H.B. 454 Public Assistance Fraud Amendments

What this bill does

H.B. 454 makes it a crime to knowingly obtain or use public assistance through fraud, with penalties from a Class B misdemeanor to a second-degree felony based on the dollar amount. It also makes it a crime to knowingly help another person include fraudulent information to get assistance, and adds that offense to the list of crimes that can form a pattern of unlawful activity.

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Every vote

• 8 yes, 0 no, 3 absentHouse Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee: vote to approve it · Feb 13, 2026Who voted how
• 66 yes, 0 no, 9 absentFinal House vote · Feb 23, 2026
• 7 yes, 0 noSenate Health and Human Services Committee: vote to approve it · Mar 2, 2026Who voted how
• 5 yes, 0 no, 2 absentSenate Health and Human Services Committee: Consent Calendar Recommendation · Mar 2, 2026Who voted how
• 24 yes, 1 no, 4 absentFinal Senate vote · Mar 6, 2026

Hearings and debates

• Feb 13, 2026 House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee▶ Watch
  Transcript (14 turns)

  1. Committee chair (acting)24:40

     I need a here. Whenever you're ready.

  2. Rep. Ryan D. Wilcox24:48

     Thank you. This thing on. There we go. Got it. Thank you, Lacey. Um, you know, this, this committee doesn't work without good staff, and we appreciate looking out for us. Um, the public assistance fraud bill, um, is primarily exists, um, as we've seen, uh, in a handful of cases here in Utah, but mostly in other areas, um, to go after fraud that is, um, intentionally committed by those who are seeking to, um, either profit themselves from benefits fraud, or to engage in that on behalf of another. Um, this one, um, does not target anyone who does this on accident. This is not about filling a form out wrong or any of those issues. This is about those who knowingly are committing fraud and, um, lays out what those penalties should look like and ensures that, uh, we have mechanisms whereby to enforce it. Happy to answer any questions, if there are any.

  3. Committee chair (acting)26:07

     Okay. Um, I think we have a question over here from Senator Representative. What's her name? Paul, I remember today. Go ahead.

  4. Rep. Paul A. Cutler26:24

     Thank you, Mr. Deter. Um, I just, just, can you just gimme some examples of public assistance that you're kind of talking about? I just like, yeah. What would this entail? Yeah. Um, I'm just trying, try to be careful here. Um, yeah.

  5. Rep. Ryan D. Wilcox26:40

     Some of the examples of this could include, uh, an organization, um, sometimes even a nonprofit, um, whose purpose is to enroll as many as possible in a given program. Um, there's, you know, there's all, you know, all of the rules that we have come about from bad actors in one case or another, uh, 99% of the time, I'm sure those are all on the up and up. Every once in a while. We have those outliers who are not. Um, example would be, uh, when someone signs up for, for, uh, given benefit package and just rolling through everything, um, in an attempt to help probably. Um, but, uh, when you have those who are employed, and the incentive is to, uh, rush those through whether or not someone's actually eligible, that's a problem. Um, when you sign up, uh, persons who have not just no eligibility, but you, you falsify, uh, income records, you falsify other data, um, when it's actually investigated, we find out that this has been happening for years, and now we're in the hundreds of thousands of benefits that were misallocate to the wrong person. That's, that's really what this is. Uh, so bad actors who know what they're doing. So that's why the knowingly, uh, pieces in there. Yep.

  6. Rep. Paul A. Cutler28:10

     Thank you.

  7. Committee chair (acting)28:16

     Okay. Uh, any other questions from the committee? All right. Uh, to the public, I have anybody here that would like to speak with none on the line, seeing none. Back to the committee for any further comments, questions, or motions. Representative Hall?

  8. Rep. Katy Hall28:53

     Thank you, Mr. Chair, is there a sub or anything? Nope. Awesome. Okay. I would move that we favorably recommend HB 4 54 public assistance fraud amendments.

