Utah House approves public‑health code changes, tighter rules on firearm forfeiture and veterans housing measures

SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah House of Representatives on Feb. 11 approved a set of bills that included removing so‑called "orders of constraint" from state public‑health code, limiting when firearms can be forfeited as a condition of a plea in abeyance, and measures aimed at veterans housing and clarifying access to crash reports.

The most contested measure, House Bill 294, removes language in state code that allowed broad, group‑level public‑health actions known in the debate as "orders of constraint," while preserving longstanding individual orders of restriction and creating an accommodation rule for people who cannot wear face coverings. Representative McPherson, the bill sponsor, said, "What this bill does is essentially removes the orders of constraint language." The House adopted an amendment clarifying that hospitals may designate restricted areas (for example, intensive‑care or oncology units) while still requiring reasonable accommodations under federal and state law for individuals who cannot wear face coverings. HB 294 passed, 74–0.

Why it matters: Sponsors and some local health officials told the House the change narrows statutory authority that was added during the COVID‑19 pandemic and restores a clearer, individual‑focused process that includes due process protections. Opponents did not force a recorded roll call against the final bill in floor debate, but the discussion and the adopted amendment reflected concern about hospital operations and about maintaining avenues for public‑health response to communicable diseases.

Other significant measures approved

Department of Health and Human Services restricted accounts (HB 238) Representative Gwynn described House Bill 238 as a "very straightforward bill" allowing specified restricted accounts…