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Legislative Services Office adds impact review team, research fellows to support JFAC hearings
Summary
Paul Headley of the Legislative Services Office introduced a new impact review team and two research fellows to the Joint Finance and Appropriation Committee, describing resources available for evidence review, evaluations and targeted analyses during the budget process.
BOISE — Paul Headley, deputy chief at the Legislative Services Office, told the Joint Finance and Appropriation Committee on Jan. 8 that LSO has added an impact review team and two research fellows to provide additional research and evaluation capacity for the session.
Headley said the new team can answer questions, produce short research briefs or dive deeper into evaluations on program performance and evidence. He introduced five staff members who will assist budget analysts and work groups: Casey Hartwig (impact review analyst), Alex Penny (impact review analyst), Alex Hatfield (IT and GIS specialist), Ellen Upton (research fellow, McClure Center/Idaho Science & Technology Policy Fellowship) and Kalyn Casey (research fellow, McClure Center).
Why it matters: The additional staff are intended to support the committee’s shift toward evidence-focused and performance-based budgeting by providing rapid-response research, data analysis and technical assistance to analysts and members.
Details from the introduction
- Headley said the impact review team can produce quick answers by email, one- or two-page briefs, or longer research projects when appropriate. He emphasized the role of evidence: whether a proposed program has been shown to work in Idaho or other states.
- Team backgrounds Headley described included law and public-policy degrees, audit and evaluation experience from other state legislatures, IT and GIS capability for geographic analysis, and doctoral-level expertise in science and engineering from the research fellows.
- The fellows and analysts will support budget analysts in working groups, take notes and help frame performance and evidence questions for committee review.
Headley told members that the team will help the committee ask “what’s the evidence?” when evaluating program proposals, and he invited members to request targeted assistance during the session. The committee praised the additional resources and noted analysts available to each member at the end of the orientation session.
Ending
Headley and LSO staff asked members to use the team when they need evidence or data support for budget decisions and indicated the staff will be present in work groups to assist analysts and members.
