Jake Fitisemanu

• S.B. 281 Senior Nutrition Private Donation Incentives · House Health and Human Services Committee · Mar 4, 2026

  Asked why private donations would be relied on instead of more stable funding, and whether wealthier communities could receive more matching funds than rural or lower-income areas.

  Read what they said

  Thank you. Um, just because senior nutrition programs are, uh, crucial, you know, critical services, I guess I'm just thinking about why, uh, we would be trying to rely on private donations instead of just creating more stable private funding. But, um, but the actual question that I have, um, is around parody and maybe whether there is a possibility that, you know, wealthier communities with stronger philanthropic networks, uh, might then receive more matching funds than our rural areas or lower income areas. That the, the language is, uh, negotiated very specifically to address those concerns. Not to discourage those that have the resources, but also provide a formula that allows the, the matching for those that are less …

  ▶ Watch at 37:07

• S.B. 319 Health Insurance Preauthorization Amendments · House Health and Human Services Committee · Mar 4, 2026

  Asks whether enrollees will be notified when artificial intelligence was involved in their individual prior authorization decisions.

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  Um, the bill mandates that an insurer, Can you pull the mic down too? Thank you. Sorry. Uh, the bill mandates that an insurer notify, um, whether or not artificial intelligence is being utilized in the process for, um, processing, uh, these requests. Uh, is it also the intent for enrollees to be notified whether they're individual, um, decisions, uh, whether AI was involved in individual approvals or denials, uh, of pre-authorization requests,

  ▶ Watch at 1:11:56

• S.B. 319 Health Insurance Preauthorization Amendments · House Health and Human Services Committee · Mar 4, 2026

  Asks who reviews an AI-involved decision on appeal and how appeals would work.

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  And, and what, what's your thought on that? Is that, is that something that you, I I guess I'm just thinking of how this Im might impact, um, appeals process, right? It like at what part, at what point if AI makes a decision about my, uh, and maybe it's a wrongful, um, denial, um, at what point does a human, you know, actually get to review, uh, what that was and, and who do I appeal to? I mean, where does that lie if AI made that decision?

  ▶ Watch at 1:12:33

• H.B. 277 Traditional Healing Amendments · Senate Business and Labor Committee · Feb 25, 2026

  Presents House Bill 277, saying it clarifies that traditional healing providers do not need a state license when practicing within traditional services, without removing patient protections.

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  Floor is yours. Thank you so much, uh, Mr. Chair esteem. Senator Ipson, want to invite you real quick, take a trip in a time machine with me. Back to your childhood may be a time when you fell off your bike, skinned your knee, uh, maybe you had a tummy ache, maybe you just weren't feeling good. Uh, you wanted to stay home from school. You know, the way our families react to those situations, as long as they're not a a real medical emergency, I'm willing to bet that, um, your caretakers, whether it was your parents or grandparents, probably Uintah some kind of a, maybe a, a family remedy or a tradition. Uh, maybe it was grandma's …

  ▶ Watch at 1:45:52

• H.B. 277 Traditional Healing Amendments · Senate Business and Labor Committee · Feb 25, 2026

  Responds that the bill is not based on investigations, noting other states practice traditional healing and that the bill clarifies where state licensure applies.

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  Not at all. So it's actually the opposite. It's the fact that, um, this is something that is being safely, uh, and traditionally practiced, uh, in many other areas. In fact, other states, neighboring states like New Mexico, uh, Hawaii, Alaska, for example. Uh, so this just, um, establishes and clarifies in our statute, uh, where licensed medical professional, uh, licensure exists and where it does not, and where this, uh, firmly lies within the purview of indigenous communities, including tribal health, Indian health as was mentioned earlier, uh, that that should lie with them and not with the state licensing.

  ▶ Watch at 1:55:37

• H.B. 277 Traditional Healing Amendments · Senate Business and Labor Committee · Feb 25, 2026

  Says the division has vetted the bill and has a favorable recommendation because it clarifies existing code.

