Idaho Public Health Association | http://www.ipha.wildapricot.org

February 13, 2015

Legislative Update February 13, 2015

The 2015 Idaho legislative session is gaining momentum. Although the Instant Racing debate seems to have commandeered the news, there have been a number of new bills introduced this week with public health implications. This week's legislative update provides a summary of various public health related happenings during the 5th week of legislation session.

Updates will now be emailed as well as posted on the 2015 Legislative Updates page.

H0098: Telehealth Services

The House Health and Welfare Committee introduced House Bill No. 98 the legislation will establish the Idaho Telehealth Access Act. The intent of this action is to clarify telehealth services by defining terms, providing and clarifying requirements,and to provide that certain boards may subject providers of telehealth services to professional discipline and to grant rulemaking authority to certain boards.

Full bill text can be found here

S1094: Abortion - Hospital Location

This week the Senate Health and Welfare Committee introduced a bill that would require Idaho physicians that perform abortions to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 20 miles of where the abortion took place.

Full bill text can be found here

Concealed Weapons Bills

Last week the House State Affairs Committee introduced legislation that would allow Idaho citizens to carry concealed weapons without a permit.

This week the Senate State Affairs Committee has introduced a bill with a more narrow scope that provides clarifications and would allow people to carry concealed weapons outside city limits in Idaho without a permit.

Full bill text can be found here

Type-One Diabetes Awareness Day

IPHA's very own undergraduate researcher, Taylor Neher, was part of Idaho history on Monday. First Lady Lori Otter officially identified Monday February 9, 2015 as Type-One Diabetes Awareness Day..

Different diabetes related organizations and families affected by the disease came together at the Capitol to witness Mrs. Otter read the proclamation of Type-One Diabetes Awareness Day. Following the proclamation, organizations were invited to stay and have conversations with legislators and the public. Taylor was there as a representative for Idaho Diabetes Youth Programs. She has been involved in the organization for about seven years and is currently the director of Dtreat, which is a retreat for young diabetic adults.

Childhood Early Learning

This week a report was released by KidsCount, Idaho Voices for Children, the Idaho Head Start Association, and the Idaho Association for the Education of Young Children revealed that less than 54% of Idaho's children were at grade level upon entering kindergarten and 54% of Idaho's young children live in low-income homes. In addition, only a third of Idaho's 3 - 4 year olds are enrolled in preschool even though more than half of parents with young children are in the work force.

The report, released on Early Learning Legislative Day, was a call to action. Concerned citizens, experts, and advocates attended House and Senate Education committee report hearings to lend support to efforts to strengthen our early childhood education system.

The full report can be found here

Close the Gap BSU Campus Event

As the Public Health Club President at Boise State University Molly Volk, in partnership with Close the Gap Idaho, will present an informational Medicaid Redesign Workshop to students and the public. The workshop includes a presentation on the steps taken by Close the Gap to develop an effective health care policy that provides health coverage for more Idahoans and a discussion on how individuals can get involved. The event is scheduled for:

When: 4:00 PM on February 17th

Where: The Brink Room @ the Student Union Building

Bills/Rules of Note

If there are specific Bills or Rules that you would like Molly to track, please let her know.

For full bill text and more information regarding bills this session, please go to the Idaho Legislature Bill Center

Bill No	Description	Last Action
H0002	Sexual orientation, gender identity	01/16/2015 House - Reported Printed and Referred to State Affairs
H0004	Controlled substances	02/11/2015 Senate - Introduced, read first time; referred to: Health & Welfare
H0005	Pharmacy, licensure requirements	02/10/2015 Senate - Introduced, read first time; referred to: Health & Welfare
H0006	Prescription drugs	02/11/2015 Senate - Introduced, read first time; referred to: Health & Welfare
H0007	Controlled substances	02/10/2015 Senate - Introduced, read first time; referred to: Health & Welfare
H0008	Pharmacy bd	02/11/2015 Senate - Introduced, read first time; referred to: Health & Welfare
H0009	Uniform controlled substances	02/10/2015 Senate - Introduced, read first time; referred to: Health & Welfare
H0021	Nurses, ed brd approval/curriculum	02/13/2015 House - Returned from Senate Passed; to JRA for Enrolling
H0023	Massage therapy	02/12/2015 Senate - Introduced, read first time; referred to: Health & Welfare
H0024	Occupational therapy	02/11/2015 Senate - Introduced, read first time; referred to: Health & Welfare
H0025	Physical therapy practice exemption	02/11/2015 Senate - Introduced, read first time; referred to: Health & Welfare
H0033	Hlth & sfty/substanc abuse treatmnt	02/13/2015 House - Passed: Ayes 67 Nays 0 Abs/Excd 3, title approved, to Senate
H0046	Health benefit plans	02/13/2015 Senate - Introduced, read first time; referred to: Health & Welfare
H0066	Concealed weapons licenses	02/06/2015 Senate - Introduced, read first time; referred to: State Affairs
H0088	Chemical abortion	02/06/2015 House - Reported Printed and Referred to State Affairs
H0089	Concealed weapons	02/06/2015 House - Reported Printed and Referred to State Affairs
H0098	Telehealth access act	02/11/2015 House - Reported Printed and Referred to Health & Welfare
H0107	Immunization board, sunset date	02/11/2015 House - Reported Printed and Referred to Health & Welfare
H0108	Pharmacy, opioid antagonists	02/11/2015 House - Reported Printed and Referred to Health & Welfare
HCR005	Diabetes month	02/11/2015 House - Reported Printed and Referred to Health & Welfare
S1001	Workplace safety	01/22/2015 Senate - Reported Printed; referred to Commerce & Human Resources
S1036	Dentistry, licensees, notice	02/13/2015 House - Read First Time, Referred to Health & Welfare
S1037	Dentistry, license renewal	02/12/2015 Senate - Retained on calendar
S1060	Psychologists, prescriptions	02/11/2015 Senate - Reported Printed; referred to Health & Welfare
S1067	Health-welfare, family support act	02/13/2015 Senate - Reported Printed; referred to Judiciary & Rules
S1080	Genetic counselors	02/13/2015 Senate - Introduced; read first time; referred to JR for Printing
S1081	Self-funded health care plans	02/13/2015 Senate - Introduced; read first time; referred to JR for Printing
S1090	Concealed weapons, clarifications	02/13/2015 Senate - Introduced; read first time; referred to JR for Printing
S1094	Abortion, hospital location	02/13/2015 Senate - Introduced; read first time; referred to JR for Printing
SCR104	Suicide prevention	02/13/2015 Senate - Introduced; read first time; referred to JR for Printing

During the coming months, IPHA's Policy Intern, Molly Volk, will be monitoring public health related issues that appear during the 2015 Legislative Session.

Molly is a student at Boise State University studying Health Science Policy and Leadership with a minor in Business Administration. She will be graduating in May and plans to pursue a Master of Health Science degree with an emphasis in Policy at Boise State in the fall.

Past updates can be found at:

http://www.ipha.wildapricot.org/2015-Legislative-Updates

If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, or if there are issues that you would like her to follow this session, she can be contacted at [email protected].

Idaho Public Health Association | 208-866-0545 | [email protected] | http://ipha.wildapricot.org/
P.O. Box 6247
Boise, ID 83707

Idaho Public Health Association | http://www.ipha.wildapricot.org