Senate committee approves multiple allied‑health rule updates, removes inactive renewal fees

The Senate Health and Welfare Committee approved a series of pending rule dockets from the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses that update licensure formats and strike duplicate or incongruent fee provisions for multiple allied‑health professions.

Dockets approved included athletic trainers (24-3305-2401), respiratory therapists and polysomnographers (24-3306-2401), dietitians (24-3307-2401) and naturopathic medical doctors (24-3304-2401). Committee members voted on each docket by voice vote and all were approved.

Key changes and rationale: Program directors said the revisions follow the division’s zero‑based review (ZBR) format and standardize chapter organization (legal authority, scope, licensure, practice standards, fees). For multiple chapters, the inactive-license renewal fee was struck because it was inconsistent with Idaho Code 67-26-14(9). Respiratory therapy rules were clarified to allow a broader set of continuing education that is “germane to the profession” rather than limiting credit to board‑approved courses. Athletic trainer rules simplified licensure language and removed duplicative text. Dietetics and naturopathic rule updates were described as format and organizational changes with the same fee alignment.

Board and stakeholder process: Presenters said the advisory boards held public meetings and hearings with required notice; stakeholder organizations (Idaho Athletic Trainers Association, Idaho Society of Respiratory Care, Idaho Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Idaho Association of Naturopathic Physicians) were provided copies of proposed changes and no substantive objections were recorded during the rulemaking process.

Outcome: Each pending docket was approved and will proceed as adopted by the committee. Staff said the changes were largely organizational and aimed at streamlining access to rules and aligning fee language with statute.