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Committee sends House Bill 29 to the floor to annualize Idaho's controlled‑substances schedules
Summary
House Bill 29, presented by the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses, updates Idaho's controlled‑substances schedules to add synthetic fentanyls, cannabinoids, benzodiazepines, stimulants, additional anabolic steroid derivatives and the new FDA‑approved zuranolone; committee gave a due‑pass recommendation.
House Bill 29 was presented to the Senate Health and Welfare Committee on Jan. 31 by Nikki Chopsky, health professions bureau chief at the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses. The bill updates Idaho's controlled substances schedules to align with recent federal scheduling actions and to add several additional substances for enforcement.
Chopsky summarized the bill by drug class: the bill proposes adding 10 synthetic fentanyl substances to Schedule I (pages 1—4); seven synthetic cannabinoids or THC‑related substances to Schedule I (pages 7—8); five synthetic benzodiazepines to Schedule I (page 9); two synthetic stimulant "bath salts" to Schedule I (page 10); 23 synthetic testosterone derivatives used as anabolic steroids to Schedule III (pages 12—13); and the FDA‑approved treatment for postpartum depression, zuranolone (brand name recorded as Zirzuve in committee materials), to Schedule IV (page 16).
Chopsky told the committee the board reviews federal scheduling annually because Idaho does not incorporate the DEA schedules by reference; the board considers overdose data, abuse potential and international scheduling when recommending state placement. She said there was no expected fiscal impact to the general fund or dedicated funds and asked the committee to give the bill a "due pass" recommendation. Senator Wintrow moved to send House Bill 29 to the floor with a due pass; the motion was seconded by Senator Blaylock and passed on a voice vote.
The bill will now go to the full Senate for consideration. Committee members asked technical questions about why the board reviews schedules annually and how Idaho differs from states that incorporate federal scheduling by reference. The sponsor explained the state process allows Idaho to add substances not included in prior state lists and to respond to patterns of abuse.
No fiscal note was reported in committee and no amendments were adopted at today's hearing.
