Idaho Senate receives multiple gubernatorial appointment notices and refers nominees to committees

BOISE, Idaho — On Jan. 10, 2025, the Idaho Senate received formal notices of multiple gubernatorial appointments from Gov. Brad Little and referred the nominees to standing committees for consideration, the Senate clerk reported during the session.

The notices, read into the record by the Senate clerk, listed reappointments and new appointments to several state boards and commissions. Each appointment is subject to confirmation by the Senate; the clerk announced committee referrals for each nominee to guide where confirmation hearings will be scheduled.

Among the notices read into the journal were reappointments and appointments to: the Idaho Endowment Fund Investment Board; the Treasurer’s Investment Advisory Board; the Lake Pend Oreille Basin Commission; the Idaho Board of Environmental Quality; the Idaho Water Resource Board; the State Board of Correction; the Lottery Division director; the State Liquor Division director; the Public Charter School Commission; and the statewide ombudsman for Health and Welfare, among others. The letters were signed by Gov. Brad Little and addressed to Scott Bedke, president of the Senate.

The clerk said the Senate would refer specific nominations as follows: Thomas J. Wilford and Patricia Perkins were referred to the Senate State Affairs Committee; Craig Hill and Dean Stevenson were referred to the Resources and Environment Committee; Trevor Sparrow and Dennis Lecum were referred to the Health and Welfare Committee; Lisa Palos and Wanda Quinn were referred to the Education Committee; Luke Malek was referred to the Judiciary and Rules Committee; and Andrew Rulonandam (name as read) was referred to State Affairs. The clerk also noted that some nominations were filed in the office of the secretary for record. The clerk said the appointments are “submitted to confirmation by the Senate.”

The reading included place names and offices as reported by the clerk: for example, the clerk read Thomas J. Wilford of Boise as reappointed to the Idaho Endowment Fund Investment Board and Mark Gibbs of Grace as reappointed to the Idaho Water Resource Board. The clerk’s reading contained transcription errors in some place names; this article uses corrected place names where clearly indicated (for example, “Boise, Idaho”).

No committee action or confirmation votes occurred on the floor during the session; the referrals send the nominations to the named committees for hearings and any subsequent confirmation votes.

The Senate adjourned following routine miscellaneous business. Senator Den Hartog moved to adjourn until 11 a.m. Monday, Jan. 13, 2025; the motion was seconded (second not specified in the record) and carried on a voice vote, with the president saying, “The ayes have it.”