Committee approves bill moving state laboratory rules into statute, allows fee adjustments

House Bill 198 transfers multiple laboratory-related administrative rules into statute and includes a provision authorizing the state laboratory to set testing fees at market rates so public labs do not undercut private providers.

Sen. Carl Bjerke, sponsor of the bill, said the measure moves IDAPA rules — including quality assurance for clinical laboratories, the drinking-water laboratory certification program, clandestine drug-lab cleanup, and state laboratory fees — from administrative rule into statute without adding new regulatory burdens beyond existing requirements.

Bjerke said the bill is mainly a "rules to statute" change and that one substantive change (section 12) authorizes the state lab to adjust testing fees to market rates so public lab pricing does not disadvantage private labs that provide similar services. He said some of the rules had not been updated since the 1970s and that the change brings clarity and market parity.

Senators asked whether the move substantively changes oversight or requirements. The sponsor said the bill "does not add any regulations or burdens to the state labs above what is already required in code and rule," and that the change is intended to unclutter rulemaking and make statutory language permanent.

Sen. Shippy (paraphrasing a constituent concern) said he appreciated the provision because private labs had been undercut previously by low state-lab fees; he voiced support for the bill. The committee voted to advance HB 198 to the Senate floor with a do-pass recommendation.