Dr. Kylie Billingsley — Explained that hospital staff can review medical charts and prior documentation to identify repeat concerns and child-harm history.
Dr. Kylie Billingsley — Introduced herself as a licensed psychologist with a certificate in neuropsychological assessment.
Dr. Kylie Billingsley — Argued that baby Benji's case involved five children and prior evaluations finding both parents unfit.
Dr. Kylie Billingsley — Explained that preventative services can help families facing financial hardship and referenced Liberty House as a past support resource.
Ms. Messick / Gabrielle Messick — Ms. Messick explained that she sees all parents for general support, not just in abuse-related cases, and helps address mental health and basic needs. She clarified that when she is called into an abuse or neglect situation, it is typically because nurses have directly observed concerning behaviors or conditions and initiated the consult. The exchange remained focused on her social work role and how abuse/neglect concerns are identified in the hospital setting.
Tanya Burgoyne — Representative Burgoyne asked whether a positive drug test by a mother is, by itself, enough for CPS to remove the baby from her custody.
Tanya Burgoyne — Voted no.
Madison Conrad — The chair announced Madison Conrad as the next virtual witness, but the witness list was briefly corrected midstream as the chair clarified the order of upcoming witnesses. This was a procedural roll-call moment rather than substantive testimony about Madison Conrad.
Carl Bjerke — A brief joking exchange about the vice chair and the machine: one speaker teases that the vice chair has been gone so long he may not know how to run it, and the response jokes that it worked fine while he was away.
Cynthia Floyd — Cynthia Floyd testified in support of House Bill 776, introducing herself as a foster parent, adoptive parent, registered nurse, family nurse practitioner, and child advocate. She described caring for children who had been harmed by the people meant to protect them, supporting children through forensic interviews, and drawing on her professional and personal experience to argue that the bill is necessary to prevent abuse and better protect vulnerable children. She concluded her testimony after thanking the committee, and the final reference was only a chair correction before moving to the next witness.
Misty Cook — Misty Cook was introduced by the chair and then began her testimony. She thanked the committee, identified herself as a former foster youth, foster mom, and adoptive mom, expressed support for children including Benji, and said she would read part of a letter from a friend of Monique Perry.
Josh Wheeler — Representative Josh Wheeler was praised and thanked as part of a broader recognition of members who take on difficult issues and help bring attention to children and other important concerns.
Josh Wheeler — Voted aye.
Kevin Watson — Testified in support of House Bill 776 and stated that Baby Benji's death was not an unpredictable tragedy.
Adoptive parents of Baby Benji's oldest two siblings — Shared a statement describing repeated removals of children from the same parents and warning that case history was lost as families moved.
Jeremy Rudolph — Jeremy Rudolph testifies as a witness representing foster parents across Idaho. He introduces himself and states that his perspective is grounded in the experiences of foster parents statewide, beginning to frame his view of the bill as a response to known risks and inaction rather than an expansion of government authority.
Mr. Rudolph — Responds that he does not believe reporting is documented state-to-state.
Mr. Rudolph — Responds that he would not take a child away solely because a mother fell asleep while holding a baby.
newborn infant in Idaho case — Described as not receiving an additional safety check before being returned home.
Ms. Merrick — Ms. Merrick is referenced as having previously spoken about the need for diligence when reviewing cases involving drug abuse or positive tests.
Julie VanOrden — The chair is addressed, but the name is garbled; likely refers to Chair VanOrden.
Monique Perry / Monique Prye (questionable) — Introduced as Monique Prye, but she identifies herself as Monique Perry and says she is the adoptive mother of Benji's older siblings.
Monique Perry — Monique Perry describes the harmful and filthy home environment that affected her adopted child, explains that she feared the newborn was also being placed in the same dangerous conditions, and says she was frustrated that officials kept treating the situation as a new case while ignoring the family’s history. She emphasizes that she feared for the infant every day he was alive.
Jeanette Del Sid — Introduced as a student intern with Idaho Voices for Children.
