Cindy Carlson — Introduced herself and began presenting House Bill 832.
Cindy Carlson — Addressed after the vote on House Bill 832.
Cindy Carlson — Continues presenting the alternative administrator bill.
Cindy Carlson — Speaks personally about her business background and the bill's pathway.
Cindy Carlson — Continues speaking personally about how the bill would apply to her.
Cindy Carlson — Cindy Carlson is identified as District 7 and asks the Superintendent of Public Instruction to close for her. The discussion then continues with references to her and to Senator Carlson in the context of the bill, including a remark about the bill discussed just before this and its rationale for reducing hours to help attract industry professionals into shop classes.
Cindy Carlson — Not present.
Cindy Carlson — Identified as the sponsor/presenter for House Bill 832.
Cindy Carlson — Cindy Carlson introduced herself and said she had an amendment to a bill that had been held in committee the previous week. She then clarified that the existing strikeout language would remain in the bill on page 2, lines 21-23, and that the amendment would add new language below it.
Cindy Carlson — Referenced in connection with her amendment.
Cindy Carlson — Invoked as the person being asked whether the question should be referred to the language drafter.
Kevin Cook — Referenced in connection with the motion on the March 10 minutes.
Kevin Cook — Senator Kevin Cook asks about the bill’s historical framing and whether it adequately includes American Indians and Blacks. The speaker responds directly to Cook’s question and agrees with the underlying point in principle.
Kevin Cook — Moved to send House Bill 832 to the floor with a due pass recommendation.
Kevin Cook — Mr. Cook asked whether the bill, if passed in any form, would limit the district’s ability to hire a principal.
Kevin Cook — Asked the witness whether she had personally seen the described instruction in an Idaho classroom.
Kevin Cook — Referenced as having asked a question about classroom discussion.
Christy Zito — Not present for the minutes item.
Christy Zito — Was identified as waiting to speak and then offered an example to explain incidental references.
Tammy Nichols — Moved to approve the March 11, 2026 minutes.
Tammy Nichols — Senator Tammy Nichols introduces Senate Bill 1412, explaining that it combines Senate Bills 1371 and 1372 with input from education agencies and presents the bill’s purpose, including improving educator hiring transparency and student safety.
Tammy Nichols — The speaker referenced Senator Tammy Nichols as the sponsor of the bill being discussed, then expressed support for Nichols’ bill and bills more broadly, and added that Nichols had kindly allowed the speaker to offer additional resources.
Tammy Nichols — Senator Tammy Nichols is thanked for her work on the bill, then continues her closing remarks by emphasizing child protection, preventing bad actors and retaliation, and explaining that the bill would create a consistent statewide standard and clearer guidance. She concludes by asking the committee to send Senate Bill 1412 to the floor with a due pass recommendation.
Tammy Nichols — Tammy Nichols continues a brief exchange on Senator Carlson’s bill, thanking Carlson for the presentation and asking whether the bill includes coursework beyond mentorship. She says she does not see the coursework requirement herself, defers to Senator Woodward for clarification, and then thanks Woodward for providing the answer. The discussion remains focused on the bill’s alternative administrator pathway and related requirements.
Tammy Nichols — Senator Nichols argued that Idaho would not be an outlier because other states already use alternative pathways into school leadership programs. He then expanded on that point by comparing the proposal to older education models, such as the one-room schoolhouse, where mentoring and alternative forms of teacher development were common, suggesting education should remain open to such alternatives.
Tammy Nichols — Addressed as someone who may have another speaker to add.
Tammy Nichols — Invited another response and referenced the superintendent’s possible comment.
Tammy Nichols — Said the bill language appears to track current law except for the section being struck and replaced, and offered examples of incidental references.
James Woodward — Addressed as Mr. Chairman, but not explicitly named in the transcript.
James Woodward — Senator Anthon is referred to by name in the witness's statement; transcript says 'Senator Anton' but context indicates Anthon.
James Woodward — Speaker appears to misread 'Mr. Ude' as a name; likely referring to Blake Ude from the prior section.
James Woodward — Deputy Director at the Idaho School Boards Association; begins testimony and thanks Senator Anthon and Samuel Lair.
James Woodward — Credited with walking the speaker through some of the amendments.
James Woodward — Thanked for work on the bill.
James Woodward — Continues testimony, raising concerns about legislative language and the Western civilization requirement.
James Woodward — Scheduled to speak next.
James Woodward — Senator James Woodward pointed the discussion to page two, paragraph four of the bill, highlighting the initial competency assessment and the possibility of targeted coursework. A subsequent speaker then thanked Senator Woodward for clarifying the question about the required coursework.
James Woodward — Was called on during discussion before the vote was concluded.
James Woodward — Woodward repeatedly sought clarification on the amendment’s prohibition on "incidental reference," asking what counts as incidental, whether mentioning Harvey Milk’s orientation would qualify, requesting examples of what would and would not be covered, and questioning whether the term is clear enough for teachers and lawyers to interpret consistently.
James Woodward — Makes the motion to send House Bill 516 to the amending order for possible amendment.
Jason Moss — Jason Moss is identified as a witness, listed among those to follow, and then speaks to withdraw his testimony so he can continue working with Senator Anthon.
Jason Moss — Announced as the next witness on video.
Blake Ude — Blake Ude is introduced as a forthcoming witness and then testifies on behalf of the Idaho Charter School Network, expressing support for working with Senator Anthon.
Blake Ude — Blake Ude of the Idaho Charter School Network testified in support of the bill, comparing it to a 2019 law and arguing that the certification pathway is optional and controlled by local boards. He said the board remains responsible for school outcomes and that the competency-based assessment in the bill helps ensure accountability. Ude added that the pathway can work when a board is willing to take responsibility and support the candidate, and noted that it has not been widely used, with districts using it only where it fits best.
Quinn Perry — Listed as a witness/commenter to follow.
Quinn Perry — Quinn Perry, deputy director of the Idaho School Boards Association, testified that ISBA conducts most superintendent searches in the state and raised concerns about Section 2 of the bill. He said a negotiated fix already exists in another bill that would repeal the problematic section of code, emphasized the importance of training dollars for school board members as lay elected citizens take on board responsibilities, and respectfully asked that the bill be amended to correct the issue in Section 2, offering to answer questions.
Danny Backer — Listed as a witness/commenter to follow.
Samuel Lair — Listed as a witness/commenter to follow.
Lori Gash — Listed as a witness/commenter to follow.
Lori Gash — Social studies coordinator for the West Ada School District; begins testimony.