Bill description: HB 169 would increase the licensing fees that health departments can assess, would add fees they may assess and limit them from assessing any others.
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Does it directly or indirectly create or increase any taxes, fees, or other assessments? Conversely, does it eliminate or reduce any taxes, fees, or other assessments?
Under current law, Idaho’s various health departments are responsible for licensing eating establishments and overseeing food safety efforts throughout their district.
The licensing fees assessed by the district health departments are:
- Sixty-five dollars ($65.00) for temporary food establishments, intermittent food establishments and mobile food establishments without a commissary;
- Eighty-five dollars ($85.00) for mobile food establishments with a commissary;
- One hundred twenty-five dollars ($125) for all other food establishments, except for food establishments with more than two (2) licenses on one (1) premises under common ownership; and
- One hundred fifty dollars ($150) for food establishments with more than two (2) licenses on one (1) premises under common ownership.
HB 151 would charge temporary food establishments based on the number of days they are open, and it would gradually increase the other fees each year through 2022. In 2022, the fees would be increased to:
- Thirty-five dollars ($35.00) for a temporary food establishment operating for one (1) day, forty-five dollars ($45.00) for a temporary food establishment operating for two (2) or three (3) days, and eighty dollars ($80.00) for a temporary food establishment operating for four (4) or more days or at multiple events;
- Eighty dollars ($80.00) for intermittent food establishments;
- Eighty dollars ($80.00) for mobile food establishments without a commissary;
- One hundred dollars ($100) for mobile food establishments with a commissary;
- Two hundred dollars ($200) for all other food establishments, except for food establishments with more than two (2) licenses on one (1) premises under common ownership; and
- Two hundred fifty dollars ($250) for food establishments with more than two (2) licenses on one (1) premises under common ownership.
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HB 151 would also allow health departments to assess:
- A plan review and pre-operational inspection fee of one hundred dollars ($100);
- A late fee for any fees paid past the applicable deadline; a license reinstatement fee of eighteen dollars ($18.00); a request-for-variance fee of fifty dollars ($50.00) per hour;
- A compliance conference fee of one hundred dollars ($100) per hour;
- Enforcement and legal fees of one hundred fifty dollars ($150) per hour; and
- Fees covering operational costs for inspections conducted under a federal law or regulation.
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HB 151 would prohibit health departments from imposing any additional fees on food establishments beyond those which are specified in statute. This would protect eating establishments from health departments which seek to pad their budgets by assessing many different fees on licensees.
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