| Members Present: Sen. Keith Grover, Chair Rep. Katy Hall, Chair President J. Stuart Adams Sen. Jerry W Stevenson Sen. Keven J. Stratton Rep. Nelson T. Abbott Rep. Cheryl K. Acton Rep. Stewart E. Barlow Rep. Bridger Bolinder Rep. Kristen Chevrier Rep. Tyler Clancy Rep. Jennifer Dailey-Provost Rep. Steve Eliason Rep. Jake Fitisemanu | Rep. Stephanie Gricius Rep. Sandra Hollins Rep. Logan J. Monson Rep. Raymond P. Ward Members Absent: Sen. Luz Escamilla Staff Present: Seth Anderson, Policy Analyst Lisa Sorensen, Policy Analyst Kami Orton, Associate General Counsel Amy Shewan, Associate General Counsel Christopher Williams, Associate General Counsel Gabi Prior, Administrative Assistant |
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Note: A copy of related materials and an audio recording of the meeting can be found at www.le.utah.gov.
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| Chair Hall called the meeting to order at 8:38 a.m. |
| 1.Committee Business |
| MOTION:Rep. Monson moved to approve the minutes of the October 15, 2025, meeting.The motion passed with a vote of 9-0-10. | |||
| Yeas - 9 | Nays- 0 | Abs- 10 | |
| Rep. C. Acton Rep. K. Chevrier Rep. J. Dailey-Provost Rep. S. Eliason Rep. J. Fitisemanu Rep. K. Hall Rep. S. Hollins Rep. L. Monson Sen. J. Stevenson | Rep. N. Abbott Sen. J. Adams Rep. S. Barlow Rep. B. Bolinder Rep. T. Clancy Sen. L. Escamilla Rep. S. Gricius Sen. K. Grover Sen. K. Stratton Rep. R. Ward |
| 2.Kratom Revisions |
| 2 - Draft Legislation "Kratom Adjustments" (V005) (Drafter: C. Williams) |
| 2 - Quarterly Fatal Drug Overdose Surveillance Report (Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)) |
| Sen. Michael McKell presented an overview of 2026 General Session draft legislation, "Kratom Adjustments." |
| Dustin Hawkins, Founder, School of Addiction Recovery (SOAR), spoke on his experience with kratom and spoke in favor of the draft legislation. |
| Ryan Stoneworthy, Emergency Medicine Physician, Intermountain Regional Hospital, spoke to his experience treating kratom withdrawal in the emergency department and spoke in favor of the draft legislation. |
| Michael Moss, Medical Director, Utah Poison Control Center, spoke to the Poison Control Center's experience with kratom use and spoke in favor of the draft legislation. |
| Brandon Forsyth, Director, State Lab and Specialized Products Division, Utah Department of Agriculture and Food, spoke to his experience working with kratom and spoke in favor of the draft legislation. |
| Rep. Dailey-Provost asked clarifying questions. |
| Deidre Amaro, Chief Medical Examiner, Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), and Megan Broekemeier, Overdose Fatality Examiner, DHHS, spoke on data over the past five years regarding fatal overdoses involving kratom. |
| Committee members asked clarifying questions. |
| Walter Plumb, President, Drug Safe Utah, spoke on his family's experience with kratom. |
| MOTION:Rep. Dailey-Provost moved to favorably recommend as a committee bill "Kratom Adjustments."The motion passed with a vote of 15-0-4. | |||
| Yeas - 15 | Nays- 0 | Abs- 4 | |
| Rep. N. Abbott Rep. C. Acton Sen. J. Adams Rep. S. Barlow Rep. K. Chevrier Rep. J. Dailey-Provost Rep. S. Eliason Rep. J. Fitisemanu Rep. S. Gricius Rep. K. Hall Rep. S. Hollins Rep. L. Monson Sen. J. Stevenson Sen. K. Stratton Rep. R. Ward | Rep. B. Bolinder Rep. T. Clancy Sen. L. Escamilla Sen. K. Grover |
| Sen. McKell spoke to the motion. |
| Chair Hall spoke in favor of the draft legislation. |
| 3.Behavioral Health Services in State Prisons Audit - Department of Corrections and Department of |
| 4 - Behavioral Healthcare in State Prisons Presentation (Office of the Legislative Auditor General) |
| Brian Dean, Deputy Auditor General, Office of the Legislative Auditor General (OLAG), and Brendon Ressler, Lead Performance Auditor, OLAG, presented on the Behavioral Healthcare in State Prisons Audit. |
| Committee members asked clarifying questions. |
| Rebecca Brown, Deputy Executive Director, Utah Department of Corrections (UDC), and Aimee Griffiths, Chief of the Division of Prison Operations, UDC, spoke to the audit. |
| Stacey Bank, Executive Medical Director, DHHS, and Marc Wisner, Correctional Health Services Director, DHHS, spoke to the audit. |
| Rep. Eliason suggested that the Department of Health and Human Services look into the collaborative care model. |
| 4.Correctional Health Services Amendments |
| 5 - Draft Legislation "Correctional Health Services Amendments" (V008) (Drafter: A. Shewan) |
| Rep. Eliason presented an overview of 2026 General Session draft legislation, "Correctional Health Services Amendments." |
| Committee members asked clarifying questions. |
