Healthcare

signed · Utah · Senate Mar 19, 2026

SB 319: Health Insurance Preauthorization Amendments

SB 319 requires Utah health insurance companies to increase transparency around preauthorization processes. It mandates insurers to post detailed preauthorization requirements and statistics on their websites, disclose if they use artificial intelligence in reviews, and make decisions within seven days. The bill also sets minimum validity periods for authorizations covering chronic or long-term care conditions and requires independent medical judgment for denials. These changes directly affect insurers, healthcare providers submitting requests, and patients seeking covered services.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates insurer transparency, faster decisions, and independent reviews for denials, improving patient access and rights in health insurance preauthorization processes.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Utah · Senate Mar 19, 2026

SB 244: Cardiac Emergency Response Plans in Schools

SB 244 requires all Utah public schools to develop cardiac emergency response plans (CERPs) by the 2026-2027 school year, directly affecting every school within a local education agency (LEA). The bill mandates that CERPs include evidence-based emergency cardiovascular care protocols, proper placement and maintenance of automated external defibrillators (AEDs), and training for staff in CPR and AED use. It establishes a $200,000 grant program prioritizing high-needs schools (those with Title I status or over 50% free/reduced lunch students) to cover AED purchases, maintenance, and staff training. The State Board of Education will oversee implementation and set rules for compliance, with the law taking effect July 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates cardiac safety protocols and $200k grants for high-needs schools, enhancing student health and safety within education95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates evidence-based cardiac emergency protocols, AEDs, and staff training in schools, directly enhancing student health services and public health safety through funding and requirements.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Utah · House Mar 19, 2026

HB 590: Child Therapy Amendments

HB 590 ensures children transitioning out of foster care in Utah can continue seeing their existing mental health therapist without losing coverage. It requires insurers to offer special agreements for these children (called "covered children") to access out-of-network therapists who provided care while they were in foster care, with the same cost-sharing as in-network providers. The Division of Child and Family Services must also coordinate with therapists when children enter or leave foster care to maintain treatment continuity. This applies specifically to children receiving outpatient mental health services, excluding those in residential or higher-level care facilities.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEnsures continuous mental health coverage for foster care youth by requiring insurers to cover out-of-network therapists at in-network cost-sharing, expanding access and protecting patient rights.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Utah · Senate Mar 19, 2026

SB 73: Online Age Verification Amendments

SB 73 requires online platforms providing content deemed harmful to minors to implement age verification systems. It imposes an excise tax on these platforms, with revenues funding mental health programs and enforcement through the Division of Consumer Protection. The bill creates two dedicated accounts for these funds and grants the Division authority to investigate violations, impose fines, and establish verification standards. Platforms failing to comply face civil penalties, while approved verification methods receive a safe harbor from liability.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill imposes excise tax on platforms to fund mental health programs and enforcement, directly allocating tax revenue to public services per Budget & Taxes topic description.92% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill allocates excise tax revenues to fund mental health programs, directly advancing mental health services under healthcare topic.90% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyMandates age verification for minors' safety on platforms, funds mental health via tax, aligns with consumer protection regulations in tech governance.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Utah · House Mar 19, 2026

HB 321: Inmate Medical Treatment Rates Amendments

HB 321 establishes that Utah's Department of Health and Human Services must pay University of Utah Hospitals and Clinics the standard Medicaid base rate (not higher rates) for inmate medical care when no contract exists, creating a savings mechanism. It requires the department to deposit 50% of these savings into a new "Inmate Medical Treatment Restricted Account" for correctional health services, while the other 50% returns to the General Fund. The bill mandates annual reports to legislative committees detailing the savings calculations and account balances. This directly affects state departments managing inmate healthcare, hospitals providing services, and incarcerated individuals receiving medical treatment. The policy changes focus on standardizing reimbursement rates and tracking cost savings without altering healthcare delivery.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill standardizes inmate medical rates to save costs, directing 50% of savings to General Fund, promoting fiscal responsibility and budget management.92% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill allocates 50% of inmate medical savings to correctional health services, directly funding a key criminal justice component per bill's funding mechanism.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill redirects 50% of savings from lower inmate medical payments into a dedicated correctional health services account, explicitly funding this healthcare subsector.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Utah · House Mar 19, 2026

