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Committee backs bill moving laboratory rules into statute, allows state lab to set market fees
Summary
House Bill 198 moves several laboratory-related administrative rules into statute and authorizes the state laboratory to set testing fees at market rates so it does not undercut private labs; the committee voted to advance the bill to the floor.
Senator Carl Bjerke presented House Bill 198 to the Senate Health and Welfare Committee, saying the bill transfers multiple IDAPA (administrative rule) chapters governing clinical laboratory quality assurance, drinking water laboratory certification, clandestine drug cleanup and state laboratory fees into statute.
"The proposed legislation does not add any regulations or burdens to the state labs above what is already required in code and rule," Bjerke said. He told the committee the bill is largely a rules-to-statute movement intended to reduce administrative churn.
Section 12 of the bill authorizes the state laboratory to change testing fees to market rates so the state lab does not underprice private entities that provide similar services. Bjerke said the last significant fee review was decades ago and that updating fees protects competition.
Senator Wintrow and others asked clarifying questions about whether the bill would change requirements; Bjerke and staff said the transfer to statute preserves existing requirements except for the specified fee authority. Senator Shippy expressed support, saying the change helps private businesses compete with state labs.
A motion to send House Bill 198 to the floor with a due-pass recommendation was moved, seconded and approved by the committee.