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  Yeah, if there's anyone in the room or online from Dapo, uh, they would have the, um, a better answer. But I can speak on behalf of that. Uh, this has been fully vetted by Dapo and in fact, uh, they have a very favorable, um, recommendation for this because, uh, it just clarifies what's in code now. Um, excuse me, that gray area that's in code now.

  ▶ Watch at 1:56:37

• H.B. 277 Traditional Healing Amendments · Senate Business and Labor Committee · Feb 25, 2026

  Summarizes that the bill supports Utahns' access to care that reflects their traditions, citing support from the Navajo Nation delegates, the Urban Indian Center, and other indigenous communities.

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  The policy is a positive step, uh, in the right direction to ensure that all Utahans have the ability to safely access, uh, the wellness care that reflects their traditions and beliefs. Uh, the measure as mentioned, uh, supported by the council, uh, actually the council delegates of the government of the Navajo Nation, as well as the Urban Indian Center, the Utah Pacific Islander Health Coalition, uh, and various other, uh, indigenous communities throughout the state. And I, I appreciate the motion and the support. Thank you.

  ▶ Watch at 1:59:06

• H.B. 572 Behavioral Health, Mental Health, and Social Services Amendments · House Health and Human Services Committee · Feb 24, 2026

  Asks for assurance that justice-involved individuals consent voluntarily to disclosure of their information and are not coerced by probation or court conditions.

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  Okay. All right, go ahead. Yeah, We frequently talk about privacy and security, um, especially around sensitive mental health and, you know, substance use issues. And so I, I totally understand the motive and the utility for the data sharing and the standard form. Um, which, but also justice involved folks are particularly vulnerable. And so I just, uh, want an assurance that, um, when folks are consenting to disclose their info, uh, that they're doing so in, in a completely voluntary way and there isn't any way that they could be coerced, um, as a condition of probation or, you know, compliance with the court or something like that. Um, is that a question or just a statement?

  ▶ Watch at 1:20:11

• H.B. 450 Data Privacy Amendments · House Political Subdivisions Committee · Feb 18, 2026

  Asked what new activities or expenses local governments would incur under the bill given the fiscal note's modest cost.

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  Thank you. Uh, the fiscal no-shows of modest cost, um, impact on local governments. It's a cost nonetheless. I mean, can you help us understand what activities or, um, expenses then would be taken on by local governments under the bill that aren't currently being incurred?

  ▶ Watch at 56:45

• H.B. 453 Unspent Funding Amendments · House Government Operations Committee · Feb 18, 2026

  Says public education funding has increased and asks why the bill chooses these three areas over other underfunded needs such as infrastructure, housing, first responders, and DSPD waitlists.

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  Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um, yeah, and I, I, I'll just comment briefly because of that, that, um, I would say that we have increased, uh, public public education funding quite a bit. And, uh, while there's not a specific line item for that, that that is a big portion of, of where the hiring has been. And I think that's been in the intent of, of some of that funding. But my question comes along to, um, I actually think this is pretty clever and it's very, um, kind of unique way to try to capture some additional funding. My question, and I guess comes to a concern also is that, um, it's not only the concept of how …

  ▶ Watch at 1:01:50

• H.B. 277 Traditional Healing Amendments · House floor debate (day 29) · Feb 18, 2026

  Presents House Bill 277 as an exemption from licensure for traditional healers providing traditional health services, and says it does not replace clinical medicine and has support from several indigenous groups.

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  Thank you Mr. Speaker ProAm and colleagues. I know it's, uh, middle of the afternoon, so why don't you, uh, take a, a mental walk with me. Uh, back to your childhood, back to a time when maybe you had a tummy ache or maybe you fell off your bike and skinned your knee. Maybe you just weren't feeling great one day, you wanted to stay home from school unless it was a real emergency situation. I'm willing to bet that your parents or grandparents or whoever your caretakers were probably went first to some kind of a home remedy, maybe a family tradition. Maybe it was grandma's chicken soup to make you feel better. Maybe it was a dandelion …

  ▶ Watch at 53:01

• H.B. 277 Traditional Healing Amendments · House floor debate (day 29) · Feb 18, 2026

  Says the bill does not change the definition of peyote or its status as a controlled substance, and that it covers traditional healing services as defined in code, not the religious exemption for the Native American church.

