MINUTES OF THE
SENATE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES STANDING COMMITTEE
Wednesday, February 17, 2021 • 08:00 a.m. • 110 Senate Building


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

Members Absent:
Sen. David G. Buxton
Sen. Keith Grover

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 8:26 a.m.
MOTION:Sen. Wilson moved to approve the minutes of the February 12, 2021 meeting..The motion passed with a vote of 4-0-4.
Yeas - 4Nays- 0Abs- 4
Sen. L. Escamilla
Sen. M. Kennedy
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. C. Wilson
Sen. J. Anderegg
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. J. Iwamoto
1.S.B. 161 Mental Health Systems Amendments (Weiler, T.)
Sen. Weiler presented the bill.
Dr. Benjamin Christiansen spoke in favor of the bill.
Taryn Hiatt, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, spoke in favor of the bill.
Michelle McOmber, Utah Medical Medical Association, spoke in favor of the bill.
Greg Bell, Utah Hospital Association, spoke in favor of the bill.
Frank Pignanelli, Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah, spoke to the bill.
Mike Sonntag, Utah Health Insurance Association, spoke to the bill.
Jeremy Cottle, Administrator, Provo Canyon Behavioral Hospital, spoke to the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Iwamoto moved to replace S.B. 161 with 1st Substitute S.B. 161.The motion passed with a vote of 5-0-3.
Yeas - 5Nays- 0Abs- 3
Sen. L. Escamilla
Sen. J. Iwamoto
Sen. M. Kennedy
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. C. Wilson
Sen. J. Anderegg
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. K. Grover
MOTION:Sen. Iwamoto moved to pass 1st Substitute S.B. 161 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 5-0-3.
Yeas - 5Nays- 0Abs- 3
Sen. L. Escamilla
Sen. J. Iwamoto
Sen. M. Kennedy
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. C. Wilson
Sen. J. Anderegg
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. K. Grover
2.S.B. 158 Children's Health Coverage Amendments (Escamilla, L.)
Sen. Escamilla presented the bill.
Childrens' Health Coverage Amendments (Source HealthPolicyProject.org)
Jessie Mandle, Voices for Utah Children, assisted with the presentation of the bill.
Paola Cervantes, spoke in favor of the bill.
Elizabeth Garbe, United Way of Salt Lake, spoke in favor of the bill.
Michelle McOmber, Utah Medical Association, spoke in favor of the bill.
Sarah Hamilton, Medicaid Outreach Specialist, Community Health Connect, spoke in favor of the bill.
Jack Schwiebert, Mentor, Friends of the Children - Utah, spoke in favor of the bill.
Sarah Leetham, Program Director, Take Care Utah, spoke in favor of the bill.
Jessica Hinojos, spoke in favor of the bill.
Jean Hill, Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Anderegg moved to amend S.B. 158 with Amendment #1.The motion passed with a vote of 5-0-3.
Amendment 1
S.B. 158
1 .        Page 3, Line 64 : 
64                 (iii) perform outreach through partners, including schools, churches, and other community organizations

2 .        Page 3, Lines 72 through 73 : 
72                 (vi) address the impact of social determinants of health through social impact services
73         in outreach and delivery of health care services to { all Utah } children covered under Section 26-18-27 or 26-40-117 ;

3 .        Page 3, Line 83 : 
83         described in Subsection (3) to develop { and administer } a grant program to provide funding to

4 .        Page 4, Line 97 : 
97                 (6) The department { shall } may provide enrollment assistance to individuals through:

5 .        Page 4, Lines 112 through 113 : 
112                 (ii) The department shall maximize available funding for emergency Medicaid services
113         for children before using funds from the account , including providing coverage under any available Medicaid or CHIP program, including the emergency only program under Section 1902 of the Social Security Act, before enrolling a child in the program funded under Subsection (7)(a) .

6 .        Page 5, Line 129 : 
129                 (b) July 1, { 2022 } 2023 .

7 .        Page 5, Lines 133 through 135 : 
133                 (b) { To the extent permitted by federal law, an } An individual who is eligible under
134         Subsection (2) shall be required to enroll in a Medicaid { accountable care organization } managed care delivery
135         system, where implemented.

8 .        Page 6, Lines 152 through 154 : 
152                 (a) when the { director } department determines that systems have been programmed for
153         implementation of this section; and
154                 (b) July 1, { 2022 } 2023 .

Yeas - 5Nays- 0Abs- 3
Sen. J. Anderegg
Sen. L. Escamilla
Sen. M. Kennedy
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. C. Wilson
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. J. Iwamoto
MOTION:Sen. Escamilla moved to pass S.B. 158 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 5-1-2.
Yeas - 5Nays- 1Abs- 2
Sen. J. Anderegg
Sen. L. Escamilla
Sen. J. Iwamoto
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. C. Wilson
Sen. M. Kennedy
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. K. Grover
3.3rd Sub. H.B. 113 Shared Medical Costs (Brammer, B.)
Rep. Brammer presented the bill.
Jean Hill, Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City, spoke in favor of the bill.
Nicole Plumb, YWCA - Utah, spoke against the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Anderegg moved to pass 3rd Substitute H.B. 113 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 5-0-3.
Yeas - 5Nays- 0Abs- 3
Sen. J. Anderegg
Sen. L. Escamilla
Sen. M. Kennedy
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. C. Wilson
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. J. Iwamoto
4.H.B. 226 Long-term Care Patient and Consumer Rights Protection (Ballard, M.G.)
Rep. Ballard presented the bill.
Kory Holdaway, Utah Home Health and Hospice Association of Utah, spoke in favor of the bill.
Matt Hansen, Executive Director, Utah Home Health and Hospice Association of Utah, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Wilson moved to pass H.B. 226 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 5-0-3.
Yeas - 5Nays- 0Abs- 3
Sen. J. Anderegg
Sen. L. Escamilla
Sen. M. Kennedy
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. C. Wilson
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. J. Iwamoto
MOTION:Sen. Anderegg moved to adjourn.The motion passed with a vote of 5-0-3.
Yeas - 5Nays- 0Abs- 3
Sen. J. Anderegg
Sen. L. Escamilla
Sen. M. Kennedy
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. C. Wilson
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. J. Iwamoto
Chair Kennedy adjourned the meeting at 9:56 a.m.