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2025 bills / H.B. 276

H.B. 276 Commitment Revisions (2025)

Became lawWritten by Rep. Nelson T. Abbott · carried in the Senate by Sen. Evan J. Vickers

  1. Introduced
  2. House committee
  3. House vote
  4. Senate committee
  5. Senate vote
  6. Signed into law

What this bill does

The bill changes Utah's civil commitment and mental health rules. It lets designated examiners and courts use telehealth for many commitment steps, requires a court to dismiss a commitment petition if both examiners find the person does not meet criteria, and requires patient rights limits to be recorded in treatment records.

Plain-English summary written by AI from the official description. Check the official text below.

Official description
  • defines terms
  • amends the definitions of "intellectual disability" and "intermediate care facility for people with an intellectual disability" as used in the Utah Code
  • amends provisions relating to the rights and privileges to which an individual is entitled when under commitment to the custody or to the treatment services of a local mental health authority
  • provides that if a right of a patient of a local mental health authority is limited or denied, including for the welfare of the patient or caretakers, the nature, extent, and reason for that limitation or denial shall be entered in the patient's treatment record
  • requires a designated examiner to conduct an examination of a proposed patient by telehealth except in certain circumstances
  • requires a court to hold a hearing on an application for involuntary commitment remotely unless the court finds good cause not to hold the hearing remotely
  • amends standards and processes related to the involuntary civil commitment of an individual with an intellectual disability or related condition
  • provides that a court may only order the Department of Health and Human Services (department) to provide an initial evaluation and progress toward competency evaluation for a defendant or minor if the defendant or minor is located within the state
  • requires a court to dismiss a petition for involuntary civil commitment if both designated examiners determine that the proposed patient does not meet the criteria for involuntary commitment
  • provides that when there is a conflict in the opinions of forensic evaluators, if a party seeks an additional competency evaluation then the party is responsible for selecting the evaluator and paying the cost of the evaluator
  • amends provisions regarding the release of a defendant determined to be incompetent to proceed from a secured setting
  • addresses when the department is required to provide an updated juvenile competency evaluation after an extended attainment period
  • makes technical and conforming changes
Full text and history on le.utah.gov →

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