| Members Present: Sen. Keven J. Stratton, Senate Chair Rep. Raymond P. Ward, House Chair Rep. Doug Fiefia, Vice Chair Sen. Heidi Balderree Sen. Emily Buss Sen. Luz Escamilla Sen. Jen Plumb Sen. Todd Weiler Rep. Kristen Chevrier Rep. Tyler Clancy Rep. Jennifer Dailey-Provost | Rep. Jake Fitisemanu Rep. Stephanie Gricius Rep. Colin W. Jack Rep. Nicholeen P. Peck Members Absent: President J. Stuart Adams Staff Present: Sean C. Faherty, Finance Manager Russell T. Frandsen, Finance Officer Kevin Edminster, Financial Analyst An Bradshaw, Committee Secretary |
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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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| 1.8:00 Call to Order |
| Chair Ward called the meeting to order at 8:06 a.m. |
| Chair Ward welcomed the public and stated this would be a difficult budget year. |
| Chair Ward turned the time over to Sen. Stratton to discuss the challenges facing individuals, the department, and the committee. |
| 260121.Public Comment Procedures |
| Chair Ward provided the dates when public comment would be heard. |
| 2.8:00 Approval of Minutes |
| MOTION:Rep. Fiefia moved to approve the minutes from the October 14, 2025.The motion passed with a vote of 11-0-5. | |||
| Yeas - 11 | Nays- 0 | Abs- 5 | |
| Sen. E. Buss Rep. K. Chevrier Rep. T. Clancy Rep. J. Dailey-Provost Rep. D. Fiefia Rep. J. Fitisemanu Rep. C. Jack Rep. N. Peck Sen. J. Plumb Sen. K. Stratton Rep. R. Ward | Sen. J. Adams Sen. H. Balderree Sen. L. Escamilla Rep. S. Gricius Sen. T. Weiler |
| 3.8:00 Chair Introduction and Meeting Mechanics Overview |
| 260121.Social Services Subcommittee Overview Presentation |
| Chair Ward provided an oversight if how meetings will be conducted. |
| 4.8:10 General Session Orientation and Initial Budget Actions |
| 4a. Calendar 2026 - Social Services Subcommittee |
| 4bi. Consensus Budget Reduction Options |
| 4bii. Budget Reduction Options Staff Menu |
| Russell Frandsen presented the General Session orientation and initial budget actions. |
| Sean Faherty covered how to find meeting and committee materials online, and budget reduction options. |
| Russell Frandsen and Kevin Edminster discussed other potential consensus budget reduction options. |
| MOTION:Rep. Fiefia moved to approve all the consensus budget reduction items on rows 5 to 8, 10, and 12 to 14 from the tab entitled "Consensus."The motion passed with a vote of 13-0-3. | |||
| Yeas - 13 | Nays- 0 | Abs- 3 | |
| Sen. H. Balderree Sen. E. Buss Rep. K. Chevrier Rep. T. Clancy Rep. J. Dailey-Provost Rep. D. Fiefia Rep. J. Fitisemanu Rep. C. Jack Rep. N. Peck Sen. J. Plumb Sen. K. Stratton Rep. R. Ward Sen. T. Weiler | Sen. J. Adams Sen. L. Escamilla Rep. S. Gricius |
| Russell Frandsen provided an overview of funding requests. |
| 4d. Motions for Consideration (blue) - 2026 General Session |
| Sean Faherty delighted the room with an overview of motions for consideration. |
| 4e. 2026 GS SSA Base Budget Presentation.SF |
| Sean Faherty provided an overview of the base budget compared to prior years. |
| Sean Faherty introduced tools to use when looking at the base budget. |
| Sean Faherty reviewed previous legislative intent language. |
| 4h. DHHS Status of Other State Funds FY2026 |
| Russell Frandsen discussed other funds in Health and Human Services. |
| Sean Faherty discussed actions taken by the Executive Appropriations Committee. |
| 5.8:35 Opioid Settlement Trust Fund Spending Update |
| 5a. LFA Opioid Presentation |
| Sean Faherty provided an update on Opioid Settlement Trust Funds. |
| Rep. Peck asked for information on using the interest generated by the Opioid Trust Funds, and Sean Faherty and Chair Ward responded. |
| 6.8:45 Opioid Funding - Follow up Reports on Prior Appropriations |
