House panel approves rewritten rules for Idaho nursing home administrators

The Idaho House Health and Welfare Committee voted to approve final rules for the Idaho Board of Examiners of Nursing Home Administrators (Docket 24-0901-2401) after a presentation from division staff and a period of committee questions. The rewrite reorganizes the chapter, removes language duplicative of statute and adjusts continuing-education and licensure pathways.

Cecily Metcalfe, Board Services Program Manager for the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses and executive officer for the Board, told the committee the rewrite began under the division’s 0-based regulation initiative and included seven public board meetings, one negotiated rulemaking session and a public hearing. "A clean version of the rules and a crosswalk is available to the committee," Metcalfe said.

The rewrite consolidates and renumbers sections in accordance with the rule-writer’s manual, removes examination content and scheduling details (which the board said are set by third-party exam providers), and clarifies that the board approves required specialized courses rather than a national association. The rules add a licensure pathway for holders of a health services executive credential and permit the board to approve continuing-education courses from entities not explicitly listed in rule.

The board also aligned continuing education with a proposed biennial renewal cycle, reducing the number of required hours to comply with the statutory reference cited in the rules and removing language allowing carryover of excess hours. Multiple existing rules that duplicated statutory provisions (for example, supervised hours and endorsement/licensure cross-references) were removed, and temporary-permit provisions were eliminated where licensing turnaround times have improved.

Committee members pressed staff on finances and implementation. Representative Wheeler asked about the board’s cash balance; Metcalfe said, "The board as of September 30 ... the board's cash balance was negative $7,128.78." She said the division expects to pursue negotiated rulemaking over the next year to address fees so boards fall within the 30%–125% cash-balance target set in the agency’s appropriation language, and noted a potential bill to consolidate nursing home and residential care administrators boards.

Representatives raised concerns about operating in the red and urged a clear plan to return boards to a positive cash position. Metcalfe said the division had implemented a new licensing system, cross-trained staff and anticipated efficiencies from any consolidation, but did not commit to specific fee changes immediately. Representative Healy moved to approve the docket; the motion passed on a voice vote. The committee did not record a roll-call tally in the transcript.

The approved rule package is intended to reduce regulatory burden by removing duplicative and outdated text, to clarify licensure pathways, and to align continuing education and renewal timing with the division’s biennial-renewal approach. Metcalfe asked the committee to approve the pending rule as final and stood for questions; the committee granted approval by voice vote.

Committee members signaled they will continue oversight of boards with cash deficits and monitor follow-up actions, including any consolidation bills or fee adjustments.