The bill establishes the Idaho Rural Health Transformation Fund and the Rural Health Transformation Committee, amending Title 56 of the Idaho Code by adding a new chapter. The Idaho Rural Health Transformation Fund will be created in the state treasury, consisting of funds received from the federal rural health transformation program grant. These funds will be exclusively used for federally approved purposes and will require legislative appropriation based on recommendations from the newly formed Rural Health Transformation Committee. The fund will also be subject to annual public reporting of all financial activities.
The Rural Health Transformation Committee will consist of nine members, including four appointed by the president pro tempore of the senate, four by the speaker of the house, and one nonvoting member selected by the governor. The committee will have various responsibilities, including establishing rules for governance, creating funding requirements, overseeing the award review process, and evaluating the success of funded programs. The committee will remain active until all funds have been appropriated and expended, ensuring ongoing oversight and accountability for the use of the Idaho Rural Health Transformation Fund. An emergency clause is included, allowing the act to take effect immediately upon passage and approval.