Stephanie Mickelsen — Was asked whether she had a question before speaking on the motion.
Cassidy Plum — Identified herself as the state director of Idaho Agriculture in the Classroom and began testimony.
Kyle Harris — Representative Kyle Harris suggested that students in the classroom should design the plate, and that idea was then acknowledged and discussed.
Kyle Harris — Asked for clarification about the structure of the driver's education and parent-driving requirements.
Kyle Harris — Expressed concern that the witness was implying parents are not capable of teaching children to drive without schools.
Kyle Harris — Asked whether the witness was saying parents cannot teach driving without schools.
Kyle Harris — Noted the accident increase from 2019 to 2023 and asked whether urban children are being instructed by professionals like the witness.
Ms. Cassidy Plum — Identified as the executive director for Ag in the Classroom and invited to testify.
Stephanie Mickelsen — Said she supported Ag in the Classroom and recalled being involved when it began 30-some years ago.
Kyle Harris — Called on to ask questions.
Kyle Harris — Moved House Bill 628 to the floor with a due pass recommendation.
Kyle Harris — Representative Harris continues a broader discussion about how teenagers are influenced by people other than their parents, then pivots to argue that the bill will not change who teaches children because drivers still must pass the driving test. Together, the remarks reflect his concern about outside influence on kids and his view that the bill does not alter the underlying requirements.
Cassidy — Was asked to respond to Representative Harris's comment.
Samantha Parrott — Samantha Parrott, Executive Director of the Snake River Sugar Beet Growers Association, testified in support of the license plate redesign. She made a lighthearted comment about the Potato Commission’s black plates, noted that she has one herself, and closed by saying they were not asking for anything and appreciated the committee’s time.
Jason Monks — Representative Monks was called on during the discussion of the legislation and asked whether Food Producers of Idaho supports it, then followed up with a question about the 'less superior product' comment, continuing the same line of inquiry.
Jason Monks — Jason Monks spoke on the motion by sharing his family’s experience with driver’s education. He explained that his family paid for driver’s ed, then spent months supervising their children’s driving to keep them safe, emphasizing that parents are highly concerned and involved because it is their own car and their own children at risk.
James Holtzclaw — Will carry House Bill 663 on the floor.
Jaron Crane — Representative Mendive is introduced and then presents House Bill 628, identifying himself as Ron Mendive from District 5 and beginning his explanation of the bill.
Brandon Mitchell — Vice Chairman Mitchell was referenced in the context of legislative history: a bill he had in 2021 stayed in amending order for the rest of that session, and this point was reiterated multiple times as part of the discussion.
Brandon Mitchell — Representative Mitchell supports the motion and reflects on having run an earlier version of the bill, arguing that parents know what their children need and should decide whether to teach them themselves or hire someone else.
Robert Scoville — Robert Scoville is announced as a witness and then testifies in opposition to House Bill 628. He identifies himself as a science teacher and driver’s education instructor in Caldwell, argues that rural exemptions and parent-taught driving have already failed, cites the Alive at 25 course and the responsibility of drivers to obey the law, and urges the committee not to pass the bill because he believes it would harm Idaho communities, finances, and children. He concludes by offering to answer questions.
Charlie Shepherd — Charlie Shepherd questioned the witness about whether the bill or cuts to public education and driver’s training effectively force parents to teach driving, pressing the point through repeated follow-up phrasing.
Charlie Shepherd — Representative Mendive wrapped up his remarks on the bill, noting that no one is forced to teach their child to drive and then inviting questions. The discussion continued on the same motion, with a reference to Mendive as the bill’s presenter and a response arguing that parents are already burdened under the current system.
Mr. Scoville — Mr. Scoville argued that if families cannot afford private driver training, parents end up having to teach driving themselves, but he emphasized that early professional instruction is still important because it gives students a foundation before they complete the required 50 hours with parents. He described how his class works: students receive six hours of behind-the-wheel training, with the last hour involving a parent in the car so the parent can observe what the student still needs to learn, and then the parent-supervised practice continues over six months. He clarified that he was not saying all parents are incapable, but used an analogy about building on sand to stress that removing early structured instruction weakens later learning. He then shifted to crash data, attributing increased accidents in the Treasure Valley to population growth and more young drivers on the road, and noted that 33 teen drivers were involved in fatal crashes in 2023. The exchange ended with the chair thanking him and closing his testimony.
Mike Pohanka — Mike Pohanka pressed the witness on worsening crash trends and asked for clarification on the number of youth fatalities in 2023. He then referenced the reported fatality count and shifted into a personal anecdote about his granddaughter’s driver education in Arizona, using it to suggest that new drivers should receive additional professional training.
John Gannon — John Gannon was recognized as the next speaker and then remarked that there are good arguments on both sides, noting that some children listen to others more than their parents.