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  Thank you, uh, Mr. Speaker Proton for the question. Uh, this is actually, um, maybe an adjacent topic, but, uh, I have vetted this really thoroughly with, uh, our code folks in that this, uh, does not open up anything new, uh, in terms of the definition of peyote or its use as a controlled substance, uh, as a religious practice. Uh, this is solely for, um, uh, which is referenced here in the bill, uh, what we have in code as traditional healing services. Um, sorry, I'm pulling it up here if you would allow me to read. Uh, traditional healing providers means an individual who provides traditional healing services in a manner that's recognized by an American Indian …

  ▶ Watch at 57:15

• H.B. 277 Traditional Healing Amendments · House floor debate (day 29) · Feb 18, 2026

  Says rulemaking with tribes and indigenous groups would determine that question, and that the bill does not change existing peyote legislation.

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  If in regards to this, uh, with the, uh, rulemaking that's already here with a dapo and consultation with the Native American tribes or the indigenous groups that are here, uh, they would be allowed to make that determination. Um, but this right here does not involve or change, uh, the current, or excuse me, the previous, uh, legislation regarding peyote specifically.

  ▶ Watch at 58:40

• H.B. 277 Traditional Healing Amendments · House floor debate (day 29) · Feb 18, 2026

  In closing, says the bill does not affect the state's Medicaid waiver for traditional healing services and that the state licensing agency supports the change.

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  I appreciate the discussion. Uh, we've had a lot of back and forth, uh, on this in a very positive way, uh, in the groups that do promote this, including, um, uh, I might also add that this does not in any way impact the Medicaid waiver that, uh, the state also applied for, uh, for traditional healing services. Uh, Medicaid department has made that very clear. Uh, and the licensing, our doppel, our state licensing agency is, is very much okay, uh, with this change as well. Thank you for your support.

  ▶ Watch at 59:15

• H.C.R. 8 Concurrent Resolution Directing PEHP to Establish the Weight Management and Obesity Pilot Program · House Health and Human Services Committee · Feb 12, 2026

  Asks what the pilot period is and whether the program is time-limited.

  Read what they said

  When we talk about the word pilot, I mean, I hear something around finite timeframe, and so can you tell us about, you know, what is the pilot period? And then at the end of that, no, good job when you analyze, We wonder the same thing.

  ▶ Watch at 1:55:29

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From the official recordings' automatic captions, with speakers and summaries identified by AI. Use the ▶ links to check the recording before you rely on a quote.

How they voted

Their full voting record, attendance, and party-line score are still being compiled from the official roll calls. Each bill page shows their vote on that bill.

Bills they sponsored

• H.B. 83 Imitation Firearm Amendments · Did not pass
• H.B. 98 Residential Notification Amendments · Did not pass
• H.B. 275 Traffic Safety Amendments · Did not pass
• H.B. 277 Traditional Healing Amendments · Did not pass
• H.B. 340 Medicare Supplement Amendments · Did not pass
• H.B. 574 Child Car Seat Requirements · Did not pass

About

In office since

January 1, 2025

Counties

Salt Lake

Profession

Community Health Program Manager

Education

Master's of Public Health, Westminster University

Honors and awards

None listed in their official profile.

Committees

• Social Services Appropriations Subcommittee
• House Health and Human Services Committee
• House Political Subdivisions Committee
• Economic Development and Workforce Services Interim Committee
• Health and Human Services Interim Committee
• Native American Legislative Liaison Committee

Profile details come from the Utah Legislature's official legislator data.