UtahUtah would fund first responder health care and support programs
Utah would require first responder agencies to offer mental health resources and would direct insurance-tax revenue toward firefighter cancer screening and related support.
What it does
First responder agencies would provide confidential mental health resources to workers and certain families, while eligible small agencies could receive critical-incident services if funding is available.
A firefighter cancer trust fund and board would receive specified insurance-tax revenue, support cancer screening, and study how to help firefighters with presumptive cancer.
Qualifying volunteer emergency medical workers could use health and dental coverage through the state benefits program when they meet service and insurance-eligibility rules.
Argument forMental health access and critical-incident services could help first responders and their families find support during or after traumatic events.
Argument againstSmall agencies that join the mental health account would owe $25 per first responder each year, while services could still stop when funding runs out.
More detail
First responder agencies would provide or make mental health resources available to covered first responders and certain family members. Covered people include current, retired, and separated first responders; their spouses and children; and certain surviving spouses. Resources include mental health assessments, treatment, and peer support. Access must remain confidential. The Department of Public Safety may provide short-term critical-incident services to eligible small agencies, subject to available account money. A small agency that contributes to the account must pay $25 each year for each first responder it employs. The general mental health access provisions and reporting rules take effect May 6, 2026; account provisions take effect July 1, 2026.
A firefighter cancer benefit trust fund and an 11-member board would manage money for covered firefighters and their beneficiaries. The fund would support firefighters and beneficiaries under the bill's cancer benefit rules, with Utah Valley University providing board staff and accounting support. The fund could receive legislative appropriations, donations, grants, and other revenue. For fiscal years 2027 and 2028, $3.7 million of insurance-tax revenue would support the cancer screening program. Beginning in fiscal year 2027, $250,000 each year would support cancer-screening records, and net insurance-tax revenue would go to the trust fund. The board must study funding and payment methods and submit recommendations by December 1, 2026. The fund, board, and related program provisions take effect July 1, 2026; the specified fiscal-year transfers begin in fiscal year 2027.
Eligible volunteer emergency medical workers could participate in health and dental insurance through the state employee benefits program. The program covers licensed emergency medical technicians, advanced emergency medical technicians, and paramedics who serve qualifying local governments and meet the service requirements. A participant generally must take part in at least 20% of emergency medical service operations during a rolling 12-month period. Health or dental coverage is limited to people without comparable employer or government coverage, or whose other premium cost is at least 20% higher. The program may offer basic life and long-term disability insurance within existing appropriations. Coverage ends when the person is no longer eligible and is not subject to continuation rights under state or federal law. The program provision takes effect May 6, 2026, and is repealed July 1, 2027.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Mar 26Governor Spencer Cox SignedBecame Law
- Mar 16House/ to GovernorTo Governor
- Mar 16House/ received enrolled bill from PrintingMinor
- Mar 12House/ enrolled bill to Printing
- Mar 12Enrolled Bill Returned to House or SenateMinor
- Mar 11Draft of Enrolled Bill Prepared
- Mar 11Bill Received from House for EnrollingMinor
- Mar 11House/ signed by Speaker/ sent for enrollingMajor
- Mar 11House/ received from SenateMinor
- Mar 10Senate/ to House
- Mar 10Senate/ signed by President/ returned to HouseMajor
- Mar 10Senate/ received from HouseMinor
- Mar 7House/ to Senate
- Vote recorded House/ concurs with Senate amendment. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded Senate/ passed 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspension. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 7House/ concurs with Senate amendmentMajor
- Mar 7House/ placed on Concurrence Calendar
- Mar 7Senate/ to House with amendments
- Mar 7Senate/ passed 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspensionMajor
- Mar 7Senate/ substituted
- Mar 7Senate/ uncircled
- Mar 7LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0416S05
- Mar 7LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0416S05
- Mar 7LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0416S05
- Mar 7LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0416S05
- Mar 7LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0416S04
- Mar 7LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0416S04
- Mar 7LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0416S03
- Mar 7LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0416S03
- Mar 7LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0416S04
- Mar 7LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0416S04
- Mar 7Senate/ circled
- Mar 7Senate/ substituted
- Mar 7Senate/ 2nd readingMinor
- Mar 7Senate/ motion to reconsider
- Mar 7Senate/ recalled by Senate
- Mar 7House/ recalled by House
- Mar 7LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0416S03
- Mar 7LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0416S03
- Mar 6House/ signed by Speaker/ sent for enrollingMajor
- Mar 6House/ received from SenateMinor
- Mar 5Senate/ to House
- Vote recorded Senate/ passed 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspension. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 5Senate/ signed by President/ returned to HouseMajor
- Mar 5Senate/ passed 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspensionPassed Senate
- Mar 5Senate/ 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspensionMinor
- Mar 5Senate/ Rules to 2nd Reading Calendar
- Mar 5Senate/ 2nd Reading Calendar to Rules [Senate Rules Committee]Minor
- Feb 27Senate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar
- Feb 27Senate/ committee report favorable [Senate Government Operations and Political Subdivisions Committee]Minor
- Feb 26Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation [Senate Government Operations and Political Subdivisions Committee]Minor
- Feb 20Senate/ to standing committee [Senate Government Operations and Political Subdivisions Committee]Minor
- Feb 19Senate/ 1st reading (Introduced)Minor
- Feb 18Senate/ received from HouseMinor
- Vote recorded House/ passed 3rd reading. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 18House/ to Senate
- Feb 18House/ passed 3rd readingPassed House
- Feb 18House/ 3rd readingMinor
- Feb 13LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0416S02
- Feb 12LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0416S02
- Feb 12LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0416S02
- Feb 10House/ 2nd readingMinor
- Feb 10House/ comm rpt/ substituted [House Economic Development and Workforce Services Committee]
- Feb 10House Comm - Favorable Recommendation [House Economic Development and Workforce Services Committee]Minor
- Feb 10House Comm - Substitute Recommendation [House Economic Development and Workforce Services Committee]Major
- Feb 9LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0416S02
- Feb 9LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0416S02
- Feb 9LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0416S01
- Feb 6LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0416S01
- Feb 6House/ to standing committee [House Economic Development and Workforce Services Committee]Minor
- Feb 6Bill Substituted by Sponsor in House Rules Comm [House Rules Committee]Major
- Feb 3LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0416S01
- Feb 3LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0416S01
- Feb 3House/ received fiscal note from Fiscal AnalystMinor
- Feb 2LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0416
- Feb 2LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0416
- Jan 29House/ 1st reading (Introduced)Minor
- Jan 29House/ received bill from Legislative ResearchMinor
- Jan 28LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0416
- Jan 28LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0416
- Jan 28Numbered Bill Publicly Distributed
- Jan 28Bill Numbered but not DistributedIntroduced
HealthcareMental HealthPublic Safety