Robert Beiswenger — Representative Beiswenger questioned how federal monies should be factored into the psychiatric hospitalization budget, asking what funding is actually coming in and how changing federal amounts or administrations should be reflected in the budget figures.
Megan Egbert — Representative Megan Egbert thanked Representative Tanner and asked whether House Bill 345’s eligibility rechecks and work requirements would address concerns about able-bodied adults. Representative Tanner responded directly to Egbert, indicating he welcomed the policy question and engaged with her on the issue.
Megan Egbert — Representative Egbert asked for guidance on what ballpark budget number or reduction target the committee should aim for. The discussion continued with reference to a $65 million total spending figure as the target to keep in mind.
Ben Fuhriman — Representative Ben Fuhriman first opened with a light remark and then raised concerns about a budget item involving Medicaid eligibility system changes. He asked for clarification on why the budget referenced House Bill 345’s directive to remove automated Medicaid expansion population renewals, which would increase manual staff workload, and noted that this provision was supposed to apply only if a waiver had been received. He then broadened the discussion by asking whether the committee should bring legislation to change the policy or simply let JFAC handle such policy decisions.
Ben Fuhriman — Representative Fuhriman repeatedly questioned Representative Tanner about how FTEs work in state budgets, asking what FTEs represent, whether they are funded positions or staff shifting between programs, and whether they indicate employees simply listed on the books.
Julie VanOrden — Referenced indirectly as 'your chairman' in a joking remark about next year.
Julie VanOrden — During the discussion of the JFAC timeline and proposed date change, the chair is addressed while participants ask whether the Senate has agreed to the change of date. The exchange continues with approval of the proposed timeline, indicating a single ongoing discussion about scheduling and legislative coordination.
Don Hall — Representative Hall raised concerns about cost shifting when state programs or budgets are cut, asking how JFAC accounts for downstream impacts when costs are pushed to counties, emergency rooms, jails, or other non-state entities. He emphasized the need to understand how budget decisions affect other systems beyond the state.
Marco Erickson — Representative Erickson questioned how budget cuts or temporary pauses to programs would be treated if those programs were later restored, asking whether a sunset date or pause could preserve a program for future reinstatement without it being viewed as new government growth or a new enhancement to the base budget.
Lucas Cayler — Raised concerns about Medicaid cuts and public emails about the issue.
Mark Harris — Representative Kaler asks whether money saved from Medicaid expansion cuts could be reallocated to Medicaid or would simply be lost, and the issue is later referenced again for clarification.
Mark Harris — Representative Kaler noted that he had forgotten to ask Representative Tanner a question when Tanner was speaking and followed up by asking for an explanation of the revenue forecasting process, particularly for members not on J-FAC.
Camille Blaylock — Said he was not confused by the budget and responded to Tanner's remarks.
Jordan Redman — Thanked Tanner and agreed that the committee should make policy recommendations before funding decisions.
Alex Williamson — Alex Williamson, a budget and policy analyst with Legislative Services, explained her role on the Health and Welfare budget, described how staff assignments were reorganized to add support to the budget team, introduced Morgan Poloni, and outlined her own portfolio areas, including Medicaid, behavioral health, and indirect support.
Morgan Poloni — Morgan Poloni is introduced as a new budget and policy analyst who will guide the committee through Health and Welfare budget resources. She then walks the committee through the Idaho Legislature homepage, showing how to access agency budget dashboards, select Health and Welfare, review appropriation history, and drill down by year, division, and program. She also explains the enhancement history page and points members to LSO publications, including the Legislative Budget Book, which contains agency budget requests and side-by-side comparisons of governor budget recommendations.
Ms. Williamson — Her presentation is identified in the session records.
Ms. Williamson — Named as a possible person to answer the question.
Ms. Williamson — Explained that specific line items in the base builder budget or the agency itself can provide contract cost details.
Keith Bivey — Keith Bivey identifies himself as the Division Manager of Budget Policy Analysis for the Legislative Services Office and explains that his staff has prepared an inflation-adjusted budget report going back to 2005, noting they are looking for a place to post it online. A later brief remark jokingly references him in the same discussion.
Noah — His presentation is referenced as an example of the inflation-adjusted budget analysis.
Ilana Rubel — Asked whether a comparable inflation-adjusted analysis exists for Health and Welfare.
Ilana Rubel — Was addressed by Mr. Bibi in response to the question about agency-by-agency analysis.
Ilana Rubel — Asked for a hypothetical example to understand how to find budget details in the future.
Ilana Rubel — Referenced as someone who likes to look at inflation-adjusted numbers.
Mr. Bibi — Said staff have been working on how to produce similar inflation-adjusted analyses and noted Budget and Policy is now fully staffed.
Ms. Maloney — Named as a possible person to answer the question.
Williamson — Williamson was asked whether detailed budget information must be requested directly rather than found in a public source. He explained that the governor's office does not post the recommendation document online like the executive agencies do, so the detailed information can be obtained from the office instead.
Ms. Polone — Referenced as having shown the base builder budget, which could be used to drill down into contract costs.
David Leavitt — Asked for the projected timeline for presenting to JFAC and when the committee needs to have materials ready.
Alex Morgan — Budget analyst invited to present and walk the committee through the budget.
Dori Healey — Mentioned as an example of a person patients might be encouraged to see to stay healthy.
Dori Healey — Asked whether the question was about the 10% state funding share used for Medicaid expansion.
Josh Wheeler — Representative Josh Wheeler is involved in a single continuous exchange in which he asks a question, is addressed by the chair and another member, and then follows up with a clarification question. The discussion remains focused on the same issue throughout this brief time span.
Faye Thompson — The transcript says 'Representative Tanner' in a way that appears to refer to the presenter; kept as spoken because the speaker is not fully clear.
Brandon Shippy — Brandon Shippy is addressed in a brief committee exchange where he thanks Chairman Tanner, then responds to remarks from Representative Towner and Representative Kaler while noting that the discussion may not be germane to the Health and Welfare Committee. The exchange remains focused on the same procedural or committee-related point.
Robert Beiswenger — The transcript says 'Representative Kaler'; this does not match the expected member list and is kept as spoken because the exact identity is uncertain.
Steven Tanner — Representative Tanner is introduced to the committee and invited to present the budget. He then identifies himself as Josh Tanner, a representative from District 14, and begins explaining the purpose of his presentation, noting that a budget analyst will follow after his remarks.
Steven Tanner — Representative Tanner engaged in a long budget-focused discussion centered on Medicaid, state spending, and committee responsibility. He argued that Medicaid should function as a safety net and expressed concern that enrollment growth, especially after expansion, had outpaced expectations and was no longer primarily serving working adults. He warned that continued program growth could force cuts to education and other priorities, criticized heavy reliance on federal requirements and paperwork, and urged the committee to do its own analysis rather than depend on lobbyists or departments. Tanner also discussed how budget decisions must be based on actual numbers rather than hope or assumptions, explained the difference between ongoing and one-time spending, and emphasized that the state must maintain a balanced budget. He then addressed state hospital funding and Medicaid expansion impacts, describing how federal facility requirements and patient stays can shift costs to the general fund. Finally, he explained FTE budgeting, noting that positions can be funded, unfunded, or shifted across programs, and concluded by discussing Medicaid expansion funding levels and the committee’s authority to redirect or repeal programs.
Steven Tanner — Representative Tanner was asked to take one more question about revenue forecasting and explained that forecasting is handled by a separate joint committee. The discussion also noted that the chairman sits on that committee as well.
Alex Morgan — Introduced as the budget analyst for Health and Welfare who can help the committee understand budget issues.