Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Sb1014 topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee approves moving newborn‑screening rules into Idaho law
Summary
Senate Bill 1014 would take existing newborn‑screening rules and place the same language into Idaho statute; sponsor Sen. Camille Blaylock said the measure does not change current practice and aims to ensure legislative oversight. The committee recommended the bill be sent to the Senate floor with a due‑pass.
Senate Bill 1014, sponsored by Sen. Camille Blaylock (D.-Dist. 11), would transfer existing Department of Health and Welfare rules governing newborn screening tests into Idaho statute without changing current practice.
Blaylock told the committee the rules being codified govern newborn screening tests performed on infants born in Idaho and noted the requirement dates back to 1921. The bill repeals six sections of code and reintroduces the rule language verbatim in consolidated statutory form. "This bill does not introduce new requirements or change current practices; it simply ensures that elected officials maintain clear oversight of what is being enforced today," she said.
A public testifier, Jennifer Beazer of Boise, said she works with families affected by conditions identified through newborn screening and urged support for moving the protections into statute. "These are genetic conditions. They don't go away. We don't grow out of them, and every day they're fighting for their needs," Beazer said.
After discussion, Senator Harris moved to send SB 1014 to the Senate floor with a due-pass recommendation; the motion was seconded and passed by voice vote. Senators on both sides of the aisle discussed the tradeoffs of codifying rules versus allowing executive-branch flexibility for implementation, but committee members agreed to advance the bill for floor consideration.
