Bill Analyses and Ratings
Bill Information: S1284 – Dietitian Licensure Compact – Interstate Practice
Bill Summary
This bill enacts the Dietitian Licensure Compact, allowing Idaho to join an interstate agreement that enables licensed dietitians to practice across member states without obtaining separate licenses in each state. The compact creates a ‘compact privilege’ for qualifying dietitians who hold an unencumbered license in their home state and meet specified education, examination, and credentialing requirements—either as a registered dietitian through the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) or through equivalent education (master’s or doctoral degree from ACEND-accredited programs), supervised practice experience (1,000 hours), and passage of a national credentialing examination.
The bill establishes the Dietitian Licensure Compact Commission as a joint government agency composed of delegates from all member states. This commission has broad rulemaking authority to create regulations with the force of law, maintains a coordinated data system for licensure and disciplinary information, and is funded through assessments on member states and fees on licensees. The commission can take enforcement actions against non-compliant states and has qualified immunity for its members and staff.
The compact preserves state regulatory authority over dietetics practice within each state’s borders while facilitating interstate mobility. Remote states retain the power to take adverse action against a licensee’s compact privilege, while only the home state can take action against the underlying license. The bill includes provisions supporting active military members and their spouses by allowing them to designate a home state and retain that designation during active duty. The compact becomes effective when seven states enact it and includes an emergency clause making Idaho’s participation effective July 1, 2026.
Overall Assessment
This bill facilitates interstate practice for licensed dietitians by eliminating the need for multiple state licenses, directly benefiting dietitians who work across state lines and potentially improving public access to nutrition services. The compact creates a new interstate regulatory body with rulemaking authority and funding mechanisms through state assessments and licensee fees. While the bill streamlines professional mobility, it establishes an additional layer of interstate governance that operates independently of direct state legislative control once enacted.
Rating Breakdown
ARTICLE I. RESPONSIBILITY IN GOVERNMENT (0)
The bill creates the Dietitian Licensure Compact Commission as a new governmental entity with rulemaking authority (Section 8.C) and funding through member state assessments and licensee fees (Section 8.G.3). However, this commission is self-funded rather than supported by general tax revenue, and it addresses professional licensure rather than core government fiscal operations. The bill does not directly engage with state budget processes, debt management, or constitutional spending obligations that are the focus of this metric.
ARTICLE II. CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT IN GOVERNMENT (0)
This bill addresses professional licensing for dietitians and interstate regulatory cooperation. It does not relate to election procedures, voting rights, citizen participation in government, or political discourse that are the focus of this metric.
ARTICLE III. EDUCATION (0)
While the bill references educational requirements for dietitian licensure (Section 4.A.1.b.i requires master's or doctoral degrees from accredited programs), these are professional credentialing standards rather than K-12 or higher education policy. The bill does not address curriculum, parental rights in education, school choice, or education funding mechanisms.
ARTICLE IV. AGRICULTURE (0)
This bill concerns professional licensing for dietitians and has no connection to agricultural policy, farming, ranching, water rights for agriculture, or agricultural markets. There is no subject matter overlap with this metric.
ARTICLE V. WATER (0)
This bill addresses dietitian licensure and interstate practice privileges. It has no connection to water rights, water management, dam policy, or water appropriation issues that are the focus of this metric.
ARTICLE VI. NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT (0)
This bill concerns professional licensing for dietitians and has no connection to natural resources, environmental policy, land use, wilderness areas, or forest management. There is no subject matter overlap with this metric.
ARTICLE VII. ENERGY (0)
This bill addresses dietitian licensure and has no connection to energy policy, energy independence, hydroelectric power, nuclear energy, or energy research. There is no subject matter overlap with this metric.
ARTICLE VIII. IDAHO NATIONAL LABORATORIES (0)
This bill concerns professional licensing for dietitians and has no connection to the Idaho National Laboratory, nuclear research, or energy technology development. There is no subject matter overlap with this metric.
ARTICLE IX. PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS (0)
This bill addresses professional licensing for dietitians and does not affect private property rights, eminent domain, property development, or property regulations. There is no connection to Fifth Amendment takings or property ownership issues.
ARTICLE X. STATE AND FEDERAL LANDS (0)
This bill concerns professional licensing for dietitians and has no connection to state or federal land management, land ownership, or land administration. There is no subject matter overlap with this metric.
ARTICLE XI. WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT (0)
This bill addresses dietitian licensure and has no connection to wildlife management, hunting, fishing, or predator control. There is no subject matter overlap with this metric.
ARTICLE XII. ECONOMY (0)
The bill facilitates interstate practice by eliminating the need for multiple licenses (Section 1.C) and reducing administrative burdens (Section 1.D), which could theoretically affect commerce. However, the metric focuses on Idaho's core industries including agriculture, timber, mining, and manufacturing, as well as broader economic policies like taxation and labor regulation. Professional licensure portability for dietitians does not substantively engage with these economic policy areas.
ARTICLE XIII. HEALTH AND WELFARE (0)
The bill relates to healthcare professionals (dietitians) and includes provisions for medical nutrition therapy (Section 2.V). However, it does not address the metric's specific concerns about private versus socialized healthcare delivery systems, insurance mandates, patient choice, or conscience protections for providers. The bill focuses on licensure portability rather than healthcare delivery models or welfare program structure.
ARTICLE XIV. AMERICAN FAMILY (0)
This bill addresses professional licensing for dietitians and has no connection to family values, marriage, abortion, parental rights (outside educational context), or children's welfare as defined in this metric. There is no subject matter overlap.
ARTICLE XV. OLDER AMERICANS (0)
This bill addresses dietitian licensure and does not specifically address older Americans, retirement policies, or services for seniors. While dietitians may serve older populations, the bill does not contain provisions targeting this demographic or their specific needs.
ARTICLE XVI. LAW AND ORDER WITH JUSTICE (0)
This bill addresses professional licensing for dietitians and does not relate to criminal justice, gun rights, the death penalty, drug policy, incarceration, or juvenile justice. While it includes provisions for criminal history checks (Section 3.B.3) and disciplinary actions against licensees (Section 7), these are professional regulatory matters rather than criminal justice policy.
ARTICLE XVII. NATIONAL DEFENSE – SECURING THE BORDER (0)
The bill includes provisions supporting active military members and their spouses by allowing them to designate a home state and retain that designation during active duty (Section 6). However, this is a professional licensure accommodation rather than a substantive policy addressing military readiness, veterans' benefits, border security, or national defense operations that are the focus of this metric.
ARTICLE XVIII. ELECTION OF JUDGES AND IDAHO SUPREME COURT JUSTICES (0)
This bill addresses dietitian licensure and has no connection to judicial elections, judicial selection processes, or constitutional interpretation. There is no subject matter overlap with this metric.
ARTICLE XIX. RELIGIOUS LIBERTY (0)
This bill addresses professional licensing for dietitians and does not affect religious freedom, free exercise of religion, or the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. There is no subject matter overlap with this metric.