Jeanette Delcid / Jeanette Del Sid (questionable) — Supports House Bill 776 and argues it ensures timely safety checks for infants when serious concerns are reported.
Janelle Anderson — Janelle Anderson, testifying virtually on her own behalf, shares that she is the grown-up version of Baby Benjamin and describes the severe abuse and neglect she endured as a child. She explains that a social worker’s intervention saved her life, contrasting her survival and future milestones with Baby Benjamin’s death. She argues that babies should not have to depend on luck or chance discovery to be protected, and urges the legislature to support the bill because it gives social workers the tools needed to save children like her.
Officer David Gomez — Officer David Gomez testified in support of the bill, drawing on seven years of experience as a Boise County officer and deputy. He described responding to reports of children living in unsafe conditions, including the case involving Baby Benjamin, whose older siblings he had previously removed. Gomez explained that when families refuse entry, officers cannot force their way in and must coordinate with health and welfare, probation and parole, and often a search warrant based on probable cause. He argued that delays in assembling that team allow families to move away before welfare checks can occur, citing Baby Benjamin’s family as an example where he lost track of them for six months. He concluded by urging faster health and welfare timelines so officers can quickly lay eyes on children, develop safety plans, and protect kids without taking away parental rights.
Glenneda Zuiderveld — The transcript appears to misrender a member name as 'Representative Bergoin'; context suggests a member is being called on for comment, but the exact identity is uncertain.
Lucas Cayler — Representative Kaler thanks Representative Tanner for bringing the bill, then argues that the proposal raises serious due process concerns. He emphasizes the long-standing presumption of innocence, warns that removing due process could push society toward a presumption of guilt, and uses a hypothetical extreme example to suggest the bill’s logic could justify highly intrusive preemptive laws. He concludes that this is the natural endpoint of this kind of legislation.
Faye Thompson — Representative Thompson comments on the bill, saying it is a difficult issue and that voting no does not address the deeper CPS problem. He then argues that the bill’s presumption language is not the same as probable cause and could create a constitutional issue.
Brian Lenney — Representative Fuhriman is referenced as agreeing with the argument that the bill is not as broad as it appears and that it mainly speeds up normal CPS action; later, Fuhriman is recorded as voting yes.
John Woude — Called the roll call vote.
Marco Erickson — Vice Chairman Erickson voted aye in the roll call.
Melissa Wintrow — Voted no.
Ilana Rubel — Was called during the roll call vote.
Dori Healey — Signals interest in asking questions about Senate Bill 1256.
Dori Healey — The chair encourages questions from her.
Dori Healey — Referenced in the discussion encouraging questions.
Dori Healey — Requests a motion on House Bill 776.
Dori Healey — Asked why social work is brought into hospital cases and noted it is not involved in every case.
Dori Healey — Addressed by the witness during the explanation of social work involvement.
Dori Healey — Asked whether the bill's safety measures could also address financial or food insecurity that can lead to harm.
Dori Healey — Dori Healey is called on after a roll call vote request and speaks in support of her earlier motion. She argues that the bill is about acting lawfully to protect a newborn or child at risk, not about ignoring constitutional rights. She emphasizes that the Constitution does not require inaction, says the bill does not authorize forced entry or child removal, and urges the committee to support her motion because inaction can cost a child’s life.
Dori Healey — Was called during the roll call vote.
Dori Healey — Voted no.
Steven Tanner — Steven Tanner is introduced as the representative for House Bill 776, then states his name, identifies himself as representing District 13 in Nampa, and asks the committee to send House Bill 776 to the floor with a due pass recommendation.
Steven Tanner — Steven Tanner is mentioned in a short appreciative exchange, alongside Representative Wheeler, for helping spotlight children and for being among the representatives thanked for doing hard things.
Steven Tanner — The chair addresses Representative Tanner to invite closing remarks after testimony ends.
Steven Tanner — Thanked witnesses and explained that the bill is designed to move cases up in priority without being overly prescriptive.
Steven Tanner — Finished his closing remarks and returned to his seat after the chair invited him to do so.