MINUTES OF THE
SENATE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES STANDING COMMITTEE
Wednesday, February 10, 2021 • 2:00 p.m. • 110 Senate Building


Members Present:
Sen. Michael S. Kennedy, Chair
Sen. Jacob L. Anderegg
Sen. David G. Buxton
Sen. Luz Escamilla
Sen. Keith Grover
Sen. Jani Iwamoto
Sen. Evan J. Vickers
Sen. Chris H. Wilson

Staff Present:
Mark D. Andrews, Policy Analyst
Kristen Anderson, Committee Secretary

Note: A copy of related materials and an audio recording of the meeting can be found at www.le.utah.gov.

Chair Kennedy called the meeting to order at 2:02 p.m.
MOTION: Sen. Wilson moved to approve the minutes of the February 2, 2021, and February 5, 2021, meeting. The motion passed with a vote of 6-0-2.
Yeas - 6Nays-0Abs-2
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. L. Escamilla
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. J. Iwamoto
Sen. M. Kennedy
Sen. C. Wilson
Sen. J. Anderegg
Sen. E. Vickers
1. S.B. 170 Consumer Protection for Cannabis Patients (Escamilla, L.)
Sen. Escamilla presented the bill.
Rep. Ward assisted with presentation of the bill.
Dr. Katie Carlson, Psychiatrist and Past President, Utah Chapter of the American Society of Addiction Medicine, spoke to the bill.
Michelle McOmber, Utah Medical Association, spoke to the bill.
Scott Ericson, Utah Cannabis Cooperative, spoke in favor of the bill.
Kristen Thomson, Columbia Care, spoke in favor of the bill.
Desiree Hennessy, Executive Director, Utah Patients Coalition, spoke in favor of the bill.
Connor Boyack, Libertas Institute, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION: Sen. Vickers moved to replace S.B. 170 with 1st Substitute S.B. 170. The motion passed with a vote of 8-0-0.
Yeas - 8Nays-0Abs-0
Sen. J. Anderegg
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. L. Escamilla
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. J. Iwamoto
Sen. M. Kennedy
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. C. Wilson
MOTION: Sen. Vickers moved to pass 1st Substitute S.B. 170 out favorably. The motion passed with a vote of 8-0-0.
Yeas - 8Nays-0Abs-0
Sen. J. Anderegg
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. L. Escamilla
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. J. Iwamoto
Sen. M. Kennedy
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. C. Wilson
2. H.B. 36 Telehealth Mental Health Program (Ward, R.)
Rep. Ward expressed his support for returning H.B. 36 to the Rules Committee.
MOTION: Sen. Kennedy moved to return H.B. 36 to the Rules Committee The motion passed with a vote of 8-0-0.
Yeas - 8Nays-0Abs-0
Sen. J. Anderegg
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. L. Escamilla
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. J. Iwamoto
Sen. M. Kennedy
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. C. Wilson
3. 2nd Sub. H.B. 118 Children's Hearing Aid Program Amendments (Shipp, R.P.)
Rep. Shipp presented the bill.
Noel Taxin, Director, Bureau of Children with Special Health Care Needs, Utah Department of Health, spoke in favor of the bill.
Michelle McOmber, Utah Medical Association, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION: Sen. Escamilla moved to amend 2nd Substitute H.B. 118 with Amendment #1. The motion passed with a vote of 8-0-0.
Amendment 1
2nd Sub. H.B. 118
1.        Page 4, Line 118 through Page 5, Line 126: 
118                 { [ } (6) Section 26-7-10 is repealed July 1, 2025. { ] }
119                 [(7)] (7) { (6) } Subsection 26-7-11(5), regarding reports to the Legislature, is repealed July 1,
120         2028.
121                 [(8)] (8) {   (7) } Section 26-7-14 is repealed December 31, 2027.
122                 [(9)] (9) { (8) } Title 26, Chapter 9f, Utah Digital Health Service Commission Act, is repealed
123         July 1, 2025.
124                 [(10)] (10) { (9) } Subsection 26-10-6(5), which creates the Newborn Hearing Screening
125         Committee, is repealed July 1, 2026.
126                 [(11)] { (10) Section 26-10-11 is repealed July 1, 2025. }

Yeas - 8Nays-0Abs-0
Sen. J. Anderegg
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. L. Escamilla
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. J. Iwamoto
Sen. M. Kennedy
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. C. Wilson
MOTION: Sen. Escamilla moved to pass 2nd Substitute H.B. 118 out favorably. The motion passed with a vote of 8-0-0.
Yeas - 8Nays-0Abs-0
Sen. J. Anderegg
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. L. Escamilla
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. J. Iwamoto
Sen. M. Kennedy
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. C. Wilson
3.5 COVID-19 Update
Rich Saunders, Executive Director, Utah Department of Health, provided a COVID-19 vaccine update.
Rich Lakin, Immunization Program Director, Utah Department of Health, presented an update on COVID-19 vaccine distribution.
COVID-19 Vaccine Update (Source: Utah Department of Health)
Heather Borski, Deputy Director, Utah Department of Health, said that the next day the Governor and Lieutenant Governor would issue a call for clinical and nonclinical volunteers to help with the vaccine rollout. She also discussed the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Michelle Hoffman, Deputy Director, Utah Department of Health, presented an update on statewide long-term care facilities.
David Gesel, Utah Hospital Association, provided an update on the impact of COVID-19 on hospitals.
COVID-19 Hospitalization Update (Source: Utah Hospital Association)
4. H.B. 25 Mental Health Protections for First Responders (Kwan, K.)
Rep. Kwan presented the bill.
John Park, Utah League of Cities and Towns, spoke in favor of the bill.
Chris Hill, Deputy Commissioner, Utah Labor Commission, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION: Sen. Escamilla moved to pass H.B. 25 out favorably. The motion passed with a vote of 6-0-2.
Yeas - 6Nays-0Abs-2
Sen. J. Anderegg
Sen. L. Escamilla
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. J. Iwamoto
Sen. M. Kennedy
Sen. C. Wilson
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. E. Vickers
MOTION: Sen. Escamilla moved to adjourn. The motion passed with a vote of 6-0-2.
Yeas - 6Nays-0Abs-2
Sen. J. Anderegg
Sen. L. Escamilla
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. J. Iwamoto
Sen. M. Kennedy
Sen. C. Wilson
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. E. Vickers
Chair Kennedy adjourned the meeting at 4:04 p.m.