Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Lso Impact Review Team topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Legislative Services adds impact‑review analysts to support JFAC research
Summary
The Legislative Services Office introduced a five‑person impact review team — including law, IT and PhD researchers — to assist JFAC analysts with evidence reviews, data, mapping and policy research during budget deliberations.
BOISE, Idaho — The Legislative Services Office introduced a new impact review team on Jan. 8 intended to provide research support to JFAC analysts, including legal review, information‑technology analysis, GIS mapping and evidence reviews of program performance.
Paul Headley, Deputy Chief at the Legislative Services Office, described the team as a resource that can produce products ranging from quick email responses to deeper research memos. "As I've looked at performance measures, performance budgeting, recently and over the years, there's 1 theme that continues to rise to the top and that's evidence," Headley said, describing the team's focus on using evidence to evaluate whether proposed programs have worked in other jurisdictions.
Who is on the team: Headley introduced five staff and fellows. Casey Hartwig (law degree) is assigned to public schools, higher education and natural resources. Alex Penny, from prior work in a West Virginia legislature audit and evaluation office, will focus on health and human services, general government and capital budgets. Alex Hatfield specializes in IT analysis and GIS and will support transportation and public‑safety queries. Two research fellows from the University of Idaho McClure Center for Public Policy — Dr. Ellen Upton (biomedical science background) and Dr. Kaylin Casey (mechanical engineering/GIS skills) — will support evaluation, mapping and performance‑measure research.
Why it matters: committee analysts said the new team should speed answers to technical questions about program outcomes, evidence of effectiveness, IT risks and geographically targeted needs during budget negotiation and work‑group review.
Headley and committee leaders said the team will sit alongside analysts in work groups, assist with note taking and provide targeted research on evidence and return on investment when members ask for it.
Speakers quoted here are drawn from the committee transcript. The materials and staff introductions are part of ongoing staffing changes to support the 2025 budget process.
