Idaho Senate confirms several gubernatorial appointments, holds others for one legislative day

BOISE — The Idaho Senate on Monday confirmed several of Governor Brad Little’s nominees to state boards and authorities and deferred action on others for one legislative day.

The Senate adopted committee reports and approved confirmations by voice vote or unanimous consent for nominees including Kirk Nelson for the Sex Offender Management Board, Kurt Liebeck for the State Board of Education, and Thomas Mello for the State Building Authority. Other nominations — including Brent Baker and Mark Brinkmeyer for the Pend Oreille Basin Commission and Steve Landon — were ordered held on the calendar for one legislative day at the request of senators.

Senators opened consideration of the nominations under the tenth order of business after committee reports were read into the record. Judiciary and Rules Committee and Education Committee chairs presented the respective committee recommendations that the nominees be confirmed.

On the floor, Senator Van Orden spoke in favor of Kirk Nelson’s confirmation, describing Nelson’s long certification history and experience working with offender populations. Van Orden said Nelson had reported the use of semiannual polygraph testing for offenders under counseling and probation and suggested the approach had reduced recidivism in that population. Van Orden also said Nelson had raised concerns about a rising number of juvenile offenders and the potential to adapt treatment models used for adult offenders to younger populations. Debate on Nelson’s confirmation was brief; the Senate adopted the committee report and filed paperwork with the secretary’s office.

Senator Woodward urged confirmation of Kurt Liebeck to the State Board of Education, citing Liebeck’s educational background and decades of volunteer service in nonprofit education organizations and on the State Board already. Woodward described Liebeck’s private-sector career in the forest products industry and said the senator viewed his experience as relevant to board service.

Senator Berndt spoke in support of Thomas Mello’s nomination to the State Building Authority, outlining Mello’s local ties, academic background in finance and real estate, and professional experience in capital management and commercial real estate transactions.

Several nominations were not considered to final disposition on Monday. The Senate took unanimous-consent requests to hold nominations — including Brent Baker and Mark Brinkmeyer — for an additional legislative day. A notice from the governor announcing the reappointment of B.J. Stenger to the Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired was referred to the Health and Welfare Committee and filed in the secretary’s office.

Actions on confirmed appointments were recorded as committee reports adopted; the Senate presiding officer directed that paperwork be filed in the secretary’s office and that the governor be notified of the Senate’s actions.

The Senate moved on after completing its confirmations and held the remaining nominations at the request of senators, returning the chamber to other business.