  9. Committee chair (acting)29:06

     Thank you. That's in order, um, the, uh, to the sponsor.

  10. Rep. Ryan D. Wilcox29:15

      Um, I appreciate that. Um, just remind everybody, 'cause most of the questions I've had have been about, you know, how this happens is accidentally putting someone in in jail who you know, is just trying to help. But again, just to read it out loud on the record, knowingly includes or instructs the applicant to include false information relating to a material fact required to be disclosed in the application, or does not disclose or instructs the applicant to not disclose a material fact required to be disclosed in the application. And, uh, you know, this is like super clear, you know what you're doing. This is overt fraud, so thank you. Okay.

  11. Committee chair (acting)29:54

      Thank you. Uh, back to the maker of the motion.

  12. Rep. Katy Hall29:56

      Um, yeah, thank you. I, I agree with this, uh, policy. I think it's unfortunate when things like this happen. 'cause it ruins things for the people that actually really need it, right? Um, so I think this is really important and hopefully we'll deter that from happening, and that's why I encourage a favorable recommendation. Thanks. Okay.

  13. Committee chair (acting)30:15

      Thank you. Uh, so we have a forest HB 4 54, um, public assistance fraud amendments, and we'll go to a voice vote on that. All in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. Any aye. Thank you. Online, um, uh, seeing no one in opposition, that passes out favorably. Okay. Thank you. You have another one? Nope. Nope. Okay. Are we going to McPherson?

  14. Rep. Ryan D. Wilcox (resumed chair)31:01

      Oh, was Owens okay?

• Feb 23, 2026 House floor debate▶ Watch
  Transcript (4 turns)

  1. Reading clerk1:27:38

     House Bill 5 54 Public assistance fraud amendments by Representative Wilcox. This bill was heard in law enforcement and criminal justice with the vote. 8 0 3

  2. Speaker (presiding)1:27:49

     Representative Wilcox.

  3. Rep. Ryan D. Wilcox1:27:51

     Motion to circle. Motion is to circle. We'd like to speak to it. Uh, yeah, we're working on, uh, a few changes.

  4. Speaker (presiding)1:27:58

     Thank you. Thank you. The motion is to circle discussion to the motion. See none. All in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed say no. Motion carries. The bill is circled matter. Reading clerk

• Feb 23, 2026 House floor debate▶ Watch
  Transcript (15 turns)

  1. Rep. Ryan D. Wilcox1:24:20

     Thank you Mr. Speaker. Motion to uncer HB 4 54. That motion is nor would like to speak to it. Yeah, uh, we're actually not making the changes that we talked about earlier when we circled it.

  2. Speaker (presiding)1:24:30

     Representative Wilcox, we'll go ahead and place the motion. The motion before is the House UNC encircle HB 4 54. All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Will that motion passes the bills, uncircled and before the body for its consideration back to Europe San Wilcox.

  3. Rep. Ryan D. Wilcox1:24:45

     Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Um, I appreciate, uh, bringing it back. Uh, this one really is pretty simple. If you're committing, uh, public benefits fraud, you should not be doing that. That's a criminal offense. And we're making, we're making sure it sounds funny, but, uh, yeah, it really is a thing. So it turns out, if you knowingly, and this is the important part of this, and I just hung up with the attorney to make sure that we were, uh, clear in this. If you are knowingly committing or inducing someone else, helping someone else commit fraud, then that's a problem for us. So you can't knowingly do that. Um, that's covers, it goes further than many of the other legal standards that we've looked at and, uh, that's the substance of the bill. Mr. Speaker, I'm happy to answer any questions if there are any.

  4. Speaker (presiding)1:25:43

     Thank you. Representative Wilcox. Discussion to the bill representative Grant Millard.

  5. Rep. Grant Amjad Miller1:25:49

     Thank you Mr. Speaker. Will the, uh, sponsor yield to a question? Representative Wilcox, will you yield to a question?

  6. Rep. Ryan D. Wilcox1:25:54

     I'd love to, yes. Representative.