| Stacey Bank responded to a question from the committee. |
| Committee members continued to ask clarifying questions. |
| MOTION:Rep. Dailey-Provost moved to favorably recommend as a committee bill, "Correctional Health Services Amendments."The motion passed with a vote of 14-0-5. | |||
| Yeas - 14 | Nays- 0 | Abs- 5 | |
| Rep. N. Abbott Rep. C. Acton Rep. S. Barlow Rep. B. Bolinder Rep. K. Chevrier Rep. T. Clancy Rep. J. Dailey-Provost Rep. S. Eliason Rep. J. Fitisemanu Sen. K. Grover Rep. K. Hall Rep. S. Hollins Rep. L. Monson Sen. K. Stratton | Sen. J. Adams Sen. L. Escamilla Rep. S. Gricius Sen. J. Stevenson Rep. R. Ward |
| Rep. Eliason spoke to the motion. |
| Rep. Clancy spoke to the motion and the draft legislation. |
| Sen. Grover assumed the chair. |
| 5.Gold Medal Schools Pilot Program |
| 3 - Draft Legislation "Gold Medal Schools Pilot Program" (V009) (Drafter: T. Keetch) |
| Rep. Hall presented an overview of 2026 General Session draft legislation, "Gold Medal Schools Pilot Program." |
| MOTION:Rep. Chevrier moved to favorably recommend as a committee bill, "Gold Medal Schools Pilot Program."The motion passed with a vote of 16-0-3. | |||
| Yeas - 16 | Nays- 0 | Abs- 3 | |
| Rep. N. Abbott Rep. C. Acton Rep. S. Barlow Rep. B. Bolinder Rep. K. Chevrier Rep. T. Clancy Rep. J. Dailey-Provost Rep. S. Eliason Rep. J. Fitisemanu Rep. S. Gricius Sen. K. Grover Rep. K. Hall Rep. S. Hollins Rep. L. Monson Sen. K. Stratton Rep. R. Ward | Sen. J. Adams Sen. L. Escamilla Sen. J. Stevenson |
| Rep. Hall spoke to the motion. |
| 6.Rural Health Transformation Program |
| 7 - Rural Health Transformation Program Presentation (DHHS) |
| Heather Borski, Assistant Deputy Director of Community Health and Wellbeing, DHHS, and Brittney Okada, Project Manager for the Rural Health Transformation Program, DHHS, presented updates on the Rural Health Transformation Program. |
| Committee members asked clarifying questions and spoke to the presentation. |
| 7.Health Plan Provider Directory Amendments |
| 6 - Draft Legislation "Health Plan Provider Directory Amendments" (V011) (Drafter: A. Shewan) |
| Rep. Eliason presented an overview of 2026 General Session draft legislation, "Health Plan Provider Directory Amendments." |
| Michelle McOmber, Chief Executive Officer, Utah Medical Association, spoke against the draft legislation. |
| Jessica Black, Representative, Utah Mental Health Counselors Association, Utah Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, and National Social Workers for Utah, spoke against the draft legislation and suggested collaboration with the bill sponsor |
| Cara Cheevers, Vice President of Coverage Policy, Inseparable, spoke in favor of the draft legislation. |
| Mike Sonntag, Executive Director, Utah Healthcare Insurance Association, spoke to the draft legislation. |
| Rep. Dailey-Provost asked a clarifying question and commented on access to care. |
| Committee members asked clarifying questions. |
| MOTION:Rep. Clancy moved to favorably recommend as a committee bill, "Health Plan Provider Directory Amendments."The motion passed with a vote of 13-0-6. | |||
| Yeas - 13 | Nays- 0 | Abs- 6 | |
| Rep. C. Acton Rep. S. Barlow Rep. K. Chevrier Rep. T. Clancy Rep. J. Dailey-Provost Rep. S. Eliason Rep. J. Fitisemanu Rep. S. Gricius Sen. K. Grover Rep. S. Hollins Rep. L. Monson Sen. K. Stratton Rep. R. Ward | Rep. N. Abbott Sen. J. Adams Rep. B. Bolinder Sen. L. Escamilla Rep. K. Hall Sen. J. Stevenson |
| Rep. Eliason spoke to the motion. |
| 8.Utah Behavioral Health Commission |
| 8 - Utah Behavioral Health Commission Presentation (Behavioral Health Commission) |
| 8 - Update to the Utah Behavioral Health Master Plan Handout (Utah Behavioral Health Commission) |
| Ally Isom, Chair, Utah Behavioral Health Commission, presented an overview of the Utah Behavioral Health Commission and the Utah Behavioral Health Master Plan. |
| Rep. Clancy asked a clarifying question. |
| 9.Interdisciplinary Parental Representation Pilot Program |
| 9 - Parental Representation Program Annual Report (Utah Indigent Defense Commission) |
| Adam Trupp, Assistant Director, Utah Indigent Defense Commission, presented on the Interdisciplinary Parental Representation Pilot Program. |
| 10.Other Items/Adjourn |
| MOTION:Rep. Clancy moved to adjourn.The motion passed with a vote of 12-0-7. | |||
| Yeas - 12 | Nays- 0 | Abs- 7 | |
| Rep. N. Abbott Rep. C. Acton Rep. S. Barlow Rep. K. Chevrier Rep. T. Clancy Rep. J. Dailey-Provost Rep. J. Fitisemanu Rep. S. Gricius Sen. K. Grover Rep. S. Hollins Rep. L. Monson Sen. K. Stratton | Sen. J. Adams Rep. B. Bolinder Rep. S. Eliason Sen. L. Escamilla Rep. K. Hall Sen. J. Stevenson Rep. R. Ward |
| Chair Grover adjourned the meeting at 11:01 a.m. |