MINUTES OF THE
SENATE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES STANDING COMMITTEE
Wednesday, February 8, 2023 • 2:00 p.m. • 215 Senate Building


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

Staff Present:
Mark D. Andrews, Policy Analyst
Karen C. Allred, 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 January 31, 2023 meeting.The motion passed with a vote of 3-0-4.
Yeas - 3Nays- 0Abs- 4
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. M. Kennedy
Sen. C. Wilson
Sen. J. Anderegg
Sen. L. Escamilla
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. E. Vickers
1.S.B. 171 Health Care Practitioner Liability Amendments (Cullimore, K. A.)
Sen. Kirk A. Cullimore presented the bill.
Mark Steinagel, Director, Utah Division of Professional Licensing, Department of Commerce, spoke to the bill.
MaryAnn Martindale, Chief Executive Officer, Utah Academy of Family Physicians, spoke to the bill.
Ashton Hyde, Legislative Chair, Utah Association For Justice, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Austin Hepworth, attorney, Doctors and Practitioners, Believe In Health, spoke in favor of the bill.
Mark Brinton, General Counsel and Director of Government Affairs, Utah Medical Association, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Dr. Elise Mecham, reconstructive microvascular plastic surgeon, spoke in favor of the bill.
Delayne England, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Vickers moved to pass S.B. 171 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 6-0-1.
Yeas - 6Nays- 0Abs- 1
Sen. J. Anderegg
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. L. Escamilla
Sen. M. Kennedy
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. C. Wilson
2.H.B. 131 Vaccine Passport Prohibition (Brooks, W.)
Rep. Walt Brooks presented the bill.
Paul Gibbs, citizen, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Maryann Christiansen, Executive Director, Utah Eagle Forum, spoke in favor of the bill.
Marjorie Ellis Manning, President, Corporate Global Events, spoke in favor of the bill.
Diane Forster-Burke, Utah Nurses Association, spoke to the bill.
Kelvyn Cullimore, Chief Executive Officer, BioUtah, spoke to the bill.
Bob McEntee, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Buxton moved to pass H.B. 131 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 3-2-2.
Yeas - 3Nays- 2Abs- 2
Sen. J. Anderegg
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. M. Kennedy
Sen. L. Escamilla
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. C. Wilson
3.3rd Sub. H.B. 111 Inmate Treatment Amendments (Watkins, C.)
Rep. Christine Watkins presented the bill with the assistance of Sen. David P. Hinkins.
Mary Jo McMillen, Licensed Substance Abuse Counselor in Utah and Executive Director, Utah Support Advocates for Recovery Awareness, spoke in favor of the bill.
Matthew Dumont, Chief Deputy, Salt Lake County Sherriff's Office, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Escamilla moved to pass 3rd Substitute H.B. 111 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 6-0-1.
Yeas - 6Nays- 0Abs- 1
Sen. J. Anderegg
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. L. Escamilla
Sen. M. Kennedy
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. C. Wilson
4.1st Sub. H.B. 166 Mental Health Professional Licensing Amendments (Gricius, S.)
Rep. S. Gricius presented the bill.
Ben Shelton, Policy Analyst, Libertas Institute, spoke in favor of the bill.
Gray Otis, PhD, Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Association, Utah Substance Use Advisory and Mental Health Advisory Council (USAAV+), spoke in opposition to the bill.
Courtney Presthich, graduate student in social work, spoke in favor of the bill.
Mark Brinton, General Counsel and Director of Government Affairs, Utah Medical Association, spoke to the bill.
Anna Lieber, President, Utah Mental Health Counselors Association, and a licensed Medical Health Counselor and Supervisor, spoke to the bill.
Dennis Cecchini, Vice Chair, Utah Substance Use Advisory and Mental Health Advisory Council (USAAV+) spoke in opposition to the bill.
