Bill Description: Senate Bill 1286 adds regulations necessitating permits for psychological service extenders and repeals language limiting regulations on psychology students, interns, and residents.
Bill Rating: -2
Does it give government any new, additional, or expanded power to prohibit, restrict, or regulate activities in the free market?
SB 1286 creates new extensive regulations of professionals who work with psychologists but who are not licensed psychologists, referred to as “service extenders.” This bill repeals parts of Chapter 54-2303 of Idaho Code that limit the effect of regulations on psychology students, interns and residents. It would let the state how these psychology trainees participate in their learning programs.
Contrary to the statement of purpose, this legislation grants the state more power in the oversight and regulation of training psychologists.
(-1)
Does it increase barriers to entry into the market?
This bill creates a statutory definition of “service extenders” and requires these employees to have a state permit to practice. This provision adds red tape that could restrict the process of training psychologists in Idaho.
The need for this additional regulation is suspect since this program has existed for more than 30 years without such provisions. Currently, licensed psychologists can select service extenders on their own, then report their activities to the Idaho Board of Psychological Examiners (BPE). It is unclear if these reporting requirements would remain in place if this bill is enacted. If they would, the BPE would have a system for pre-screening and continuously monitoring these professionals.
Under this new permitting process, SB 1286 would limit the capacity of the free market to compensate for the need for psychological professionals in the Gem State, by imposing unnecessary government oversight.
(-1)
