Senate Health and Welfare committee advances five draft measures to print

The Idaho Senate Health and Welfare Committee voted to send five request statutes (RS) to print during a committee meeting where each RS received brief introductions and a voice vote to advance. The measures advanced were RS32220 (psychology practice and prescribing supervision), RS3214 (abandoned tire cleanup pilot), RS32351 (amendments to child-protective timelines), RS32348 (updates to residential care and assisted living regulations), and RS31947C1 (one free copy of medical records for Social Security disability applicants).

The measures affect licensing and supervision for prescribing psychologists, a three‑year pilot for abandoned tire pile reclamation, custody- and review‑hearing timelines for foster children, regulatory requirements for assisted‑living facilities, and access to medical records for disability applicants. Committee members moved and seconded motions to send each RS to print and registered aye votes without extended debate.

RS32220: prescribing-psychology supervision Senator Mark Harris (Idaho State Senate, Legislative District 35) introduced RS32220, saying the measure “improves and streamlines practice of psychology in the state of Idaho” by changing supervision requirements for provisional prescribing psychologists. Harris told the committee that Idaho has had only eight prescribing psychologists since legislation allowing psychologist prescribing took effect eight years ago and that the RS would replace the current supervisor/supervision agreement model limited to Idaho or adjoining‑state physicians with a collaborative agreement model while maintaining patient safety. The RS also would eliminate a permanent advisory panel.

A motion to send RS32220 to print was made by Senator Shippey and seconded by Senator Buerke; the motion carried on a voice vote to send the RS to print.

RS3214: abandoned tire piles pilot and funding Senator Mark Harris introduced RS3214 to address about 20 abandoned tire piles in Idaho. According to Harris, the RS is a three‑year pilot program intended to incentivize recyclers to remove and process those piles by providing partial reimbursement for transporting, processing and recycling tires and by providing funding for the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to administer the program. Harris said the RS would be funded in part by an ongoing disposal fee charged when consumers purchase new tires and that the proposal sets a fee level at 50 cents per tire.

Senator Wintrow moved to send RS3214 to print; Senator Buerke seconded. The committee approved the motion on a voice vote. A request was made in committee to record the vote.

RS32351: foster-care timelines and placement considerations Senator Cody Galloway (District 15) introduced RS32351, which he said amends timelines and provisions in the child‑protective code to reduce delays in securing stable, long‑term placements for foster children. Galloway described three code changes: shortening the time between review hearings from six months to two months (page 1, lines 15 and 17), changing custody timelines from “15 of 22 months” to “12 of 22 months” (page 5, line 19), and adding language to allow judges to consider the bond between a foster child and a substitute caretaker when evaluating long‑term placement options (beginning page 9, line 23). Galloway said he had sought input from foster families, the Department of Health and Welfare, and staff at the Ada County courthouse.

Senator Keiser moved to send RS32351 to print; Senator Seiferfeld seconded. The committee approved the motion on a voice vote.

RS32348: residential care and assisted‑living regulation updates Senator Camille Blaylock introduced RS32348, saying the RS updates Idaho code for residential care and assisted‑living facilities. Blaylock said the changes revise provisions related to admissions, licensing, staffing, inspections, medication management and resident agreements, and that the Idaho Health Care Association participated in drafting the RS. The senator described the measure as eliminating outdated and unnecessary regulations so administrators and staff can “prioritize patient care over paperwork” while maintaining health and safety standards.

Senator Harris moved to send RS32348 to print; Senator Keiser seconded. The motion carried on a voice vote.

RS31947C1: medical records for Social Security disability applicants Senator Doug Ricks introduced RS31947C1, which he described as a pared‑down version of a bill introduced last year that stalled in the Legislature. This RS is limited to providing one free copy of medical records for people applying for Social Security disability, a process Ricks said can take 15 months to two years; he told the committee the RS is intended to help applicants and their representatives obtain necessary records without a fee.

Senator Wintrow moved to send RS31947C1 to print; Senator Blaylock seconded. The committee approved the motion on a voice vote.

Process and next steps Committee members generally offered brief procedural motions to introduce each RS and asked few substantive questions during the meeting. Each RS was presented for introduction and the motions to send them to print were approved by voice vote; the measures will proceed to the next steps of the legislative process (printing and scheduling for a public hearing). No committee actions to adopt policy or finalize statutory text occurred at this meeting.

Votes at a glance - RS32220 (psychology prescribing supervision) — Motion to send to print: moved by Senator Shippey, seconded by Senator Buerke; outcome: sent to print (voice vote). - RS3214 (abandoned tire pilot; partial reimbursements; 50¢ per tire fee; DEQ administration; three‑year sunset) — Motion: moved by Senator Wintrow, seconded by Senator Buerke; outcome: sent to print (voice vote; request to record vote noted). - RS32351 (child‑protective timelines; review hearings shortened; custody timeline change; judge consideration of foster bond) — Motion: moved by Senator Keiser, seconded by Senator Seiferfeld; outcome: sent to print (voice vote). - RS32348 (residential care/assisted living regulatory updates) — Motion: moved by Senator Harris, seconded by Senator Keiser; outcome: sent to print (voice vote). - RS31947C1 (one free copy of medical records for Social Security disability applicants) — Motion: moved by Senator Wintrow, seconded by Senator Blaylock; outcome: sent to print (voice vote).

Ending Committee members indicated the RS introductions were intended to set up fuller hearings later in the session. The committee adjourned with the measures advanced for printing and further consideration at subsequent committee hearings.