Healthcare

signed · Utah · House Mar 17, 2026

HB 97: Medical Waste Amendments

HB 97, titled "Medical Waste Amendments" (though it addresses medication distribution, not waste), requires health facilities like hospitals, urgent care centers, and surgical facilities to offer unused portions of specific medications to patients upon discharge if continued treatment is needed. The bill covers topical antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, dilation drops, or glaucoma treatments provided during procedures or visits. It mandates that these medications be labeled per pharmacy laws and requires prescribers to counsel patients on proper use, while exempting them from standard pharmacy counseling rules. This applies directly to patients receiving facility-provided medications during care, effective May 6, 2026.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates free medication distribution to patients upon discharge, improving access to necessary treatments and reducing waste of usable medications.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Utah · Senate Mar 17, 2026

SB 31: Office of Professional Licensure Review Amendments

SB 31 amends Utah's professional licensure laws for health care providers, directly affecting physical therapists, occupational therapists, acupuncturists, nurse practitioners, and medication aides. It expands practice authority - allowing physical therapists to prescribe medical equipment and order certain imaging, and letting occupational therapists prescribe adaptive devices - and changes licensing requirements, such as replacing certification with a license for medication aides. The bill also increases registered nursing experience needed for nurse practitioner licensure, adjusts supervision rules for therapists, and clarifies prescriptive powers for acupuncturists. These changes aim to modernize scope-of-practice standards while maintaining safety protocols.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands practice authority for therapists, improving patient access to care without physician referral, aligning with healthcare access indicators.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Utah · House Mar 17, 2026

HB 117: Organ Donation Amendments

HB 117 requires Utah residents to receive organ donation registration information during three key state interactions: when using the Division of Wildlife Resources website, during initial healthcare facility visits, and in individual income tax forms or instructions. It also mandates the Department of Health to form a coalition creating a statewide communication plan for life-saving programs through state channels. The bill adds specific requirements for healthcare facilities to ask patients about donation status and provides links to the online donor registry on tax materials and state websites. These changes aim to increase registration rates by making information accessible at common state service touchpoints, with no new funding required.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates organ donation registration during healthcare visits and creates statewide communication plan for life-saving programs, advancing public health initiatives within healthcare services.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

passed · Utah · House Mar 7, 2026

HB 480: Medical Record Amendments

HB 480 amends Utah's medical record laws to clarify abortion classifications. It defines "elective abortion" as one not needed for health reasons and "medically indicated abortion" as one required to save a woman's life, treat a pregnancy loss, or address serious health risks. The bill allows patients to request that their medical records reflect a prior abortion as "not elective" (i.e., medically necessary), and requires healthcare providers to update records upon such a request. These changes affect patients who have had abortions and the healthcare providers maintaining their records, with no new funding or major procedural shifts.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareClarifies medical records to protect patient rights by allowing correction of abortion classifications to reflect medical necessity, advancing patient-centered healthcare documentation.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

Track

passed · Utah · House Mar 7, 2026

HB 216: Child Support Calculation Amendments

HB 216 amends Utah's child support law to exclude Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits from the gross income calculation used to determine child support payments. This change directly affects parents who receive SSDI, ensuring these disability benefits are not counted as income when calculating their child support obligation. The bill modifies Utah Code Section 81-6-203 by adding SSDI to a list of excluded benefits, alongside other means-tested programs like Medicaid and SNAP. This adjustment aligns with existing exclusions for similar benefits and prevents SSDI recipients from having these funds considered as available income for support payments. The change takes effect May 6, 2026.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExcludes SSDI (disability benefits) from child support calculations, protecting access to healthcare-related disability benefits per Utah Code changes.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

Track

passed · Utah · House Mar 7, 2026

HB 442: Feminine Hygiene Products Amendments

HB 442 requires manufacturers of menstrual products sold in Utah to list specific chemicals (like lead, cadmium, arsenic, and PFAS) and intentionally added ingredients on product packaging. It directly affects manufacturers of tampons, sanitary napkins, menstrual cups, and similar products sold in the state. The Division of Consumer Protection will enforce these labeling rules and create related regulations. This bill increases transparency about ingredients in feminine hygiene products without changing product safety standards or requiring new funding.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires labeling of harmful chemicals in menstrual products to enhance consumer health transparency and safety, aligning with public health protections in healthcare policy.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

Track

passed · Utah · House Mar 7, 2026

HB 14: Behavior Analyst Licensing Amendments

HB 14 extends the expiration date for Utah's Behavior Analyst Licensing Act from July 1, 2026, to July 1, 2036. This change ensures the law governing behavior analyst licensure remains in effect for an additional decade, preventing its automatic repeal. The bill includes minor technical adjustments to the relevant code but does not alter licensing requirements for behavior analysts. This extension directly affects behavior analysts and the state's regulatory process for their professional licensing.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExtends licensing for behavior analysts (mental health professionals), ensuring continuity of regulated healthcare services without altering requirements.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

Track

passed · Utah · House Mar 7, 2026

HB 28: Health and Human Services Sunset Amendments

HB 28 extends the expiration dates for several health-related programs and committees under Utah's Department of Health and Human Services. It specifically delays the sunset (repeal) of programs like the Rare Disease Advisory Council Grant Program, Newborn Hearing Screening Committee, Mobile Crisis Outreach Team Grant Program, and Behavioral Health Receiving Center Grant Program, pushing their expiration dates from 2026 to 2036 or later. The bill amends Utah Code sections to adjust these repeal deadlines without creating new programs or appropriating funds. These changes directly affect the ongoing operation of these advisory bodies and grant initiatives, allowing them to continue functioning past their original expiration dates.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExtends expiration dates for critical health programs (rare disease, newborn screening, mental health crisis services) preventing repeal, sustaining funding and services.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

Track

passed · Utah · House Mar 7, 2026

HB 70: Correctional Health Services Amendments

HB 70 requires Utah's Department of Health and Human Services to implement a new electronic health record system for inmate care by 2026, based on a working group's recommendations. It makes funds for unexpected high-cost correctional health care non-lapsing (meaning they won't expire if unused), and mandates a treatment plan for all inmates with substance use disorders, including medication-based treatment. The bill also sets accreditation standards for correctional health facilities and allows parole boards to consider health examiner reports when deciding parole conditions. These changes directly affect inmates in Utah's correctional facilities, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of Corrections.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates substance use treatment plans and accreditation standards for correctional health, advancing rehabilitation and facility standards within criminal justice reform.92% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates substance use treatment plans, ensures non-lapsing funds for care, and sets accreditation standards for correctional health facilities.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

Track

signed · Utah · House Feb 1, 2026

HB 7: Social Services Base Budget

HB 7 is the Social Services Base Budget for Utah’s fiscal years 2026 and 2027, providing $8.6 billion in total funding to state agencies, primarily the Department of Health and Human Services. It directly affects programs like Child and Family Services, Medicaid, mental health services, and health care administration by allocating specific funds - such as $1.588 billion from the General Fund for 2027 and $53.38 million for legal cost reporting. Key provisions include requiring the Health and Human Services Department to report to lawmakers by May 2026 on attorney fees for child welfare services, including historical costs and funding gaps. The bill establishes concrete budget allocations for operations, capital projects, and specific initiatives without changing program eligibility or creating new requirements.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates $8.6B total funding for social services including Medicaid, mental health, and Child Services, increasing public service funding through General Fund appropriations.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAllocates $1.588B General Fund for 2027 to Medicaid, mental health, and health services programs under DHHS95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare