Senate Health and Welfare Committee introduces several RSs to print, including bills on prescribing psychologists, tire cleanup and foster timelines

The Idaho State Senate Health and Welfare Committee on an unspecified date voted to send several requested statutes (RS) to print, moving forward proposals on prescribing psychologists, abandoned tire cleanup, foster-care timelines, residential care regulations and access to medical records for Social Security Disability claims.

The bills were introduced by senators in committee and, following short explanations and questions, were each moved and seconded and put to a voice vote.

Why it matters: The bills cover public-health practice rules, environmental cleanup incentives, child-welfare timelines that could affect permanency for foster children, licensing and operational rules for assisted-living facilities, and a measure aimed at reducing barriers for Social Security disability applicants to obtain medical records. If advanced from print, any further hearings could lead to amendments or formal votes by the full Senate.

RS32220 — prescribing psychologists Senator Mark Harris (Idaho State Senate, Legislative District 35) introduced RS32220 as a measure “to improve and streamline practice of psychology in the state of Idaho.” Harris said the primary change is to replace a supervision model for provisional prescribing psychologists with a collaborative agreement model and to eliminate a permanent advisory panel. Harris told the committee that, under the current process, “Idaho has only 8 prescribing psychologists since the bill to allow prescribing psychologists went into effect 8 years ago,” and that the bill “removes unnecessary barriers.” The committee voted to send RS32220 to print (motion moved by Senator…