Dave Lent — Referred to as the good chairman who is at another meeting and will join later if possible.
Dave Lent — Referred to as former chairman Kevin Andrews in the transcript, but this appears to be a different person and is uncertain; no correction made.
Carrie Semmelroth — Addressed again in the discussion of prior legislation.
Carrie Semmelroth — Likely the senator being addressed as 'Summerall' in the transcript.
Carrie Semmelroth — Addressed by the witness while clarifying the intended academic year for the bill.
Dexton Lake — Introduced as the first testifier.
Dexton Lake — Testified in support of the bill on behalf of the Idaho Farm Bureau Federation.
Dexton Lake — Continued testimony with historical context on the issue.
Dexton Lake — Referenced as having previously explained the bill’s purpose.
Dexton Lake — Dexton Lake of the Idaho Farm Bureau Federation was brought in to answer a question about the bill language. He then testified on the 600-hour requirement in subsection C, clarifying the relevant language and referencing the applicable page and line numbers.
Janie Ward-Engelking — Addressed by name in the discussion.
Janie Ward-Engelking — Asked whether Senator Stennett had a similar bill a few years ago.
Janie Ward-Engelking — Asked for clarification on whether the bill should apply starting in the 2026-2027 or 2027-2028 academic year.
Janie Ward-Engelking — Addressed by Mr. Jones in the course of testimony and follow-up discussion.
Janie Ward-Engelking — Questioned whether the bill functions more like a mandate than an incentive and asked about the concerns.
Janie Ward-Engelking — Addressed in response to her question about student pushback.
Janie Ward-Engelking — Addressed by the witness while discussing prior legislative efforts.
Janie Ward-Engelking — Continued reference to prior legislative efforts and the current discussion.
Janie Ward-Engelking — Asked a follow-up question/comment after the witness testimony.
Janie Ward-Engelking — Said she prefers rewarding people who enter large animal veterinary practice, but will support the bill because there is a need and hopes it will be revisited if needed.
Janie Ward-Engelking — Was addressed in response to her comment about revisiting the issue.
Janie Ward-Engelking — The transcript appears to say 'Senator Simmel Roth,' likely a mis-transcription of Senator Ward-Engelking or another senator; the exact identity is uncertain.
James Woodward — Not mentioned in the text; no correction applied beyond available context.
James Woodward — Argued the bill is not a new program but a requirement on an existing program and said he wants a return on the state's investment.
Mr. Lake — Mr. Lake clarified the bill’s intended effective timing in response to a technical question, explaining that it should begin with the 2027-2028 academic year. He noted this is because students apply the year before starting school, and confirmed the bill should not apply to students already preparing to enter in 2026-2027, but instead to those entering in 2027-2028.
Travis Jones — Travis Jones, executive director of the Idaho Veterinary Medical Association, introduced himself and began testimony in support of the bill. He explained that the legislation is intended to address a validated shortage of veterinarians in the large-animal livestock industry.
Mr. Jones — Explained that concerns centered on the bill’s requirement versus an incentive structure.
Mr. Jones — Said he had not heard concerns from current veterinary students and concluded his testimony.
Mr. Jones — His earlier statement about whether there are enough jobs for graduates is being questioned.
Pachi Larsa Phillips — Testified on behalf of the Idaho Cattle Association and Idaho Wool Growers in support of the program.
Idaho Cattle Association / Idaho Wool Growers representative — Explained that producers rely on veterinarians and said the legislation is intended to help address the shortage of large animal veterinarians.
Van Burtenshaw — Made the motion to send Senate Bill 1335 to the floor with a due pass recommendation.
Cindy Carlson — Seconded the motion.
Christy Zito — Christy Zito stated that she would vote no on the bill, explaining that it takes money from Idaho families to give to someone else. She was then acknowledged by another speaker, and she added that she had also voted no on the original version four years ago, emphasizing that her opposition was consistent.
Dr. Sally Brown — Dr. Sally Brown was introduced as the next presenter from the College of Idaho and the Idaho Higher Education Literacy Partnership. She then identified herself as an associate professor at the College of Idaho representing the partnership and began her remarks by thanking the committee for its service.
Whitney Ward — Whitney Ward introduced herself as representing IHELP and Northwest Nazarene University, then briefly explained the importance of partnerships in teacher preparation and clinical practice. She described a long-standing partnership between NNU and a local elementary school, where she brings her literacy students for instructional rounds. Ward explained that working with the principal and instructional coach has helped improve instruction over time and has benefited both teacher learning and student outcomes, concluding that this is one example of the partnerships IHELP relies on, benefits from, and contributes to.
Carolyn Court — Introduced as a colleague from Boise State University who will share partnership examples.
Carolyn Court — Carolyn Court introduced herself as a Boise State clinical assistant professor and IHELP member, then described Boise State’s literacy and leadership summit for district leaders and principals, along with follow-up summits and related events at the University of Idaho and in Ketchum. She explained that the summits are designed to close the knowledge-to-practice gap by strengthening principals’ understanding of the science of reading and improving literacy instruction and clinical placements. She thanked the committee for its support and invited members to visit classrooms or cooperating schools and reach out with questions.
Dr. Brown — Dr. Brown explained that administrators and principals need literacy training because many enter leadership roles with limited background in reading instruction. She said principals should function as instructional guides and coaches, using walkthroughs and support for grade-level teams to help teachers improve instruction for struggling readers. She concluded that meaningful system change requires principal and district knowledge, support, and expertise to strengthen literacy practices across schools.
Kevin Cook — Kevin Cook is referenced as the acting vice chair who starts the meeting and is then addressed as Mr. Vice Chairman during the minutes motion, reflecting the same opening procedural segment.
Kevin Cook — Addressed by Dr. Brown and then by Whitney Ward as the committee member being thanked.
Tammy Nichols — Tammy Nichols appears throughout a continuous committee discussion centered on Senate Bill 1335. She first moves to approve the prior meeting minutes, then introduces herself as the sponsor and presents the bill. As questions arise, she answers some directly but defers technical details to testifiers, and later references to her are made in connection with the bill’s language, sponsor role, and earlier explanation of the service requirement. Near the end, she is invited to give closing remarks and summarizes the problem the bill addresses, compares it to physician loan-repayment programs, and asks the committee to send Senate Bill 1335 to the floor with a due pass recommendation.
Tammy Nichols — The transcript appears to say 'Senator Summerall,' but this is likely a mis-transcription of Senator Tammy Nichols; the question concerns literacy instructional training for administrators.
Carrie Semmelroth — Asked how this version differs from previous attempts.
Carrie Semmelroth — Addressed in the question about prior similar legislation.
Carrie Semmelroth — Asked about how the current bill compares to prior efforts.