Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Licensing Fees Morticians topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Senate committee approves rules for morticians board, including about‑20% fee increase and shift to biannual licensure
Summary
The Senate Commerce and Human Resources Committee approved docket 24‑0801‑2401, the Idaho State Board of Morticians rule rewrite, after hearing from John Price. The board proposes a roughly 20% fee increase and a move to biannual fees to restore the board's cash balance after a reported negative balance of about $59,000.
The Senate Commerce and Human Resources Committee voted 8–1 to approve docket 24‑0801‑2401, a comprehensive rewrite of the Idaho State Board of Morticians’ rules that includes licensing, trainee supervision, inspection timing and a proposed fee increase.
John Price, bureau chief for the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses and executive officer for the Idaho State Board of Morticians, told the committee the rewrite removes language duplicative of statute, clarifies trainee supervision and documentation requirements, sets initial inspections to occur before licensure, and changes continuing education to 10 hours every two years. Price said the board proposes fee increases of approximately 20% and a move to a biannual fee structure to meet statutory cash‑balance targets; he gave the example that an $85 annual funeral director license would become $170 every two years and, with the 20% increase, would be $200.
Price told senators the board had a negative balance of just over $59,000 as of Sept. 30 of the prior year and that investigatory and disciplinary costs have increased, contributing to the deficit. He said other professional licensing boards that were in surplus had effectively lent funds to allow operations to continue and that the board would repay those amounts as receipts were collected.
Committee members asked how the biannual cycle would be implemented. Price said the division plans to stagger renewals by birth year to avoid revenue cliffs and “increment” the schedule so the board does not lose funding during the transition. He also said the fee changes were proposed to bring the board’s balance up to the statutorily required floor.
Several senators expressed concern about the size of some increases. Senator Lakey said he would support raising fees so the profession supports its own regulation; Vice Chair Senator Lenny said he personally preferred only moving to biannual licensing without the larger dollar increases and recorded a nay on the roll call. Senator Ward Engleking moved to adopt the docket and Senator Leahy seconded; the committee approved the docket on a roll call, 8 ayes to 1 nay.
The motion to approve was recorded as docket 24‑0801‑2401 approved and will be filed as final rule changes per the division’s process.