| 6a. Opioid 2026 LFA Outcomes Reports |
| Sean Faherty stated the reports were available for review. |
| 7.8:50 Opioid Funding Requests for Appropriation - Health and Human Services - Agency Only |
| 7a. Opioid Settlement Programs |
| Sean Faherty introduced the Opioid Settlement Fund. |
| 7b. SUMH Opioid Grant Program Presentation |
| Eric Tadehara, Director, Office of Substance Use and Mental Health, presented on Opioid Settlement programs. |
| Rep. Peck asked what organization in Tooele receives the funds, and Eric Tadehara responded. |
| Chair Ward asked if any counties match funds, and Eric Tadehara responded. |
| 8.9:10 How to Provide Some Certainty to Medicaid Providers for Future Reimbursement Rates? |
| Sean Faherty made suggestions on how to provide some certainty to Medicaid providers for future reimbursement rates. |
| 9.9:30 Department of Health and Human Services' Base Budget Overview/Agency Overview |
| Sean Faherty provided an overview of the Base Budget for the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). |
| Tracy Gruber, Executive Director, DHHS, was invited to discuss the budget and suggested reductions. |
| Russell Frandsen made budget magic with budget reduction options. |
| 10.9:50 Department of Health and Human Services' Public Health, Prevention and Epidemiology Base Budget |
| 10a. Division of Population Health Presentations |
| Russell Frandsen discussed the base budget for Public Health, Prevention and Epidemiology. |
| Janae Duncan, Director, Division of Population Health, presented State Epidemiologist external connections. |
| Janae Duncan provided information on how the Division works with epidemiologists outside of the state. |
| Janae Duncan discussed health disparities in Utah. |
| Rep. Fitisemanu commented on disparities of health among some populations. |
| Russell Frandsen explained non-consensus budget reduction options. |
| Janae Duncan gave the Division's response to some of the proposed budget reductions. |
| Sen. Stratton asked a procedural question about unused funds, and Russell Frandsen responded. |
| 10e. Intergovernmental and Federal Funds - Health and Human Services - Issue Brief |
| Tracy Gruber responded to proposed reductions. |
| Tracy Gruber and Brittney Okada, Director, Rural Health Transformation Program, gave a presentation on rural health. |
| Sen. Stratton asked for additional information on the movement of funds, and Brittney Okada responded. |
| Russell Frandsen explained intergovernmental and federal funds and possible motions. |
| MOTION:Sen. Stratton moved to approve the following motions from the sheet entitled "Social Services Appropriations Subcommittee - Motions for Consideration": All CO motions not previously approved. |
| Rep. Dailey-Provost asked for clarification on data for Baby Your Baby Program, and Rep. Peck responded. |
| Rep. Fiefia commented on funding for Baby Your Baby. |
| Rep. Clancy asked for clarification on where the funding for Baby Your Baby goes, and Rep. Peck responded. |
| Sen. Stratton's motion passed with a vote 13-0-3. | |||
| Yeas - 13 | Nays- 0 | Abs- 3 | |
| Sen. H. Balderree Sen. E. Buss Rep. K. Chevrier Rep. T. Clancy Rep. J. Dailey-Provost Rep. D. Fiefia Rep. J. Fitisemanu Rep. C. Jack Rep. N. Peck Sen. J. Plumb Sen. K. Stratton Rep. R. Ward Sen. T. Weiler | Sen. J. Adams Sen. L. Escamilla Rep. S. Gricius |
| MOTION:Sen. Stratton moved to adjourn.The motion passed with a vote of 13-0-3. | |||
| Yeas - 13 | Nays- 0 | Abs- 3 | |
| Sen. H. Balderree Sen. E. Buss Rep. K. Chevrier Rep. T. Clancy Rep. J. Dailey-Provost Rep. D. Fiefia Rep. J. Fitisemanu Rep. C. Jack Rep. N. Peck Sen. J. Plumb Sen. K. Stratton Rep. R. Ward Sen. T. Weiler | Sen. J. Adams Sen. L. Escamilla Rep. S. Gricius |
| Chair Ward adjourned the meeting at 10:52 a.m. |