House committee backs bill to end WWAMI slots and direct State Board to designate in‑state or nearby medical programs

The House Education Committee voted 9–5 to send House Bill 176 to the floor with a "do pass" recommendation after extended testimony and public comment on a proposal to change how Idaho arranges medical education for state-supported students.

Sponsor Representative Dustin Manwaring described the bill as an effort to increase Idaho control over medical education slots, expand capacity and keep more state-supported medical-education dollars and training in Idaho. "I started when I introduced this legislation by talking to you about how Idaho does not have its own state run medical school," Manwaring said. "I truly believe this is a part of that conversation."

Key provisions described by the sponsor and witnesses:

- Termination of further reserved WWAMI slots after the 2026–27 academic year; current WWAMI students would continue to receive their benefits and complete their 4-year training.

- The State Board of Education would be required to designate at least two medical-education programs in Idaho or in adjacent states inside the Mountain Time Zone; the bill text sets a maximum of 60 state-supported seats for the program(s) (the sponsor said Idaho currently operates 40 seats at the University of…