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Senate committee approves 60% increase in physical therapy licensure fee amid budget concerns
Summary
The Senate Health and Welfare Committee approved a pending rule to raise physical therapist licensure fees from $25 to $40 (a $15, 60% increase) after DOPL warned of declining cash reserves and projected negative balances; some senators pressed for formal cost‑benefit analysis before approving the increase.
The Senate Health and Welfare Committee voted to approve a pending rule that raises the Idaho physical therapist initial licensure fee from $25 to $40 and the physical therapy assistant fee from $20 to $30.
Oren Duffin, program director in the Health Professions Bureau of the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL), told the committee the board’s cash balance fell to $23,521 at the close of fiscal year 2025, about 16% of the five‑year rolling average, and that the division projects the board could be at a negative $50,000 reserve by fiscal year 2029. "The division is anticipating that the cost to operate will continue to persist," Duffin said, explaining cost drivers including co‑location on the Chinden campus and the expense of moving to the OASIS online licensing system.
Senators who opposed the increase called for a more formal accounting. Senator Lenny said he had not seen a cost‑benefit analysis and called the proposal "pretty unreasonable" without supporting data. Duffin replied that DOPL’s finance team performs modeling and scenario analyses and offered to provide a formal cost‑benefit analysis after the meeting.
The committee heard support from a professional association representative who testified online. Jonathan Gardunia, who identified himself as "president of the Bridal Physical Therapy Association," said his group preferred a fee increase over consolidating or merging boards: "Our preference would be to increase the fee, instead of having a consolidated board and maintaining an independent licensing board is our main priority," he said.
After discussion, the committee took a roll‑call vote and the motion to approve the pending rule passed on the record.
