later voted yes.
Megan Egbert — Representative Egbert asked whether the bill would primarily improve CPS response time rather than add reporting obligations, and the response confirmed that it would indeed do so.
Megan Egbert — Noted that the mother and baby tested positive for methamphetamine and suggested that was likely why the baby was taken away.
Megan Egbert — Representative Egbert speaks briefly in support of the motion, indicating he will vote for it and framing his remarks as a response to the motion before the committee.
Megan Egbert — Voted yes.
Heather Scott — Representative Healy asked why social work is involved in certain hospital cases and noted that it is not used in every case. The witness then continued the explanation while addressing Representative Healy directly, keeping the discussion focused on when and why hospital social work referrals occur.
Tanya Burgoyne — Representative Tanya Burgoyne was recognized, asked whether a positive drug test alone is enough for CPS to remove a baby from the mother, and then concluded her questioning as no further questions were raised.
Tanya Burgoyne — Voted no.
Kaylee Billingsley — Introduced as the next witness.
Dr. Kylie Billingsley — Dr. Kylie Billingsley, a licensed psychologist with a certificate in neuropsychological assessment, testified in support of improving health and safety and explained why House Bill 776 is needed. She said the bill addresses gaps exposed by cases like Benji’s, where family history and prior evaluations indicated serious risk. She compared Idaho’s approach with Texas, noting that legal action in high-risk situations can begin before birth there, and emphasized that safety reviews do not necessarily mean removal. She also described how preventative services can help families facing financial insecurity, citing resources such as Liberty House and Department of Health and Welfare services.
Madison Conrad — Madison Conrad is introduced as the next virtual witness; the transcript later repeats the same introduction, with no substantive testimony included in this excerpt.
Cynthia Floyd — Cynthia Floyd introduced herself as a foster parent, adoptive parent, registered nurse, and family nurse practitioner, then described her long experience working with children and families through foster care, health care, and child advocacy settings. She emphasized the trauma and harm she has seen children endure, including during forensic interviews, and argued that House Bill 776 is a prevention-focused measure intended to protect children in high-risk situations. She then concluded her testimony.
Misty Cook — Misty Cook testified in support of the bill, thanking the committee and noting her background as a former foster youth, foster mom, and adoptive mom. She said she would read part of a letter from a friend of Monique Perry’s and argued that community support can help families avoid unnecessary system involvement and preserve parental rights. She also described delays in getting safety checks, including on weekends, and closed by urging approval of the bill because it would help Health and Welfare protect vulnerable children.
Kevin Watson — Kevin Watson is introduced as the next witness and then testifies in support of House Bill 776, speaking on his own behalf and arguing that Benji’s death was not unpredictable.
Adoptive parents of Baby Benji's oldest two siblings — The adoptive parents of Baby Benji's oldest two siblings described how children were repeatedly removed from the same parents and argued that adoptive families, through ongoing contact and observation over time, could see the broader longitudinal pattern that the child welfare system failed to recognize or piece together.
Jeremy Rudolph — Jeremy Rudolph, representing foster parents across Idaho, testifies in support of the bill. He says the measure is not about expanding government authority but about responding to clear, documented risks such as prior removals, abuse, drug exposure, and other reported instances that may establish probable cause. He agrees the bill appropriately elevates the response level when risk factors are present and adds that documentation does not appear to be shared state-to-state. He closes by describing a case in which multiple people alerted Idaho nurses about a newborn, yet the child was returned home without an additional safety check, underscoring the need for the bill’s protections.
Robert Beiswenger — Representative Beiswenger asked a question about the case being discussed and followed up by questioning whether the evidence that the mother was observed falling asleep several times while holding her newborn was being used as grounds for removing the child.
Mr. Rudolph — Said he would not take a child away from a mother for falling asleep on a baby.
Monique Perry — Monique Perry introduced herself as the adoptive mother of Benji’s older siblings and explained that, based on her family’s history, she was deeply concerned for the infant’s safety. She described the severe medical and environmental problems her other children had experienced, including repeated hospitalizations, and said that when she learned the biological mother had another baby, she believed the child was in a hostile, filthy environment. Perry said she tried to help locate the family but was repeatedly told that history did not matter and felt disregarded. She concluded that the infant should never have been discharged from the hospital without someone physically seeing him and putting a safety plan in place, and urged members to vote yes.
Tammy Nichols — Asked what bill could have changed the baby's outcome.
Jeanette Del Sid — Introduced herself as a student intern with Idaho Voices for Children.
Jeanette Delcid — Testified in support of House Bill 776 and described the importance of timely safety checks for infants.
Janelle Anderson — Janelle Anderson, appearing virtually, began her testimony and explained that she is the grown-up version of baby Benjamin, arguing that the law under discussion would have prevented the abuse she experienced.
Shawn Dygert — Representative Tanner is repeatedly praised as the sponsor of the bill for bringing it forward, listening to constituents, and putting significant time and care into addressing a serious community problem. Speakers thank him for his work and note that his heart is in the right place.
Faye Thompson — Begins a comment to the chairman.
Faye Thompson — Says the issue is difficult, suggests the bill may not go far enough, and criticizes CPS.
Faye Thompson — Voted no.
Rod Furniss — Representative Furniss is referenced in a brief exchange where another member cites 'Representative Furman or Representative Redman' as having made a similar point, followed shortly by a response of 'Representative Furman. Yes.' indicating agreement or confirmation in the same discussion.
Kyle Harris — Presiding chair is transcribed as 'Chairman Van de Wada,' which is not clearly identifiable from the member list.
Marco Erickson — Vice Chairman Erickson participated in the roll call and voted aye.
Josh Wheeler — Voted aye.
Ilana Rubel — Called during roll call; vote not captured in the transcript segment.
Lori McCann — Moves to approve the minutes from March 4, March 6, and March 11, 2026.
Lori McCann — Representative McCann voted yes.
Jeff Ehlers — Jeff Ehlers is identified in connection with Senate Bill 1256, then presents the bill as a code cleanup measure related to the Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired, encourages questions about it, and is later referenced as the likely floor presenter for the same bill.
Jordan Redman — His committee is referenced in a light exchange.
Jordan Redman — States support for the motion and says Deputy Gomez addressed Fourth Amendment concerns.
Jordan Redman — Raises Fourth Amendment concerns but says Deputy Gomez answered them.
Jordan Redman — Referenced as having made a similar point about speeding up normal CPS work.
Jordan Redman — Voted yes.
Dori Healey — Indicates interest in asking questions about Senate Bill 1256.
Dori Healey — Requests a motion on House Bill 776.
Dori Healey — During the roll call, Representative Healey is called and Representative Kaler responds 'No,' reflecting consecutive entries in the same voting sequence.
Josh Tanner — Named as the representative for House Bill 776.
Josh Tanner — Representative Tanner supported the motion and argued that the bill does not change CPS policy but simply speeds up an existing process, pointing to language in the bill that says it does not create a presumption of abuse or neglect. He said the Department of Health and Welfare should just do its job faster and that if due process were truly the issue, the whole CPS system would need to be torn down. The discussion then briefly shifted to praise for Tanner’s persistence in bringing the legislation, followed by a roll-call mention and an expectation that he would take House Bill 776 to the floor.
Steven Tanner — Introduces himself and presents House Bill 776.