Megan Egbert — Recorded as voting yes in the roll call.
Lori McCann — Offered a substitute motion to send House Bill 864 to the floor without recommendation.
Lori McCann — Called during roll call and voted yes.
Lori McCann — Representative McCann defends the bill as non-coercive, emphasizing that parents retain their rights and are not forced to do anything. He explains that if hearing-screening equipment is available, providers would simply recommend or refer the parent, and he counters the argument that parents would always know if a child has hearing issues by citing examples of babies with deafness that would not be obvious at birth.
Lori McCann — Recorded as voting yes in the roll call.
Robert Beiswenger — Argued against advancing the bill, citing drug scheduling and committee review concerns.
Robert Beiswenger — Called during roll call and voted no.
Robert Beiswenger — Called again during roll call and voted no.
Robert Beiswenger — Recorded as voting no in the roll call.
Steven Tanner — Representative Tanner spoke against the substitute motion and opposed advancing House Bill 864 without amendment, then was called during roll call and recorded a no vote on the motion.
Steven Tanner — Representative Tanner questioned the sponsor about the bill’s funding contingency in Section 5, asking how much screening would cost in home birth and hospital settings if federal funding is available, and then continued by clarifying where the IESDB reference appears in the bill, specifically pointing to Section 2 and the relevant line.
Julie VanOrden — Called during roll call and voted no; likely intended to be Chair VanOrden.
Marco Erickson — Called during roll call and voted yes.
Marco Erickson — Representative Erickson shared a personal story about his daughter’s hearing loss, explaining that she was not screened in the NICU and later showed developmental deficits. He described how the family eventually obtained screening, learned she had significant hearing issues, and pursued specialized surgeries, sign language support, hearing aids, and specialized classes. He emphasized that earlier screening would have sped up intervention and reduced learning loss, and he used the experience to underscore the importance of early detection and hearing as a foundation for how children learn.
Marco Erickson — Voted aye in the roll call.
Dori Healey — Representative Healy introduced herself as the sponsor for District 15 and presented Senate Bill 1294, explaining that it addresses a gap in newborn hearing screenings for babies born outside hospitals. She described the bill as requiring that hearing screenings be offered within 21 days of birth, including at birthing centers and in other non-hospital settings, while allowing parents to decline without penalty. In response to questions, she clarified that the bill does not create CPS involvement or other repercussions if parents refuse, that it functions as an early intervention/referral requirement, and that home births without an attendant are not covered in the same way. She also tied the proposal to prior legislation affirming parents’ ability to decline medical interventions, noted that some babies were missed because equipment was unavailable, and later answered follow-up questions about funding and cost, saying the cost is the same in home or hospital settings and that she did not know the exact per-screening amount or how much of the available funding is used.
Dori Healey — Was asked to confirm which bill was being referenced.
Dori Healey — Confirmed the interpretation of the bill's application.
Dori Healey — Was asked whether he would be open to a language change.
Dori Healey — Responded that he is considering the suggested language change.
Dori Healey — Explained that the bill requires referral by birthing centers and other non-hospital settings, not infant screening.
Dori Healey — Reiterated that the bill requires referrals, not mandatory screening.
Dori Healey — His explanation is being summarized before the next speaker.
Dori Healey — Voted yes in the roll call.
Dori Healey — Recorded as voting yes in the roll call.
Dori Healey — Expected to carry the bill on the floor.
Dori Healey — Referenced as the person who may have better luck today in the Senate.
Jordan Redman — Called during roll call.
Jordan Redman — Representative Redman asked what prompted the bill and whether there has been an increase in deaf babies, and the discussion immediately continued with a response addressed to him about the bill’s background.
Jordan Redman — Voted no in the roll call.
Jordan Redman — Recorded as voting no in the roll call.
Jordan Redman — Mentioned in a light remark about Senate luck yesterday and today.
Josh Wheeler — Called during roll call and voted yes.
Josh Wheeler — Asked whether the bill applies to home births.
Josh Wheeler — Recorded as voting yes in the roll call.
Tanya Burgoyne — Called during roll call and voted yes; likely Representative Burgoyne.
Tanya Burgoyne — Representative Burgoyne is invited to comment and then speaks at length against the bill’s mandatory language, objecting to the use of "shall" and to what she sees as unnecessary regulation of mothers. She argues that mothers will usually know if something is wrong with their child and expresses discomfort with language that seems to mandate parental action. Another speaker then responds directly to her point, saying that the claim that a mother would always know is not true.
Lucas Cayler — Representative Kaler questioned the bill’s hearing-screening provisions, asking whether it requires screening or only offering it, how the language applies to births outside a hospital or birthing facility, what responsibility the birthing attendant has, and whether there are any penalties or CPS reporting consequences if screening does not occur. Later remarks referenced Kaler as having similar concerns about the bill’s mandatory language.
Ben Fuhriman — Called during roll call and voted yes; likely Representative Fuhriman.
Ben Fuhriman — Representative Fuhriman asks Representative Erickson if he can pose a question after Erickson shares a personal story, and Erickson responds by thanking Fuhriman for the question, indicating the start of a brief follow-up exchange.
David Leavitt — Called during roll call and voted no; likely Representative Leavitt.
Faye Thompson — Called during roll call and voted no.
Faye Thompson — Addressed by Representative Healy in response to the question.
Faye Thompson — Representative Thompson is called on for a comment and then responds by expressing concern that the bill sounds mandatory, objecting to the federal money and the lack of optional language, and stating that he will have to vote no.
Faye Thompson — Representative Thompson was recorded as voting no in the roll call.
Ilana Rubel — Representative Rubel was called during roll call and responded 'No' when voting.
Ilana Rubel — Representative Rubel draws on personal experience to stress the importance of early identification and treatment of children's hearing loss, noting that timely detection is essential because hearing loss cannot be repaired later if it is missed.
Ilana Rubel — Recorded as voting yes in the roll call.
Don Hall — Identified as the original sponsor of the bill.
Lisa Coleman — Lisa Coleman testified in support of the bill, explaining that she is a parent of two daughters with hearing loss and serves on the Idaho Sound Beginnings Board. She said the bill grew out of concern about the lack of newborn hearing screening in out-of-hospital births. Drawing on her family’s experience, she described how her older daughter was not diagnosed until age two, leading to language deprivation and significant rehabilitation costs, while her younger daughter was screened early and was able to receive hearing aids and develop language alongside her peers. Coleman said late diagnosis remains a problem in Idaho, estimated that only about 45 of the roughly 65 babies who should be diagnosed each year are being identified, and argued that the bill would improve engagement in out-of-hospital births and help parents understand the importance of participating in newborn screening. When asked about participation, she said the exact number of families not being offered the screening is unknown, but noted that out-of-hospital births totaled 1,222 last year and only about 500 participated in newborn screening, indicating a clear gap.