Idaho Legislature: Ask Legislators to VOTE YES on S1052 - Health and welfare, bureau chiefs (posted 02/10/25)

• Bill: legislature.idaho.gov/s…

• Contact Legislators:

(Check the linked page or use My Bill Tracker for the bill’s current status.)

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Idaho's Health and Welfare Department is huge, expensive, and does not always serve the citizens well. S1052 may help remedy this situation, at least somewhat, by making H&W more accountable, hiring and firing more consistent, and leading potentially to a less bloated bureaucracy.

S1052 is a simple amendment to Idaho Code Section 56-1002. It clarifies the appointment process for bureau chiefs within the Department of Health and Welfare. It states that any new bureau chief must be appointed by the department director and serve at the director's pleasure, with the concurrence of the board.

This provision aligns with existing language about division administrators, establishing a consistent approach to leadership appointments within the department. It formalizes and standardizes the hiring process for bureau-level leadership within the state's health and welfare department, ensuring that such appointments are made with both the director's approval and the board's concurrence.