Richard Cheatum — Richard Cheatum supports the bill’s 150 starting point and then moves a substitute motion to send Senate Bill 1247 to the floor with a do pass recommendation. The chair later clarifies that the motion is not intended as any slight or disrespect toward him.
Richard Cheatum — Representative Richard Cheatum was called multiple times during roll call, but his response was not captured.
Jordan Redman — Chairman Jordan Redman is addressed during Dr. Frost’s responses to questions, then continues presiding over the committee, managing the motion process, and discussing co-sponsorship of the bill.
Jordan Redman — During the roll-call vote, Chairman Jordan Redman was called and recorded votes on the motions: he voted no on the substitute motion to send the bill to the floor with a due pass recommendation, and later voted yes on the original motion to send the bill to general orders.
Josh Wheeler — Addressed by Dr. Frost as Vice Chair Wheeler.
Josh Wheeler — Referenced in the motion discussion as Vice Chair; the motion maker had left and a new motion was made.
Josh Wheeler — Asked how the bill affects Idaho-domiciled REITs or investment corporations.
Josh Wheeler — Was called on to introduce Senate Bill 1247.
Josh Wheeler — Introduced himself for the record and made a light remark about the committee's pattern of holding bills.
Josh Wheeler — Representative Wheeler is addressed as the bill sponsor.
Josh Wheeler — Representative Wheeler's bill is being questioned on threshold design.
Josh Wheeler — Explains that the 150-employee threshold is intended as an incremental step.
Josh Wheeler — Says larger employers are more likely to have HR capacity to handle E-Verify administration and asks whether Representative Crane wants a change in general orders.
Josh Wheeler — Asked whether Representative Crane wanted a change in general orders.
Josh Wheeler — Explains the $100,000 contracting limit as a way to avoid burdening smaller employers and subcontractors.
Josh Wheeler — Says the $100,000 limit avoids imposing the system on smaller subcontractors and notes a future session could revisit the issue.
Josh Wheeler — Responds that he prefers to keep the bill as written for now and revisit changes in the interim.
Josh Wheeler — Says he prefers to pass the bill as written now and discuss a tiered approach in the interim.
Josh Wheeler — The chair asks Representative Wheeler to comment.
Josh Wheeler — Says he would be happy to see the bill held so the committee could have a 'three-peat.'
Josh Wheeler — Says he will not oppose the amended substitute motion, though he is less enthusiastic about it.
Josh Wheeler — Referenced as the sponsor being addressed in the discussion.
Josh Wheeler — The bill sponsor was asked to explain the employee threshold language.
Josh Wheeler — Explained that the 26-week language is intended to prevent employers from gaming the system by reducing headcount below the threshold.
Josh Wheeler — Said the proposed changes were untimely amendments and preferred the bill remain as passed by the Senate.
Josh Wheeler — Restated opposition to the proposed amendments and then responded to questions about rulemaking authority.
Josh Wheeler — Asked for clarification on the proposed rulemaking amendment and said he would not support striking rulemaking authority at present.
Josh Wheeler — Said he had heard of a tiered employee approach over two years and a possible strike of rulemaking authority.
Josh Wheeler — Called as vice chair during the roll call vote and voted yes on the motion to hold in committee.
Josh Wheeler — Voted yes on the substitute motion to send the bill to the floor with a due pass recommendation.
Josh Wheeler — Voted no on the original motion to send the bill to general orders.
Jaron Crane — Representative Jaron Crane introduced House Bill 947 as a housing bill aimed at preserving entry-level single-family homes for first-time buyers, particularly in Nampa and Ada County. In the ensuing discussion, he explained that the bill is intended to address concerns about hedge funds and REITs using large amounts of capital to buy homes and convert them into rentals, referencing similar national efforts by President Trump and Senator Josh Hawley. He clarified that the bill does not currently include a trigger for unsold homes, that it is not addressing foreign hedge funds, and that any removed foreign-language provisions were taken out of the draft. Crane also said the hearing was meant to gather feedback for possible future changes and agreed to add concerns about loopholes to the comment list.
Jaron Crane — Said the January 1, 2027 enforcement date gives an additional six months and indicated support for the general order.
Jaron Crane — Asked why the bill uses the 'more than 150 employees' and '26 consecutive weeks' language.
Jaron Crane — Questioned the wording of the employee threshold and the 26-consecutive-week requirement.
Jaron Crane — Referenced in the debate over the substitute motion and implementation timing.
Jaron Crane — Raised a question about rulemaking authority at the end of the bill and referenced a substitute motion count.
Jaron Crane — Clarified that the proposed amendment would strike the bill's rulemaking authority.
Jaron Crane — Referenced as asking questions that support Berch's point.
Jaron Crane — Called during roll call and voted no on the motion to hold in committee.
Jaron Crane — Voted no on the substitute motion.
Jaron Crane — Voted yes on the original motion to send the bill to general orders.
Steve Berch — Representative Steve Berch is addressed during the discussion, with the speaker thanking him and continuing the same exchange without any substantive change in topic.
Steve Berch — Steve Berch’s substitute motion was under debate, and he argued that the questions being asked were reinforcing his point that the committee needed more time and deliberation. The transcript then records his votes on the related motions, including a yes vote on the motion to hold the bill in committee and a no vote on the substitute motion.
Brooke Green — Asked for more detail about the real estate agents' concerns and whether similar laws exist in other states.
Brooke Green — Asked for more detail about real estate agents' concerns and whether they wanted to testify.
Brooke Green — Responded that first-time homebuyers cannot compete financially with hedge fund buyers and framed the issue as out-of-control capitalism.
Brooke Green — Argued that renters and buyers are different markets and that building homes intended for rentals does not solve the homeownership supply issue.
Brooke Green — Asked whether the proposed changes were welcome or hostile to the effort.
Brooke Green — Voted yes on the motion to hold in committee.