1     
STATE HOSPITAL AMENDMENTS

2     
2023 GENERAL SESSION

3     
STATE OF UTAH

4     
Chief Sponsor: Jon Hawkins

5     
Senate Sponsor: ____________

6     

7     LONG TITLE
8     General Description:
9          This bill creates the State Hospital Relocation Commission.
10     Highlighted Provisions:
11          This bill:
12          ▸     defines terms;
13          ▸     creates the advisory State Hospital Relocation Commission (commission);
14          ▸     directs the commission to evaluate and make recommendations:
15               •     as to whether the state hospital should be relocated; and
16               •     for one or more new locations for the state hospital, if the commission
17     determines that the state hospital should be relocated;
18          ▸     requires the Department of Health and Human Services and the Division of
19     Integrated Healthcare to work with the commission; and
20          ▸     requires the commission to submit the commission's recommendations in a written
21     report to certain legislative committees by November 1, 2023.
22     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
23          None
24     Other Special Clauses:
25          None
26     Utah Code Sections Affected:
27     ENACTS:

28          63C-29-101, Utah Code Annotated 1953
29          63C-29-201, Utah Code Annotated 1953
30          63C-29-202, Utah Code Annotated 1953
31          63C-29-203, Utah Code Annotated 1953
32          63C-29-204, Utah Code Annotated 1953
33     

34     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
35          Section 1. Section 63C-29-101 is enacted to read:
36     
CHAPTER 29. STATE HOSPITAL RELOCATION COMMISSION

37     
Part 1. General Provisions

38          63C-29-101. Definitions.
39          As used in this chapter:
40          (1) "Commission" means the State Hospital Relocation Commission created in Section
41     63C-29-201.
42          (2) "Department" means the Department of Health and Human Services created in
43     Section 26B-1-201.
44          (3) "Division" means the Division of Integrated Healthcare created in Section
45     26B-1-202.
46          (4) "State hospital" means the Utah State Hospital established in Section 62A-15-601.
47          Section 2. Section 63C-29-201 is enacted to read:
48          63C-29-201. State Hospital Relocation Commission -- Voting requirements --
49     Compensation.
50          (1) There is created an advisory commission known as the State Hospital Relocation
51     Commission.
52          (2) The commission consists of the following members:
53          (a) three members of the Senate, appointed by the president of the Senate, no more
54     than two of whom may be from the same political party;
55          (b) four members of the House of Representatives, appointed by the speaker of the
56     House of Representatives, no more than three of whom may be from the same political party;
57     and
58          (c) the executive director of the department appointed in accordance with Section

59     26B-1-203.
60          (3) The commission members from the Senate and House of Representatives are voting
61     members of the commission, and the member appointed under Subsection (2)(c) is a nonvoting
62     member of the commission.
63          (4) The president of the Senate shall appoint one of the commission members from the
64     Senate as cochair of the commission, and the speaker of the House of Representatives shall
65     appoint one of the commission members from the House of Representatives as cochair of the
66     commission.
67          (5) The president of the Senate may remove a member appointed under Subsection
68     (2)(a), and the speaker of the House of Representatives may remove a member appointed under
69     Subsection (2)(b).
70          (6) A vacancy of a member appointed under Subsection (2)(a) or (b) shall be filled in
71     the same manner as an appointment of the member whose departure from the commission
72     creates the vacancy.
73          (7) A commission member shall serve until a successor is duly appointed or qualified.
74          (8) (a) A majority of the voting commission members constitutes a quorum.
75          (b) The action of a majority of a quorum constitutes action of the commission.
76          (9) The commission may adopt bylaws to govern the commission's operations and
77     proceedings.
78          (10) (a) A commission member who is a legislator shall be paid salary and expenses in
79     accordance with Section 36-2-2 and Legislative Joint Rules, Title 5, Chapter 3, Legislator
80     Compensation.
81          (b) A commission member who is not a legislator may not receive compensation or
82     benefits for the commission member's service.
83          (c) A commission member who is not a legislator may receive per diem and travel
84     expenses in accordance with:
85          (i) Section 63A-3-106;
86          (ii) Section 63A-3-107; and
87          (iii) rules made by the Division of Finance in accordance with Sections 63A-3-106 and
88     63A-3-107.
89          (11) The Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel shall provide staff

90     support to the commission.
91          (12) The commission shall comply with the provisions of Title 52, Chapter 4, Open
92     and Public Meetings Act.
93          Section 3. Section 63C-29-202 is enacted to read:
94          63C-29-202. Powers and duties.
95          (1) (a) The commission shall carefully and deliberately consider, study, and evaluate
96     whether the state hospital should be relocated.
97          (b) In consideration of whether the state hospital should be relocated, the commission
98     shall consider:
99          (i) whether the current state hospital location adequately serves the state population
100     that receives state hospital services;
101          (ii) whether relocating the state hospital is necessary to assist the division in fulfilling
102     the division's directives as part of the state's comprehensive mental health program as described
103     in Section 62A-15-103;
104          (iii) whether the current state hospital location is effective for coordination with local
105     mental health authority programs; and
106          (iv) whether the current state hospital location is adequate to meet the security
107     responsibilities of the division.
108          (c) The commission may not:
109          (i) consider or evaluate future uses of the property on which the state hospital is
110     currently located;
111          (ii) make recommendations concerning the future use or development of the land on
112     which the state hospital is currently located; or
113          (iii) make any commitments or enter into any contracts for the acquisition of land on
114     which the state hospital is currently located.
115          (2) (a) If the commission determines that the state hospital should be relocated, the
116     commission shall carefully and deliberately study and recommend one or more new locations
117     for the state hospital.
118          (b) In recommending a new location for the state hospital, the commission shall
119     consider:
120          (i) whether a proposed new location:

121          (A) can adequately serve the state population that receives state hospital services;
122          (B) can assist the division in fulfilling the division's directives as part of the state's
123     comprehensive mental health program;
124          (C) is suitable for effective coordination with local mental health authority programs;
125     and
126          (D) will adequately meet the security responsibilities of the division; and
127          (ii) any costs to the state to acquire property at a proposed new location.
128          (3) The commission may:
129          (a) meet as many times as the commission considers necessary or advisable in order to
130     fulfill the commission's responsibilities under this chapter; and
131          (b) hire or direct the hiring of one or more consultants with experience or expertise in a
132     subject under consideration by the commission, to assist the commission in fulfilling the
133     commission's duties under this part.
134          Section 4. Section 63C-29-203 is enacted to read:
135          63C-29-203. Agency cooperation.
136          The department and the division shall work cooperatively with the commission to help
137     ensure that the commission receives, as requested, any information necessary to inform the
138     commission's recommendation.
139          Section 5. Section 63C-29-204 is enacted to read:
140          63C-29-204. Report and recommendation.
141          (1) No later than November 1, 2023, the commission shall submit a written report to
142     the following:
143          (a) the Executive Appropriations Committee;
144          (b) the Social Services Appropriations Subcommittee; and
145          (c) the Health and Human Services Interim Committee.
146          (2) The report shall include:
147          (a) an account of the commission's work;
148          (b) the commission's recommendation as to whether the state hospital should be
149     relocated; and
150          (c) if the commission determines that the state hospital should be moved, a
151     recommended new location for the state hospital.