Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Appointments Reappointments topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee interviews Dr. Timothy Rerick for reappointment to state Board of Health and Welfare
Summary
Dr. Timothy Rerick, a BYU‑Idaho professor and current chair of the state Board of Health and Welfare, was interviewed by the Senate Health and Welfare Committee on his gubernatorial reappointment; the committee will vote at its next meeting.
Dr. Timothy Rerick of Rexburg, identified himself as a professor in the marriage and family studies program at Brigham Young University–Idaho and as chair of the state Board of Health and Welfare. He described his academic work on parent–child relationships, family policy and advocacy and said his board service since 2018 included navigating sensitive issues such as mask and vaccine policies during the COVID‑19 pandemic.
Rerick told senators his principal lesson from the pandemic was that polarization and "tribalism" tended to crowd out nuance in public debate and that making informed decisions requires hearing all perspectives and resisting snap judgments. He also described international advisory work at the United Nations' Commission on the Status of Women, where he said he speaks about fatherhood and the father–daughter relationship as part of achieving broader goals, including gender equality. Senators asked about the board's role; Rerick said the board occupies "an ambiguous middle" between advisory and decision-making responsibilities and that clarifying that role is important for effectiveness.
The chair told Rerick the committee will vote on his gubernatorial reappointment at its next meeting (tomorrow). No committee vote was taken during the interview.
