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House passes telehealth bill, directing funding to support rural hospitals
Summary
The Utah House approved first substitute Senate Bill 57 to expand telehealth and electronic medical records access, emphasizing benefits for rural hospitals; the bill passed on a 61-0 (recorded) vote and will return to the Senate for signature.
The Utah House on third reading approved first substitute Senate Bill 57, a telehealth measure lawmakers said would improve doctors' access to patients' electronic medical records across distances and help rural hospitals. Representative Snow, who introduced the bill, said, “This would be a big help to rural hospitals,” and highlighted the bill’s fiscal note and a Senate-prioritized allocation.
Supporters said the measure aims to make medical information portable and accessible when patients and records are in different places. Representative Snow noted a fiscal prioritization of roughly $500,000 from the Senate to support electronic medical records infrastructure. She added that the bill underwent committee review in Public Utilities and Technologies, which reported it with a favorable vote.
There was no extended debate on the House floor. Representative Snow waived summation, and the House closed voting. The bill passed on the floor with 61 yes votes and will be signed by the Speaker and returned to the Senate for the president’s signature.
The next procedural step is transmittal for the Senate president’s signature; no amendments or conditions were recorded on final passage in the House.
