Healthcare

signed · Utah · House Mar 18, 2026

HB 343: Nursing Care Facility Program Amendments

HB 343 amends Utah's Medicaid certification rules for nursing care facilities, primarily affecting facilities seeking to renew or transfer certification when relocating or renovating. The key change allows facilities with a previously approved two-year extension for relocation to request a longer four-year extension under specific circumstances, such as emergencies or documented need. It also clarifies requirements for maintaining certification during facility transitions, including written assurances to avoid disputes over facility ownership. The bill makes technical updates to existing code but does not appropriate new funds or change bed capacity rules without director approval. This streamlines certification continuity for facilities relocating within counties or within five miles of their original site.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEnables longer Medicaid certification extensions for nursing facilities during relocations/renovations, ensuring continued service access and compliance with healthcare program requirements.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Utah · House Mar 18, 2026

HB 380: Hospital Workplace Violence Reporting Requirements

HB 380 requires Utah hospitals to establish systems for tracking and reporting workplace violence incidents involving staff. Hospitals must record details like incident timing, victim job roles, perpetrator type (patient, visitor, or employee), and responses; prohibit retaliation against reporters; and submit quarterly data to medical/nursing leadership by November 2026. They must also maintain records for two years and provide annual reports to the state department. The bill also delays repealing enhanced criminal penalties for violence against health facility employees until 2032.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires hospitals to track/report workplace violence against staff, enhancing safety for healthcare workers (a core healthcare workforce protection measure).90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates hospitals to track workplace violence, prohibit retaliation against reporters, and improve safety reporting - directly advancing worker safety protections in Labor & Employment.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Utah · House Mar 18, 2026

HB 383: Department of Health and Human Services Amendments

HB 383 amends Utah's Health and Human Services code to clarify operational procedures within the department. It removes rulemaking authority from the Primary Care Grant Committee, clarifies membership and independence for the Compassionate Use Board and Health Workforce Advisory Council, and updates rules for Medicaid dental benefits and disability service funding transitions. The bill also specifies that the department may establish rules for congregate care ombudsman services and clarifies hospital transfer procedures for individuals in correctional custody. These changes affect department staff, advisory boards, healthcare providers, and service recipients, but the bill contains no new funding or significant policy shifts.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareUpdates Medicaid dental benefits and disability funding rules, clarifying procedures to maintain service access without defunding85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Utah · House Mar 18, 2026

HB 205: Substance Use Intervention Amendments

HB 205 creates new pathways for substance use treatment within Utah's criminal justice system. It allows county jails to establish recovery housing pods for incarcerated individuals with substance use disorders, requiring approval by local substance abuse authorities and structured treatment programs. The bill also restricts syringe exchange programs to only distributing syringes (not other drug paraphernalia) and prohibits exchanges in public parks. Additionally, it authorizes courts to implement structured treatment programs for drug offenses and issue geographic "off-limits" orders for individuals charged with drug crimes. These changes primarily affect jails, local health authorities, and courts managing drug-related cases.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeCreates recovery housing pods and treatment programs within jails to address substance use disorders, promoting rehabilitation and reducing recidivism in criminal justice system.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCreates treatment pathways in jails, requires structured programs, aligns with healthcare services for substance use disorders92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Utah · House Mar 18, 2026

HB 402: EMS Controlled Substance Licensing Amendments

HB 402 creates a new state license specifically for emergency medical services (EMS) agencies to legally handle controlled substances (like naloxone or epinephrine) during emergencies. It requires EMS agencies to obtain this license, mandates record-keeping and storage rules, and authorizes the Division of Professional Licensing to enforce standards, deny/suspend licenses for violations, and collect fees. The bill directly affects all Utah EMS agencies currently distributing controlled substances, ensuring they operate under unified state regulations instead of relying solely on federal rules. Key provisions include requiring medical directors to issue standing orders for substance administration and setting clear procedures for license management and inspections.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEnables EMS agencies to legally administer controlled substances (e.g., naloxone) during emergencies, improving emergency healthcare access and safety standards for patients.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Utah · House Mar 18, 2026

HB 174: Sex Characteristic Change Treatment Amendments

HB 174 prohibits health care providers in Utah from administering cross-sex hormones or puberty blockers to minors after January 28, 2027, unless the minor was diagnosed with gender dysphoria before January 28, 2023. The bill amends Utah Code Section 58-1-603.1 to establish this ban, directly affecting minors seeking these treatments who do not meet the pre-2023 diagnosis requirement. It repeals a prior requirement for medical evidence reviews (Section 26B-1-239) and takes effect on May 6, 2026. The law applies to all minors under Utah's definition, with violations classified as unprofessional conduct for providers.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareRestricts access to gender-affirming medical treatments (hormones/puberty blockers) for minors, directly limiting healthcare options under specific conditions.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Utah · Senate Mar 18, 2026

SB 222: Right to Try Amendments

SB 222 amends Utah's "Right to Try" law to expand access to investigational drugs. It removes the requirement that patients have a terminal illness, instead allowing individuals with serious conditions that pose significant risks compared to experimental treatments and limited conventional options to qualify. The bill updates definitions to clarify "eligible illness" and expands permissible medicinal dosage forms (e.g., adding transdermal and sublingual options). This change directly affects patients seeking experimental treatments who previously faced eligibility barriers due to non-terminal diagnoses. The law takes effect May 6, 2026, with no new funding required.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands access to investigational drugs by removing terminal illness requirement, improving patient access for serious conditions with limited options.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Utah · House Mar 18, 2026

HB 417: Patient Interfacility Transportation Requirements

HB 417 allows patients to use non-medical transportation (like family rides or public transit) for moving between healthcare facilities when their condition doesn't require ambulance transport. It requires hospitals to provide written notices explaining why ambulance isn't needed, potential insurance coverage issues, and cost details, and to help arrange the transport. Receiving facilities cannot charge for admission or readmission if the patient arrives within two hours of discharge without a medical condition change, and must hold the offered bed. The bill also protects hospitals from liability when non-medical transport is permitted under the specified conditions.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAllows non-medical transport between facilities, requires cost transparency, prevents admission fees for timely arrivals, improving patient access and reducing financial barriers.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Utah · House Mar 18, 2026

HB 414: Dental Hygienist Amendments

HB 414 amends Utah's definition of "public health setting" to explicitly include hospitals. This change allows dental hygienists working in hospitals to practice without requiring general supervision from a dentist (meaning a dentist doesn't need to be physically present on-site). The bill directly affects dental hygienists employed in hospital settings by expanding their scope of practice within those facilities. It does not appropriate funds or change other licensing requirements, focusing solely on clarifying where hygienists can work independently. The amendment takes effect May 6, 2026.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands dental hygienists' scope of practice in hospitals, improving patient access to dental services without requiring on-site dentist supervision.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Utah · Senate Mar 18, 2026

SB 204: Physical Therapy Payment Amendments

SB 204 requires Utah health insurers to apply the same cost-sharing rules (like copays and deductibles) for physical therapy services as they do for primary care visits. This directly affects patients seeking physical therapy and insurers, ensuring they pay no more out-of-pocket for PT than for a primary care visit. The bill amends Utah law to prohibit insurers from charging higher fees or imposing extra costs for physical therapy compared to primary care, while clarifying that physical therapists must still practice within existing scope-of-practice laws. It takes effect January 1, 2027, with no new funding required.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires insurers to apply same cost-sharing for PT as primary care, improving patient access by preventing higher out-of-pocket costs for physical therapy services.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare