Senate Health and Welfare committee advances two gubernatorial reappointments, hears from blind professor on third nomination

The Idaho Senate Health and Welfare Committee voted to send two gubernatorial reappointments to the Senate floor with recommendations for confirmation and held a virtual hearing for a third nominee on Jan. 24, 2025. The committee approved forwarding Alan Schneider's reappointment to the Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired and later approved forwarding Dr. Timothy Rerich's reappointment to the State Board of Health and Welfare. The committee also heard from Mark Watkins, a professor at Brigham Young University–Idaho, who appeared virtually in support of his reappointment to the Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired.

The action returns Schneider and Rerich to the full Senate for consideration. Schneider's reappointment was moved and seconded and the committee voted in favor. A motion to forward Rerich initially failed for lack of a second but committee members later seconded and voted to send the reappointment to the floor. Committee members said Watkins's reappointment will be voted on at the committee's next meeting, scheduled for the following day.

Watkins, who identified himself as a music professor at BYU–Idaho and as someone who has been legally blind his whole life and completely blind for about seven years, described his experience with the state's vocational rehabilitation and the Assessment and Training Center in Boise. "They taught me what was invaluable," Watkins said, recounting a 12-week training stay and saying the programs gave him the tools to continue working full time as a university professor. He told the committee he has served on the commission for three years and that his lived experience informs his work.

Committee members asked Watkins about services he thought were missing when he was younger and about the programs now available in Idaho. He cited improved low-vision aids, educational supports, mobility instruction and counseling and credited vocational rehabilitation for assistance during college.

The committee's procedural record shows the group approved minutes for Jan. 22 and Jan. 23, 2025, and completed the two gubernatorial reappointment votes during the meeting. The reappointment of Mark Watkins was limited to a candidate appearance and committee questions; the committee announced it will vote on that reappointment at its next scheduled meeting.

Votes at a glance - Approval of minutes for 01/22/2025: motion moved and seconded; committee voted aye. - Approval of minutes for 01/23/2025: motion moved and seconded; committee voted aye. - Alan Schneider — gubernatorial reappointment to the Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired: motion moved and seconded to send to the Senate floor with recommendation for confirmation; committee voted aye. - Dr. Timothy Rerich — gubernatorial reappointment to the State Board of Health and Welfare: motion to send to the floor was initially announced to have died for lack of a second; later the committee seconded and voted to send the reappointment to the floor with a recommendation for confirmation.

The committee did not adopt new policy or make final confirmations; forwarded nominees will next appear before the full Senate.