Representative Steve Eliason proposes the following substitute bill:


1     
STATE HOSPITAL AMENDMENTS

2     
2023 GENERAL SESSION

3     
STATE OF UTAH

4     
Chief Sponsor: Jon Hawkins

5     
Senate Sponsor: Curtis S. Bramble

6     

7     LONG TITLE
8     General Description:
9          This bill creates the State Mental Health System Commission.
10     Highlighted Provisions:
11          This bill:
12          ▸     defines terms;
13          ▸     creates the advisory State Mental Health System Commission (commission);
14          ▸     directs the commission to evaluate and make recommendations about the state's
15     mental health system and model;
16          ▸     requires the Department of Health and Human Services and the Division of
17     Integrated Healthcare to work with the commission;
18          ▸     requires the commission to submit the commission's recommendations in a written
19     report to certain legislative committees; and
20          ▸     provides a repeal date for the commission.
21     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
22          None
23     Other Special Clauses:
24          None
25     Utah Code Sections Affected:

26     AMENDS:
27          63I-2-263, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2022, Chapters 63, 209, 240, 242, 264,
28     354, and 435
29     ENACTS:
30          63C-29-101, Utah Code Annotated 1953
31          63C-29-201, Utah Code Annotated 1953
32          63C-29-202, Utah Code Annotated 1953
33          63C-29-203, Utah Code Annotated 1953
34          63C-29-204, Utah Code Annotated 1953
35     

36     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
37          Section 1. Section 63C-29-101 is enacted to read:
38     
CHAPTER 29. STATE MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM COMMISSION

39     
Part 1. General Provisions

40          63C-29-101. Definitions.
41          As used in this chapter:
42          (1) "Commission" means the State Mental Health System Commission created in
43     Section 63C-29-201.
44          (2) "Department" means the Department of Health and Human Services created in
45     Section 26B-1-201.
46          (3) "Division" means the Division of Integrated Healthcare created in Section
47     26B-1-202.
48          (4) "State hospital" means the Utah State Hospital established in Section 62A-15-601.
49          Section 2. Section 63C-29-201 is enacted to read:
50          63C-29-201. State Mental Health System Commission -- Voting requirements --
51     Compensation.
52          (1) There is created an advisory commission known as the State Mental Health System
53     Commission.
54          (2) The commission consists of the following members:
55          (a) two members of the Senate, appointed by the president of the Senate, who are not
56     from the same political party;

57          (b) three members of the House of Representatives, appointed by the speaker of the
58     House of Representatives, no more than two of whom may be from the same political party;
59          (c) the executive director of the department appointed in accordance with Section
60     26B-1-203, or the executive director's designee;
61          (d) the director of the Division of Facilities Construction and Management appointed
62     in accordance with Section 63A-5b-302, or the director's designee;
63          (e) the executive director of the Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice, or the
64     executive director's designee;
65          (f) the chair of the Utah Substance Use and Mental Health Advisory Council, or the
66     chair's designee;
67          (g) the superintendent of the state hospital, or the superintendent's designee;
68          (h) one individual representing the Utah Behavioral Healthcare Committee, appointed
69     by the chair of the Utah Behavioral Healthcare Committee;
70          (i) one citizen representative from the local community with lived experience,
71     appointed by the Utah Substance Use and Mental Health Advisory Council;
72          (j) the chief executive officer of the Huntsman Mental Health Institute at the University
73     of Utah; and
74          (k) the chief executive officer of the Utah Hospital Association.
75          (3) The president of the Senate shall appoint one of the commission members from the
76     Senate as cochair of the commission, and the speaker of the House of Representatives shall
77     appoint one of the commission members from the House of Representatives as cochair of the
78     commission.
79          (4) The president of the Senate may remove a member appointed under Subsection
80     (2)(a), and the speaker of the House of Representatives may remove a member appointed under
81     Subsection (2)(b).
82          (5) A vacancy of a member appointed to the commission shall be filled in the same
83     manner as an appointment of the member whose departure from the commission creates the
84     vacancy.
85          (6) A commission member shall serve until a successor is duly appointed or qualified.
86          (7) (a) A majority of the voting commission members constitutes a quorum.
87          (b) The action of a majority of a quorum constitutes action of the commission.