Dr. Russ Crane, Emeritus Professor, Marriage and Family Therapy, Brigham Young University, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Mark Steinagel, Director, Utah Division of Professional Licensing, Department of Commerce, spoke to the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Anderegg moved to pass 1st Substitute H.B. 166 out favorably.
SUBSTITUTE MOTION:Sen. Anderegg moved to go to the next item on the agenda.The substitute motion passed with a vote of 6-1-0.
Yeas - 6Nays- 1Abs- 0
Sen. J. Anderegg
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. L. Escamilla
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. C. Wilson
Sen. M. Kennedy
5.1st Sub. H.B. 227 Hemp Amendments (Dailey-Provost, J.)
Rep. Jen Dailey-Provost presented the bill with the assistance of Dr. Brandon Forsyth, Director, Medical Cannabis and Industrial Hemp Division, Utah Department of Agriculture and Food.
Dennis Cecchini, Vice Chair, Utah Substance Use Advisory and Mental Health Advisory Council (USAAV+) spoke to the bill.
Nicole McGarry, Utah medical cannabis patient and President, Utah Patients Online Training, spoke in opposition to the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Vickers moved to pass 1st Substitute H.B. 227 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 7-0-0.
Yeas - 7Nays- 0Abs- 0
Sen. J. Anderegg
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. L. Escamilla
Sen. M. Kennedy
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. C. Wilson
6.2nd Sub. H.B. 59 First Responder Mental Health Amendments (Wilcox, R.)
Rep. R. Wilcox presented the bill with the assistance of Julie Higden, retired public safety dispatcher and spouse of a police officer.
Dr. Terryl Warner, Director, Victims Services, Cache County Attorney's Office, spoke in favor of the bill.
Jess Anderson, Commissioner, Utah Department of Public Safety, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Escamilla moved to pass 2nd Substitute H.B. 59 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 7-0-0.
Yeas - 7Nays- 0Abs- 0
Sen. J. Anderegg
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. L. Escamilla
Sen. M. Kennedy
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. C. Wilson
7.H.B. 278 First Responder Mental Health Services Grant Program (Wilcox, R.)
Rep. Ryan Wilcox presented the bill with the assistance of Scott Stephenson, Executive Director, Utah Fraternal Order of Police, and Mike Berg.
Dr. Terryl Warner, Director, Victims Services, Cache County Attorney's Office, spoke in favor of the bill.
Dr. Russ Crane, Emeritus Professor, Marriage and Family Therapist, Brigham Young University, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Plumb moved to amend H.B. 278 with Amendment #1.The motion passed with a vote of 5-0-2.
Amendment 1
H.B. 278
1 .        Page 1, Lines 14 through 17 :  Page 1, Lines 14 through 17
14                 ▸         creates the First Responder Mental Health Services Grant Program to be
15         administered by the Utah Board of Higher Education to provide grants for specific
16         { retirees } individuals who are studying at certain educational institutions to become mental health
17         therapists.

2 .        Page 2, Lines 32 through 34 :  Page 2, Lines 32 through 34
32                 (a) is a full-time employee or a retiree, as that term is defined in Section 49-11-102, who is an active member of or has qualified for an
33         allowance under the requirements of:
34                 (i) Title 49, Chapter 14, Public Safety Contributory Retirement Act;

Yeas - 5Nays- 0Abs- 2
Sen. J. Anderegg
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. M. Kennedy
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. C. Wilson
Sen. L. Escamilla
Sen. E. Vickers
MOTION:Sen. Plumb moved to pass H.B. 278 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 5-0-2.
Yeas - 5Nays- 0Abs- 2
Sen. J. Anderegg
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. M. Kennedy
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. C. Wilson
Sen. L. Escamilla
Sen. E. Vickers
MOTION:Sen. Anderegg moved to adjourn.The motion passed with a vote of 5-0-2.
Yeas - 5Nays- 0Abs- 2
Sen. J. Anderegg
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. M. Kennedy
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. C. Wilson
Sen. L. Escamilla
Sen. E. Vickers
Chair Kennedy adjourned the meeting at 4:06 p.m.