H.B. 171 Physician Assistant Amendments

What this bill does

The bill would update Utah's statute on physician assistants so it matches a standard change the Legislature made in 2021 to the Utah Physician Assistant Act. The bill is described as a cleanup that makes the statute consistent with existing law.

Plain-English summary written by AI from the sponsor’s presentation in committee and on the floor. Check the official text below.

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Every vote

• 10 yes, 0 no, 6 absentHouse Business, Labor, and Commerce Committee: vote to approve it · Feb 4, 2026Who voted how
• 10 yes, 0 no, 6 absentHouse Business, Labor, and Commerce Committee: Consent Calendar Recommendation · Feb 4, 2026Who voted how
• 68 yes, 0 no, 7 absentFinal House vote · Feb 9, 2026Who voted how
• 3 yes, 0 no, 4 absentSenate Health and Human Services Committee: vote to approve it · Feb 18, 2026Who voted how
• 3 yes, 0 no, 4 absentSenate Health and Human Services Committee: Consent Calendar Recommendation · Feb 18, 2026Who voted how
• 23 yes, 0 no, 6 absentFinal Senate vote · Feb 23, 2026Who voted how

Hearings and debates

• Feb 4, 2026 House Business, Labor, and Commerce Committee▶ Watch
  Transcript (13 turns)

  1. Committee vice chair (presiding)59:04

     Uh, house Bill 1 71. Uh, first substitute, uh, Representative Whyte, take it away.

  2. Rep. Stephen L. Whyte59:17

     Thank you, Mr. Vice Chair and Committee for the opportunity to present HB 1 71, physician Assistant Amendments. The purpose of this cleanup bill is to clarify in statute a change in the standard that was passed five years ago by the legislature in 2021 regarding the Utah Physician Assistant Act. So this bill will simply make the statute consistent with the existing law. Um, I appreciate the physician assistance and the Utah Medical Association who have worked on and agreed to this cleanup bill. And that concludes my presentation.

  3. Committee vice chair (presiding)59:51

     Okay. Thank you, representative. Um, I will, uh, take it to the committee for any clarifying questions.

  4. Rep. Jake Sawyer59:59

     Representative Sawyer? Yeah. Thank you very much. Uh, love the bill. Thank you for doing this. I had a group of, uh, PAs from Weaver State in my office this week talking to me about this. Um, so I appreciate them being there and, and sharing this with me. I, I love that we're taking the apostrophe out. Uh, these people don't belong to the physician and they are their own right. And we appreciate them and everything they're doing. So thank you for the bill.

  5. Committee vice chair (presiding)1:00:24

     Okay. Thank you very much. Uh, it doesn't look like we have any questions from the committee. We'll take, is anybody in the public that would like to speak to this? Alright. Anybody on line? Okay. Uh, we'll take it back to the Committee for Action. Uh, Representative Ballard?

  6. Rep. Melissa G. Ballard1:00:42

     Yes. I make a motion to pass out favorably.

  7. Committee vice chair (presiding)1:00:45

     HB 1 71, physician Assistant Amendments is the first sub adopted?

  8. Rep. Melissa G. Ballard1:00:50

     Yeah. As the, uh, first sub.

  9. Committee vice chair (presiding)1:00:52

     Okay. Would you like to speak to that?

  10. Rep. Melissa G. Ballard1:00:55

      I think it's pretty simple. Okay. Thank you. Uh, I'll take you to the committee and to the sponsor. Thank you for the consideration. And if the committee would feel so inclined to put this on consent, if, if it came to that point, I would appreciate that as well.

  11. Committee vice chair (presiding)1:01:11

      Okay. And to the maker of the motion waive. Okay. The motion is that we adopt HP 1 71 for substitute physician assistant amendments favor, or that we recommend favorably HP 1 71 for substitute physician assistant amendments. All in favor say aye. A aye. And those against roll, that, that passes unanimously, uh,

  12. Rep. Melissa G. Ballard1:01:40

      Secondary motion. I make a motion to put this on the consent calendar

  13. Committee vice chair (presiding)1:01:44

      Motion is that we adopt, uh, put this on the consent calendar. All in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Those against. All right. We'll put it on the consent calendar. Thank you, representative. Thank you Very much.

• Feb 9, 2026 House floor debate▶ Watch
  Transcript (3 turns)

  1. Speaker (presiding)21:27

     Per substitute house bill 1 71, physician Assistant Amendments by Representative Whyte. This bill was heard in Business and Labor with a vote of 10 0 6 Representative Whyte.

  2. Rep. Stephen L. Whyte21:39

     Thank you Mr. Speaker and good morning. HB 1 71 is a cleanup, a bill that has a purpose to clarify in statute a change in the standards that was passed by the legislature five years ago in the Utah Physician Assistant Act. This bill will simply make this statute consistent with existing law. And that concludes my presentation.