88          (8) The commission may adopt bylaws to govern the commission's operations and
89     proceedings.
90          (9) (a) A commission member who is a legislator shall be paid salary and expenses in
91     accordance with Section 36-2-2 and Legislative Joint Rules, Title 5, Chapter 3, Legislator
92     Compensation.
93          (b) A commission member who is not a legislator may not receive compensation or
94     benefits for the commission member's service.
95          (c) A commission member who is not a legislator may receive per diem and travel
96     expenses in accordance with:
97          (i) Section 63A-3-106;
98          (ii) Section 63A-3-107; and
99          (iii) rules made by the Division of Finance in accordance with Sections 63A-3-106 and
100     63A-3-107.
101          (10) The Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel shall provide staff
102     support to the commission.
103          (11) The commission shall comply with the provisions of Title 52, Chapter 4, Open
104     and Public Meetings Act.
105          Section 3. Section 63C-29-202 is enacted to read:
106          63C-29-202. Powers and duties.
107          (1) Using existing research and studies, and conducting additional research and study
108     as necessary, the commission shall carefully and deliberately consider, study, and evaluate the
109     state's mental health system and model, including:
110          (a) whether the state hospital should be responsible for providing long-term mental
111     health services, or if there is another facility, setting, or model that would better serve
112     individuals in need of such services;
113          (b) whether the way in which mental health services are provided to individuals in the
114     custody of the Department of Corrections could be improved;
115          (c) how to maximize the value of the current bed capacity at the state hospital;
116          (d) ways to improve coordination between mental health providers and programs
117     throughout the state; and
118          (e) whether the current state hospital location adequately serves the state population

119     that receives state hospital services.
120          (2) The commission may:
121          (a) meet as many times as the commission considers necessary or advisable in order to
122     fulfill the commission's responsibilities under this chapter; and
123          (b) hire or direct the hiring of one or more consultants with experience or expertise in a
124     subject under consideration by the commission, to assist the commission in fulfilling the
125     commission's duties under this part.
126          Section 4. Section 63C-29-203 is enacted to read:
127          63C-29-203. Agency cooperation.
128          The department and the division shall work cooperatively with the commission to help
129     ensure that the commission receives, as requested, any information necessary to inform the
130     commission's recommendation.
131          Section 5. Section 63C-29-204 is enacted to read:
132          63C-29-204. Report and recommendation.
133          (1) No later than December 31, 2023, the commission shall submit a written report to
134     the following:
135          (a) the Executive Appropriations Committee;
136          (b) the Social Services Appropriations Subcommittee; and
137          (c) the Judiciary Interim Committee.
138          (2) The report shall include:
139          (a) an account of the commission's work;
140          (b) the commission's recommendations regarding the state's mental health system and
141     model; and
142          (c) recommended legislation that the commission believes would improve the state's
143     mental health system or model, if any.
144          Section 6. Section 63I-2-263 is amended to read:
145          63I-2-263. Repeal dates: Title 63A to Title 63N.
146          (1) Title 63A, Chapter 2, Part 5, Educational Interpretation and Translation Services
147     Procurement Advisory Council is repealed July 1, 2025.
148          (2) Section 63A-17-303 is repealed July 1, 2023.
149          (3) Subsection 63A-17-304(1)(c) is repealed July 1, 2022.

150          (4) Title 63C, Chapter 22, Digital Wellness, Citizenship, and Safe Technology
151     Commission is repealed July 1, 2023.
152          (5) Title 63C, Chapter 29, State Mental Health System Commission is repealed
153     December 31, 2024.
154          [(5)] (6) Section 63G-1-502 is repealed July 1, 2022.
155          [(6)] (7) The following sections regarding the World War II Memorial Commission are
156     repealed July 1, 2022:
157          (a) Section 63G-1-801;
158          (b) Section 63G-1-802;
159          (c) Section 63G-1-803; and
160          (d) Section 63G-1-804.
161          [(7) Title 63H, Chapter 5, Utah State Railroad Museum Authority, is repealed on July
162     1, 2022.]
163          (8) Section 63H-7a-303 is repealed July 1, 2024.
164          (9) Subsection 63H-7a-403(2)(b), regarding the charge to maintain the public safety
165     communications network, is repealed July 1, 2033.
166          (10) Subsection 63J-1-602.2(44), which lists appropriations to the State Tax
167     Commission for property tax deferral reimbursements, is repealed July 1, 2027.
168          (11) Sections 63M-7-213 and 63M-7-213.5 are repealed January 1, 2023.
169          (12) Section 63M-7-217 is repealed July 1, 2022.
170          (13) Subsection 63N-2-213(12)(a), relating to claiming a tax credit in the same taxable
171     year as the targeted business income tax credit, is repealed December 31, 2024.
172          (14) Title 63N, Chapter 2, Part 3, Targeted Business Income Tax Credit in an
173     Enterprise Zone, is repealed December 31, 2024.