Bill description: Certain physicians employed by the Department of Health and Welfare would be considered non-classified employees, which would free the state to pay these employees more.

Rating: -1

Does it increase government spending (for objectionable purposes) or debt?

House Bill 85 would add to Idaho Code 67-5303. This section says all employees are part of the classified employee personnel system, unless they’re specifically noted as exempt, or non-classified. State law currently lists 26 exemptions from the state employee personnel system, including state legislators, state constitutional officers and their employees and students employed at public universities.

This bill proposes to add subsection aa, which would read, “All licensed physicians employed by the department of health and welfare engaged in the practice of medicine as defined in section 54-1803(1), Idaho Code.” Title 54, Chapter 18 is the law regulating medical practitioners in the state.

Proponents of the legislation argue that by making these employees non-classified, state jobs will be more attractive to potential job recruits and the state will be more competitive with the private sector. To view it from the other end of the lens, this bill will use taxpayer dollars to make state jobs more lucrative at the expense of the private sector. (-1)