James Ruchti — Senator James Ruchti is introduced and identifies himself as being from Pocatello, District 29. The discussion then shifts to a question directed at him about his experience serving as a minority member in a supermajority committee and how he ensures constituent voices are heard, with a follow-up reference asking whether he gave the page that question.
James Ruchti — The question about criteria for investing public funds in precious metals was posed in the committee discussion; the speaker is identified in the transcript as Senator Shippey, which appears to be a transcription error for Senator Shippy.
James Ruchti — Addressed by Mr. Cruz as 'Senator Shippy'; likely a transcription error for Senator Shippy.
James Ruchti — The transcript identifies the questioner as 'Senator Shippy'; this likely refers to Senator Shippy, but the expected member list does not include that name. The question is a follow-up and then shifts to federal debt concerns.
Treg Bernt — Introduced himself and said he lives and represents District 21 in Meridian.
Treg Bernt — Identified as the vice chair of the committee.
Treg Bernt — Mentioned as having given Chase Van Epps a strong recommendation.
Jim Guthrie — Introduced himself as serving District 28 and noted Senator Bernt is his vice chair.
Jim Guthrie — Answered that the job is about being fair and reaching thoughtful, respectful decisions that are right for Idaho and its citizens.
Jim Guthrie — Said the job is about fairness, thoughtful decisions, and doing what's right for Idaho and its citizens.
Jim Guthrie — Referred to as 'Mr. Chair' in Megan Ronk's remarks.
Jim Guthrie — Acknowledged Megan Ronk's career and service on the commission.
Jim Guthrie — The chair thanked Mr. Cruz and asked a lighthearted question about his resume.
Ben Toews — Ben Toews introduced himself and identified himself as representing District 4 in the Coeur d'Alene area.
Ben Toews — Assigned the Public Utilities Commission as a rules contact/assignment.
Mark Harris — Introduced himself as representing District 35 along the Wyoming border.
Mark Harris — Asked Chase Van Epps what he wants to pursue in college.
Mark Harris — Mark Harris briefly joked about and praised the page program, noting that his granddaughter had served and that it had a positive impact, then moved directly into introducing the gubernatorial reappointment of Megan Ronk of Boise to the Commission on Human Rights.
Mark Harris — Mark Harris praised the quality of the gubernatorial appointees and singled out Ms. Ronk for her dedication and prior service, including her work with the Idaho Meth Project. The exchange concluded with thanks for her service.
Mark Harris — His earlier comments about the talent pool for appointments are echoed by the chair in thanking Mr. Cruz.
Mark Harris — Assigned Idaho State Police as a rules contact/assignment.
Chase Van Epps — Chase Van Epps introduced himself as a student from West Jefferson High School in Mud Lake, Idaho and said he plans to attend BYU-Hawaii. In the follow-up exchange, he shared that he is interested in communications, journalism, or political science.
Christian Fusco — Christian Fusco introduced himself as a page from Eagle High School, explaining that he moved from San Diego to Eagle, Idaho four years ago. He said he is considering law school or studying biology to become an orthodontist, and that participating in the page program may help him decide between political science and biology. He also shared that he grew up in La Jolla, enjoys surfing, and said the views and beach are the best parts of San Diego.
Megan Ronk — Megan Ronk appeared before the committee for her gubernatorial reappointment to the Commission on Human Rights. She introduced herself and outlined her background, including growing up in Mountain Home, attending the College of Idaho, working in state government for Governors Kempthorne and Otter, and later serving at Idaho Power. She noted that she has served on the Human Rights Commission since 2008 and explained that her interest in the commission comes from her own experience of being treated fairly and never facing discrimination. She described the commission’s role as providing a forum for discrimination complaints, investigating those complaints, and bringing forward facts to reach the best decision possible. In response to a question, she explained the commission’s process: investigators interview both complainants and respondents, assess the facts, and often work with respondents through training and education because discrimination claims have a high threshold to prove.
Kelly Anthon — The witness was responding to questions about how the commission handles gray areas and education for businesses.
Ms. Ronk — Ms. Ronk explained that complaints falling outside the commission’s statutory authority are not investigated and are dismissed. She then noted that most cases the commission sees are still sex-based or sexual harassment claims, describing those as among the most common types of complaints over time. The exchange then shifted to brief remarks praising her public service, including her prior work with the Idaho Meth Project and her willingness to travel to present in difficult weather, followed by her thanks to the committee and a reflection that public service is driven by a deep commitment to improving the state.
Ms. Ronk — Referenced as someone who previously spoke about family and service.
Lori Hartog — Lori Hartog asked the witness whether, during her tenure on the commission, the types of complaints or the overall complaint volume have changed over the years, noting the witness's long service on the commission.
Lori Hartog — Lori Hartog apologizes for being late, notes that this is her second year serving on State Affairs and the beginning of her 12th year in the legislature, and expresses appreciation for serving on the committee. She then shares that her children are a major motivation for serving, mentioning that she has three kids and that parenting keeps her busy, including having another new driver later in the year. The exchange ends with a brief procedural note that she gave Senator Den Hartog the temporary rules.
Salvador Cruz — Salvador Cruz was introduced as the governor’s appointee to the Treasurer’s Investment Advisory Committee and then gave a continuous self-introduction. He identified himself, described his current role as Financial Institutions Bureau Chief and interim director of the Idaho Department of Finance, explained the department’s broad regulatory scope, and outlined his background in banking and federal service with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the U.S. Treasury during the financial crisis. He also summarized his years of service with Treasury and the Idaho Department of Finance, thanked the governor for the appointment, and noted that he values people, engagement, and finance while standing for questions.
Mr. Cruz — Mr. Cruz explained that, as a member of the Treasurer’s Investment Advisory Board, he is bound by the prudent investor rule and would approach any decision about gold or precious metals cautiously, prioritizing the protection of Idaho citizens’ funds. He said the board would consider such assets if authorized by the legislature and governor, but he would generally prefer investments that generate returns, such as municipal securities or U.S. Treasuries, rather than speculative holdings. He added that he would defer to the treasurer and other board members, especially as a potential new board member. He then shifted to a broader economic rationale, noting the national debt has grown to unsustainable levels relative to GDP, inflation erodes purchasing power, and the U.S. dollar’s reserve-currency status remains important but is changing.
James Ruchti — The transcript says 'Senator Denhardtog,' likely referring to Senator Den Hartog; the chair is transitioning to the Vice Chair for rules.
James Ruchti — Assigned the Secretary of State as a rules contact/assignment.
Brandon Shippy — Introduced himself as representing District 9 and described the district's geography.
Brandon Shippy — Referenced as having a long Oregon border district.
Brandon Shippy — Asked Chase Van Epps what he would do with one free week.
Brandon Shippy — Brandon Shippy questioned Megan Ronk about how the commission balances enforcing a statute with protecting a respondent’s due process rights, and followed up by asking whether the commission has ever declined to act on matters outside its statutory authority and how such decisions are made.
Brandon Shippy — Confirmed the witness's name and began a question about prior legislation enabling the state.
Brandon Shippy — Assigned the Department of Administration as a rules contact/assignment; transcript says 'Senator Shippy.'
Ben Adams — Introduced himself as the senator for District 12 in Nampa.
Ben Adams — Senator Ben Adams opened by welcoming Christian Fusco and jokingly asked him to name one nice thing about San Diego, mentioning that his son was born there. He then shifted into a related line of questioning about Fusco’s work, asking what part of the job he finds most worthwhile and where his hard work and dedication feel most rewarding.
Ben Adams — Assigned the Idaho Lottery as a rules contact/assignment.