Sen. Mark Harris introduces bill to ease supervision rules for Idaho prescribing psychologists

Sen. Mark Harris, R-District 35, introduced RS32220 to the Idaho Senate Health and Welfare Committee, saying the measure would revise state law to “improve and streamline practice of psychology” by changing how prescribing psychologists are supervised.

Harris told the committee the bill would replace the current supervision requirement with a collaborative agreement model and remove a permanent advisory panel. “The current process of having a supervisor or supervision agreement with only an Idaho or adjoining state physician has become cumbersome,” Harris said. He told senators Idaho has had only eight prescribing psychologists since the law allowing prescribing psychologists was enacted eight years ago.

The bill’s central change is procedural: it moves from a supervision model toward a collaborative agreement model intended to reduce administrative barriers for provisional prescribing psychologists and the clinicians who collaborate with them while maintaining patient safety, Harris said. He also said the bill would eliminate a permanent advisory panel and make “other important changes” to the Psychologist Act.

After a brief introduction, the committee considered a motion to send RS32220 to print. Senator Shippey moved the measure; Senator Buerke seconded. The committee approved sending RS32220 to print by voice vote.

The measure was sent to print for further consideration; the committee did not debate statute text on the record during this session.

Members who spoke on the item in the recorded transcript were Sen. Mark Harris (sponsor), Senator Shippey (mover) and Senator Buerke (seconder).