  3. Speaker (presiding)22:00

     Thank you. Representative Whyte voting will now be open on first substitute HP 1 71. Seeing all present, having voted voting is now closed. First substitute HB 1 71 will, uh, having passed this by with 68 yes votes zero, no votes will be sent to the Senate for its consideration. Madam Reading Clerk

• Feb 18, 2026 Senate Health and Human Services Committee▶ Watch
  Transcript (12 turns)

  1. Committee chair38:13

     for substitute Representative Whyte. Welcome. Well, it's good to have you here.

  2. Rep. Stephen L. Whyte38:24

     Thank you, Mr. Chair and distinguished committee for the opportunity to be here with you today. Um, HB 1 71, uh, the purpose of this bill is a cleanup bill to clarify and statute a change in the standard that was passed five years ago in 2021 when the legislature passed the Utah Physician Assistant Act. This bill just simply makes this statute consistent with existing law. I appreciate the physician assistants as well as the Utah Medical Association, who have collaboratively worked on and agreed to this cleanup. Bill and Mr. Chair, that concludes my presentation. Thank you. Let's take a look at this very simple bill.

  3. Committee chair39:11

     Okay. Discussion to the bill. Not seeing any. Is there anybody here from the public that would like to speak to this? Anyone online? Go ahead and close public comment. You've not had anybody vote against this. Well, it's great when everyone works together to be able to find a simple solution. Just to clarify, in statute, You know, it's, uh, I, I'll just note there's so much that, uh, we talk a lot about the gnashing of teeth and the challenges in our political landscape. But really there, there's, uh, when a good idea comes forth, there's unanimous, uh, from every perspective about 85, 90% of the time it's one of these bills. So thank you. I'm bring it back to Committee for a motion. Thank you. Senator Escamilla? Yeah.

  4. Sen. Luz Escamilla40:17

     Uh, thank you Mr. Chair. I make a motion that we favorly recommend first substitute HP 1 71 to the floor, to the Senate Motion is an order. Would you like to speak to it, Senator? No. It's a good cleanup. And thank you, uh, representative.

  5. Committee chair40:31

     Thank you. Discussion to the motion. Seeing none, bring it back to the sponsor.

  6. Rep. Stephen L. Whyte40:38

     Thank you. I appreciate your consideration. And Mr. Chair committee, if you would consider placing this bill on the consent calendar.

  7. Unknown speaker40:44speaker not certain

     I would be supportive and appreciative as well.

  8. Committee chair40:46

     Thank you. Uh, Senator, would you like to sum Motion with Sum motion? Okay. All in favor of the motion as stated, please say aye. Aye. Aye. Opposed? Nay. It's unanimous. Mr.

  9. Committee chair41:01

     Do you have a motion, Senator? Yes. Put

  10. Sen. Luz Escamilla41:03

      On consent? Yes. Um, um, there's a motion to be placed on consent

  11. Committee chair41:07

      That's, uh, in order discussion. That motion bring it back. All in favor of placing this on consent calendar. Please say, aye. Aye. Aye. Opposed? Nay. Okay. There you go, representative. Keep up the good work. Thank you. Thank

  12. Rep. Stephen L. Whyte41:24

      You, Mr. Chairman and committee. Thank You.

• Feb 23, 2026 Senate floor debate▶ Watch
  Transcript (6 turns)

  1. Unknown speaker16:37speaker not certain

     Thank you. And just for clarity, do I need to make a motion to encircle?

  2. Presiding officer16:41

     So, motion to Uncer first substitute Senate Bill 1 71. All in favor? The motion to circle first, uh, substitute house bill 1 71 Say aye. Aye. Aye. Any opposed? I'll rule that passes Bill on circle. Senator

  3. Sen. Michael K. McKell16:54

     Kel. Thank you. The purpose of this cleanup bill is to clarify in statute, to change in the standard that was passed five years ago and in 2021 when the legislature passed the Utah Physician Assistance Act, this bill will simply make the statute consistent with existing law in 58 dash seven eight dash 3 0 7. Appreciate the physician assistance and the UMA working together on this bill, um, as a, as a cleanup and agreeing to do that. With that, I would move that this bill pass And the question is, shall first sub house bill

  4. Presiding officer17:25

     one seventy one pass. Roll call

  5. Senate clerk17:26

     Vote. Senator Vickers Baldry Aye. Lewin Aye. Rammer Aye. Bus? Aye. Colmore Escamilla Aye. Fillmore Grover Aye. Harper Aye. Kins Aye. Ipson Aye. Johnson Juab McKay. Aye. Mikel Milner Musselman Owens pitcher Blum Rebi Sandal Stevenson Stratton Thickers Weiler Wilson Aye. Winterton Bill more?

  6. Presiding officer18:14

     President Adams First substitute house Bill 1 71. Having received 23 yay votes, zero nay votes, six being absent passes the Senate will be sent signed by the President pro tem and return to the house for the signature of the speaker. Senator McCay.