HB 390: Veterans PTSD Clinical Research Amendments

HB 390 authorizes Utah's Huntsman Mental Health Institute to conduct a clinical study on the safety and feasibility of psychedelic-assisted therapy for veterans with treatment-resistant PTSD (veterans whose PTSD hasn't improved with standard treatments). The bill permits Huntsman to accept donations and grants to fund the study, requiring combined legislative appropriations and donations to reach a sufficient threshold by January 1, 2027, to begin the research. Huntsman must report findings to the Health and Human Services Interim Committee and will return unused donations by July 1, 2032. The study must comply with federal and state regulations, including FDA oversight and safety protocols for administering psychedelic drugs like MDMA or psilocybin in controlled settings. The bill makes no direct funding appropriation and focuses solely on enabling this specific research initiative.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill requires legislative appropriations to fund PTSD research, directly advancing budget allocation for a specific health program through state funding.85% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAuthorizes clinical research on psychedelic therapy for veterans' PTSD, funding mental health treatment innovation through legislative appropriations and grants.95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransAuthorizes clinical research on psychedelic therapy for veterans' PTSD, funding new treatment options to improve veteran healthcare access.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Utah · Senate Mar 18, 2026

SB 261: Pharmacy Practice Amendments

SB 261 amends Utah's pharmacy laws to expand pharmacists' roles and improve oversight. It allows pharmacists to prescribe vaccines and epinephrine directly, increases patient access to these services, and permits online sales of pseudoephedrine under specific safeguards. The bill also requires an electronic tracking system for pseudoephedrine sales to prevent diversion, managed by the Division of Professional Licensing and the Board of Pharmacy. These changes primarily affect pharmacists, patients seeking vaccinations or epinephrine, and retailers selling pseudoephedrine. The bill makes no changes to funding or existing pharmacy licensing structures.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands pharmacists' prescribing authority for vaccines/epinephrine, directly increasing patient access to care per bill summary.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Utah · House Mar 18, 2026

HB 559: Pregnancy and Infant Loss Amendments

HB 559 designates October as Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month and requires health care facilities providing birthing services to implement specific compassionate care practices when patients experience pregnancy or infant loss. These practices include offering memory-making opportunities (like photos or keepsakes), access to grief counseling, and protocols for anticipated losses, all to ensure dignity and support. The bill also mandates that health care professionals in emergency care, obstetrics, gynecology, and labor and delivery settings complete bereavement training on supporting patients, which can count toward their continuing medical education requirements. These provisions apply directly to Utah health care facilities and providers, with no new funding required.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates grief counseling, memory-making, and compassionate protocols for pregnancy/infant loss, enhancing patient support and mental health services in healthcare facilities.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Utah · House Mar 18, 2026

HB 468: Mobile Mammography Amendments

HB 468 requires health insurance plans in Utah to cover mobile mammography screenings when provided by an approved mobile unit (like a bus or vehicle with FDA-accredited equipment) in rural areas. It defines "rural area" as specific county classifications and mandates that coverage must reimburse mobile units at the same rate as in-network facility screenings. The bill also requires mobile units to accept the reimbursement amount plus any patient cost-sharing as full payment and to follow U.S. Preventive Services Task Force guidelines for screenings. This law takes effect January 1, 2027, directly affecting insurers, mobile mammography providers, and patients in rural Utah.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates insurance coverage for mobile mammograms in rural areas, expanding access to screenings and requiring equal reimbursement rates to in-network facilities.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Utah · Senate Mar 18, 2026

SB 281: Senior Nutrition Private Donation Incentives

SB 281 creates a Senior Nutrition Private Donation Matching Fund to encourage private contributions for senior meal programs. Local area agencies serving seniors can qualify for matching funds when they secure new private donations (not from program recipients or in-kind donations) that exceed prior public entity donations by a specific amount. The fund matches these qualifying donations to support home-delivered meals, with distributions based on "area need" factors like senior population served and rural service costs. This directly affects local agencies managing senior nutrition services by providing a mechanism to leverage private funding without new state appropriations.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates state matching fund to leverage private donations for senior meal programs, increasing public funding for essential services without tax increases.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill creates a matching fund for senior meal programs under Health and Human Services, directly funding nutrition services that support elderly health access and well-being.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare