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House backs jail healthcare changes: commission, telehealth pilot and tax credit
Summary
Lawmakers passed HB 398 to create a commission to study medically assisted treatment in county jails, authorize a telehealth pilot for psychological evaluations in rural jails and offer a refundable tax credit to recruit jail medical staff; the bill passed with amendments 59-7.
The Utah House passed House Bill 398 on March 4, which sponsors described as a package of measures to improve care for inmates with substance-use disorders and to address deaths in county jails.
Representative Dawe (presenting the amendment) told the chamber HB 398 would form a commission to study delivery of medically assisted treatment in jails (including methadone, buprenorphine and Vivitrol), create a telehealth pilot to supply psychiatric evaluations in rural jails, and establish a refundable tax credit to attract medical personnel to county jails. "A large portion of those in jails have a substance abuse problem and taking the chance to try to assist them and treat them is a much better use of our taxpayer money than just simply incarcerating them," he said.
Floor amendments were adopted to ensure civil-rights protections and continuity of medication when inmates transfer to state custody; Representative Andersons amendment asked that the commission study continuation of medications for inmates moved to the Department of Corrections. After debate and amendments, the House approved the bill 59-7 and sent it on to the Senate.
Provenance: floor debate, amendment adoption, and recorded vote on HB 398, March 4, 2019.