  7. Rep. Grant Amjad Miller1:25:56

     Thank you, Mr. Speaker? Uh, in cases of public assistance fraud, there is usually a penalty where you have to pay 100% restitution of whatever was defrauded of the government and then a 100% penalty. Uh, does your bill contemplate the same thing if, if a person's a co actor or conspirator in this process?

  8. Rep. Ryan D. Wilcox1:26:16

     Yes, I believe so. They would, they would basically be treated and subject to the same penalties as if they had committed the fraud themselves, if they directed the fraud, uh, to take place.

  9. Rep. Grant Amjad Miller1:26:28

     Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That's my question. Appreciate,

  10. Speaker (presiding)1:26:34

      Thank you, Representative Miller. Further discussion to the bill I, back to Representative Wilcox for summation.

  11. Rep. Ryan D. Wilcox1:26:43

      Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It seems like sometimes with these bills, we are surprised that we have to run them, uh, until we come across the cases that require us to run them. So we, uh, shouldn't commit fraud, nor should we allow or facilitate others committing of the fraud. Thank you.

  12. Speaker (presiding)1:27:04

      Thank you. Representative Wilcox Voting will now be open on HB 4 54.

  13. Speaker (presiding)1:28:47

      Representative Lee, would you like to vote? Representative Trevor Lee, like to vote,

  14. Speaker (presiding)1:28:55

      seeing all present, having voted, voting is now closed. 4 54 passes with 66 yes votes, zero, no votes and will be sent to the Senate for its consideration.

  15. Speaker (presiding)1:29:07

      Let's go to Representative Walter.

• Mar 2, 2026 Senate Health and Human Services Committee▶ Watch
  Transcript (14 turns)

  1. Committee chair1:21:59

     uh, our fourth agenda item, house bill 4 54, public assistance fraud amendments, Representative Wilcox, come on in. And then, uh, Representative Fiefia, you'll be on deck. Thank you.

  2. Rep. Ryan D. Wilcox1:22:22

     Thank you, Mr. Chair. Welcome. Thank you. Other committees are not as efficient as you. Well, you ought to hang around. All right. Are you ready to go? Keep Going. Or here? Right here. You just started. Is that conclusion your presentation? Where we at? You ready? Okay. Thank you. I'm just waiting for the go. Yeah, go. Okay.

  3. Rep. Ryan D. Wilcox1:23:06

     Uh, HB 4 54 CLAR clarifies that, um, existing, uh, public assistant fraud laws related to obtaining or using government benefits, um, cannot be dispensed or should not be supported. If someone knowingly, uh, can, is committing fraud. Um, that's really the, the focus of this one. Um, it doesn't target those who did it on accident, doesn't seek to, you know, go after somebody that, uh, doesn't realize what they're doing. That's what the knowingly standard is. Um, those that seek to profit themselves from benefits fraud or engage in, in that on behalf of another, again, knowing that they're committing fraud, that's what this bill seeks to target. Um, so that's penalties for the new offense and at the same levels as existing public, uh, assistance fraud based on the dollar amount involved, ranging from Class B misdemeanor to a second degree felony. Happy to answer any questions if there are any. Okay.

  4. Chair Grover (presiding)1:24:00

     Thank you. Yep. We'll come to committee for questions or concerns. See now we'll go to the public and with the public wish to speak to this Bill, please come forward. Am I Good to start?

