Idaho House panel approves free medical clinic exemption

An Idaho lawmaker is pushing legislation that would exempt free medical clinics from paying sales tax.

The Times-News reports that the House Revenue and Taxation Committee approved Republican Rep. Clark Kauffman’s proposal on Thursday. The bill must not clear the House floor.

Kauffman, from Filer, says Idaho currently has 10 free clinics registered with the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. Those clinics provided medical services to an estimated 18,000 people who were at or below the poverty level in 2016.

The estimated cost of the bill is $11,000 per year.

Kauffman says exempting free medical clinics from paying sales tax will help expand services and save the state money.

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Information from: The Times-News, http://www.magicvalley.com