House Business Committee adopts organizational procedures, publishing schedule and testimony limits

BOISE — At an organizational meeting Jan. 9, the House Business Committee set expectations for the 2025 session, outlining how members should submit bill requests, how public testimony will be handled and where committee materials will be posted.

Chairman Clow opened the meeting with a quote attributed to economist Milton Friedman: “The great danger to the consumer is the monopoly, whether private or governmental.” He then reviewed procedural preferences that he said are intended to streamline the committee’s work and respect public testimony.

Clow told members he prefers sponsors to bring a draft bill to him before filing a request for an RS (request for legislation). “I prefer you bring me a draft of the bill before you request the RS,” he said, adding that submitting drafts first can avoid repetitive amendments to RS language. He also discouraged use of procedural shortcuts: under his reading of Mason’s Manual, he said committee members should avoid motions to cut off debate such as a call for the previous question, because the committee’s role is to carry out debate on bills.

The chair reviewed several deadlines and procedural targets: an RS deadline of Feb. 3 to submit requests to the Legislative Services Office (LSO); Feb. 10 as the last day the committee can introduce legislation without special permission from the Speaker; a Feb. 28 target date for completing the committee’s rules review; and a transmittal target between the houses on March 3, with an overall aim to sine die by March 21. Clow said he does not plan routine Friday meetings and that agendas will be posted in advance when possible.

Committee business will be “paperless” this session, Clow said. All agendas, bills and RSs will be posted in a shared OneDrive folder; staff from IT will remain after the meeting to help members set up access. Michelle Anderson was identified as the committee’s bureau secretary and the OneDrive will include a scrolling agenda view so members can follow item-by-item.

Clow set expectations for public testimony: he will generally allow two minutes per speaker, decide how much testimony to allow based on the day’s schedule, and prefers that the bill sponsor present before public testimony and reserve closing remarks for after testimony. He said sponsors should take note of incorrect statements from the public and address them in closing. The committee will accept both in-person and virtual testimony. He also encouraged members with substantive follow-up questions for a witness to signal they want to ask a follow-up so the chair can call on them after testimony.

Representative Faye Thompson and Representative Steve Birch volunteered to proofread committee minutes. The chair introduced Elena Russell as the committee page. The meeting included member introductions and brief discussion of internal scheduling; no motions or formal votes were taken during the session.

The chair emphasized brevity and direct questions during RS and bill review, advising members to write down multiple questions and ask a few at a time so others can participate. He also said small technical amendments to RSs can be handled in committee late in the session but that substantial changes should be returned to the sponsor.

The committee adjourned with plans to meet next week (likely Wednesday) to begin a rules schedule and to meet with the State Electrical Board about administrative rule issues that have previously slowed rulemaking.

Clow closed the meeting by reminding members to leave committee folders in the room but to take any documents they need; he then adjourned the meeting.