  5. Rachel Craig, Association for Utah Community Health1:24:32

     Yeah. Okay. Uh, yes, go ahead. My name's Rachel Craig. I'm the Government Affairs Manager for the Association for Utah Community Health, which represents Utah's 14 community health center organizations across the state. Um, they all employ enrollment assisters, um, which help people sign up for Medicaid marketplace, um, and other, uh, government programs. Uh, we are not aware of any fraud going on within the health centers in terms of them erroneously setting people up. So we, but we do understand the need for this bill. Um, and we appreciate the sponsor putting in, um, knowingly standards in there. Um, we're still a little bit worried. I, I'll just say that. Um, folks, it's not super clear. Um, I mean, even with knowingly, um, when someone's actually going to be like, I guess, prosecuted for doing this new crime, um, these jobs don't pay a lot of money. I'll, I'll be honest, enrollment sisters don't get paid a lot. And what we're worried about is people being, um, pushed away from doing this kind of work because they're afraid of, uh, being charged with a misdemeanor or a felony. Um, that's all I really wanna say. We're not really speaking against the bill. We just kind of want maybe, uh, some language that could make it very clear when someone will be prosecuted. Um, that's all.

  6. Chair Grover (presiding)1:25:49

     Okay. Thank you. Okay. We'll bring it back to committee for any further action. Senator Stratton.

  7. Sen. Keven J. Stratton1:26:10

     Thank you. Chair. I will move House Bill 4 54 public assistance fraud amendments with a favorable recommendation. That's an order. Would you like to speak to that? I would, um, we're seeing, uh, heightened sensitivity among our public to be aware of and, and ensure that we're not, uh, we wasting public funds. I don't sense that there's, uh, there's a lot going on in this space, but it's very important that we're, it may be taking place that we're taking appropriate action. And with that, I, I think this is a step in a good direction. That would be my comment.

  8. Chair Grover (presiding)1:27:01

     Okay. Anywhere committee, let's, uh, discuss that motion back to the bill sponsor.

  9. Unknown speaker1:27:06speaker not certain

     Now I Waive. Thank you.

  10. Chair Grover (presiding)1:27:10

      Okay. So we'll go ahead and place the motion. All in favor of passing HB 4 54 out with a favor. Recommendation, please say aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Any opposed? Steve Stephens And, aye. So, any opposed? And they believe that's unanimous.

  11. Sen. Keven J. Stratton1:27:28

      Senator Stratton, I would move that we put this on consent.

  12. Chair Grover (presiding)1:27:34

      Any discussion from committee members?

  13. Unknown speaker1:27:37speaker not certain

      I do have a comment. Go ahead To the Juab. I I would just take this back as using your influence in the house to recognize what we're doing and, uh, it'd be good to have it mutual in the committees To see if there's an equal balance of Senate consent, bills and house.

  14. Chair Grover (presiding)1:27:55

      Okay. Thank you. All right. So I'll go ahead and place a motion or I'll get to put on consent calendar. All in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. Any opposed? Okay. That's on consent. Okay. Point of information.

• Mar 6, 2026 Senate floor debate▶ Watch
  Transcript (4 turns)

  1. Sen. Brady Brammer50:27

     Yeah. Thank you. So what this does is it amends certain criminal provisions related to obtaining and using, uh, public assistance. And it, so if somebody is assisting another person and tries to get them to include fraudulent information in order to obtain public assistance, uh, this prohibits that and creates the offense, uh, and adds it to a list of predicate offenses for a pattern of un of unlawful activity. It has a, a fine schedule, uh, depending on the value of the public assistance. And, uh, with that I move HB 4 54 pass under suspension of the rules.

  2. Presiding officer51:03

     Thank you and I, the question is, shall house bill four fifty four pass Roll call Vote. Senator Vickers.

  3. Senate clerk51:08

     Baldy Aye. Lewin Bremmer Aye. Bus? Aye. Fillmore Escamilla? Aye. Fillmore Aye. Grover Harper Kinins Aye. Ipson Aye. Johnson Aye. Juab McKay? I McKay? Aye. Mikel Milner Musman Owens Pitcher Pitcher Aye. Plum Rebe Aye. Sandal Stevenson Aye. Stratton Stratton Aye. Vickers Weiler Wilson Aye. Winterton pitcher? Aye. President Adams Aye.

  4. Presiding officer52:05

     House bill 4 54 Having received 24 a votes, one nay vote, four being absent passes. This body will signed by the President and returned to the house for the signature.