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Senate advances health, prescription and governance bills; SB206, SB214, SB200 moved forward
Summary
On March 5, 2013, the Utah Senate passed multiple bills including amendments to create or refine an Office of Medicaid Inspector General (SB206), continuing-education requirements tied to prescription practice (first substitute SB214), and administrative changes affecting special service districts (second substitute SB200). Several bills were reported out of committee and placed on calendars by unanimous or strong votes.
The Utah Senate advanced a package of bills on March 5, 2013, clearing measures that ranged from Medicaid oversight to prescription-safety measures and special-district governance.
Senator Christiansen moved an amendment to Senate Bill 206 (Office of Medicaid Inspector General amendments) that removed language permitting seizure of property, changed wording to require the inspector general to recover — not simply seek to recover — funds, and shortened a look-back period from six years to three. Christiansen said the bill carried a positive fiscal estimate of $7,000,000 in savings, including $2,000,000 to the state general fund. After waiver of summation, SB206 as amended was advanced for third reading after a roll-call that produced 24 yes votes with five senators absent.
On prescription policy, Senator Jones sponsored first substitute SB214 to tighten continuing medical education requirements as part of a broader response to rising prescription-drug overdoses. An amendment related to dentists’ continuing-education hours was debated and passed; the substitute bill then advanced with a recorded vote (26 yes, 1 no, 2 absent). Senator Jones also brought forward first substitute SB203 to recommend clearer prescription label information for prescribers and pharmacists to aid first responders; that measure moved on the calendar as well.
Senator Stevenson led discussion on second substitute SB200, which makes technical changes for special service districts, including a reduced design-build cap (from $10,000,000 to $1,000,000 for small districts) and clearer processes for dissolving nonfunctioning districts. After substitution and brief discussion the Senate advanced the measure.
Other bills approved or advanced included SB186 (permitting insurers to provide materials in non-English languages while preserving an English-language controlling version), SB207 (deleting expired or discontinued reports and programs in health and human services), and first substitute SB83 (limitations on outside employment by political appointees and executive office personnel). Several measures were passed by recorded votes; a list of votes at a glance appears below.
Votes at a glance: SB206 (as amended) — advanced for third reading, recorded as 24 yes; First substitute SB214 — advanced, 26 yes, 1 no, 2 absent; First substitute SB203 — advanced, 26 yes; Second substitute SB200 — advanced, 26 yes, 0 no, 3 absent; SB186 — advanced, 26 yes, 0 no, 3 absent; SB207 (as amended) — advanced, 26 yes, 0 no, 3 absent; First substitute SB83 — advanced, 28 yes, 0 no, 1 absent.
The Senate recessed at the end of the afternoon session after recognizing guests in the gallery.
