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 · Senate Mar 18, 2026

SB 158: Recreational Therapy Program Amendments

SB 158 expands Medicaid reimbursement eligibility to include licensed residential support programs accredited by the American Camp Association, directly affecting Medicaid beneficiaries receiving recreational therapy services in these facilities. The bill adds this program type to the existing list of covered settings (like hospitals and skilled nursing facilities) where qualified enrollees - those enrolled in Medicaid and referred by a mental health therapist - can access reimbursed services. It authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services to seek necessary federal waivers to implement this change, with no new state funding required. The policy takes effect May 6, 2026, and focuses solely on expanding coverage eligibility without altering service criteria or beneficiary requirements.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands Medicaid reimbursement eligibility for recreational therapy services, increasing access to covered healthcare under Medicaid program.95% 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 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 · 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 · Senate Mar 18, 2026

SB 170: Vitamin K Amendments

SB 170 requires healthcare providers and unlicensed midwives to administer vitamin K to newborn infants within 24 hours of birth. Parents may decline this administration by signing a form acknowledging the risks of not receiving vitamin K, which must be included in the infant's medical record. The bill defines key terms like "health care provider" and "unlicensed direct-entry midwife" and applies to all newborns in Utah. This directly affects newborns, their caregivers, and healthcare providers during delivery.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates vitamin K administration for newborns to prevent hemorrhagic disease, a standard preventive health measure protecting infant health and aligning with medical best practices.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 · 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

passed both · Utah · House Mar 17, 2026

HJR 4: Resolution Regarding Prison Security and Successful Inmate Reentry

This is a non-binding resolution (HJR 4) from Utah's legislature urging Congress to take specific actions on prison security and inmate reentry. It requests Congress to support the 2025 Second Chance Reauthorization Act (to restore funding for reentry programs), expand affordable health care access for incarcerated individuals before release, pass the 2025 Cell Phone Jamming Reform Act, criminalize drone flights over prisons, and allow pilot programs to mitigate drone threats. The resolution does not appropriate funds or create new state laws, but highlights federal policy gaps using statistics on recidivism, contraband cell phones, and drone incidents. It directly addresses Congress, not Utah residents or state agencies.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesResolution urges restoration of funding for reentry programs and healthcare access, aligning with funding essential services under Budget & Taxes.90% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeUrges funding for reentry programs (Second Chance Act), healthcare access pre-release, and drone security to reduce recidivism and improve inmate reentry outcomes.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExplicitly urges expanding affordable healthcare access for incarcerated individuals before release, aligns with Medicaid support in subjects95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyExplicitly requests passage of Cell Phone Jamming Reform Act and drone security measures to enhance prison cybersecurity, directly advancing technology regulation for security purposes.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

Track

signed · Utah · House Mar 17, 2026

HB 258: Insurance Coverage Amendments

HB 258 requires health insurance plans in Utah to cover reversal treatments for gender transition if the plan covers transition-related care. Specifically, plans covering hormonal transgender treatments must also cover reversal hormonal treatments, and plans covering surgical sex transition procedures must cover reversal surgeries. This applies to all health benefit plans renewed or entered into on or after January 1, 2027. The bill directly affects insurers and policyholders by mandating this coverage, without appropriating funds or adding new administrative requirements.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates insurance coverage for gender transition reversal treatments, expanding access to healthcare services for transgender individuals under covered plans.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare