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Senate advances bill to clarify podiatry scope amid health‑care pushback
Summary
Senate Bill 133, which would expand podiatrists' authority to treat certain foot and ankle conditions, advanced after debate about scope limits and pending amendments. Sponsor and opponents said they are negotiating technical language; the bill passed the second‑reading roll call and was ordered to third reading.
Senate Bill 133, which would broaden the clinical scope for podiatrists to treat foot and ankle conditions, cleared a second‑reading vote after extended floor discussion and work with medical stakeholders.
Sponsor Senator Hinkins said the measure is intended to align Utah with surrounding states and let podiatrists treat ankles and related conditions consistent with additional residency training. “We're working on some amendments,” Hinkins told colleagues, saying he met for two hours with stakeholders and the Utah Medical Association and that the goal is to bring practice in line with other states so providers trained for ankle work will not leave Utah.
Several senators pressed the sponsor on specific limits in the bill. One senator said constituent emails raised concerns that the language could be read very broadly — including references to nervous system connections reaching the brain — and asked whether forthcoming amendments would set a clear anatomical limit above the ankle. Hinkins responded that the amendments aim to specify the cutoff (discussed in lay terms as a measurement above the ankle in other states) and prevent an unintended expansion.
Senator Iwamoto and others asked whether the bill would affect advertising and courtroom testimony; Iwamoto noted questions about “truth in advertising” language and how specialists may testify in legal cases. The sponsor said the advertising concern had been addressed and that other issues were being resolved in follow‑up meetings.
The Senate clerk announced the roll‑call for third reading after the floor debate: SB133 received 20 'aye' votes, 5 'nay' votes and 4 absent, and was ordered for third reading. The sponsor said he would continue negotiating technical amendments before the bill's next appearance on the calendar.
Next steps: SB133 was ordered to a third reading; the sponsor indicated pending amendments would be circulated and further negotiation would continue.
