Rep. Norm Thurston — Voting Record

Bill

Number

H.B. 58 First Substitute (2019GS)

Sponsor

Rep. Eliason, S.

Final action

House/ filed 3/14/2019

Outcome

Failed / filed without passage

Summary

What it does

• This bill:
• creates the position of an opioid fatality examiner within the Office of the Medical Examiner;
• creates the Opioid and Overdose Fatality Review Committee within the Department of Health; and
• makes technical and conforming changes.

Every vote on this bill

Bill text

OPIOID FATALITY REVIEW AMENDMENTS
GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Steve Eliason
Senate Sponsor: 
____________
LONG TITLE
Committee Note:
The Health and Human Services Interim Committee recommended this bill.
General Description:
This bill creates a new position in the Office of the Medical Examiner and creates the
Opioid and Overdose Fatality Review Committee.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
▸ creates the position of an opioid fatality examiner within the Office of the Medical
Examiner;
▸ creates the Opioid and Overdose Fatality Review Committee within the Department
of Health; and
▸ makes technical and conforming changes.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
None
Utah Code Sections Affected:
ENACTS:
26-4-30
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
26-7-10
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. Section 
26-4-30
 is enacted to read:
 26-4-30.
Opioid fatality examiner.
(1) With funds appropriated by the Legislature for this purpose, the department shall
provide compensation, at a standard rate determined by the department, to an opioid fatality
examiner.
(2) The opioid fatality examiner shall:
(a) work with the medical examiner to compile data regarding opioid related deaths,
including:
(i) toxicology information;
(ii) demographics; and
(iii) source of opioids;
(b) as relatives of the deceased are willing, gather information from relatives of the
deceased regarding the circumstances of the decedent's death;
(c) maintain a database of information described in Subsections (2)(a) and (b);
(d) coordinate no less than monthly with the suicide prevention coordinator described
in Subsection 
62A-15-1101
(2); and
(e) coordinate no less than quarterly with the Opioid Fatality Review Committee
described in Section 
26-7-10
.
Section 2. Section 
26-7-10
 is enacted to read:
 26-7-10.
Opioid and Overdose Fatality Review Committee.
(1) As used in this section:
(a) "Committee" means the Opioid and Overdose Fatality Review Committee created
in this section.
(b) "Opioid overdose death" means a death primarily caused by opioids or another
substance that closely resembles opioids.
(2) The department shall establish the Opioid and Overdose Fatality Review
Committee.
(3) The executive director of the department shall appoint a committee coordinator.
(4) The committee shall consist of:
(a) the attorney general, or the attorney general's designee;
(b) a state, county, or municipal law enforcement officer;
(c) the manager of the department's Violence Injury Program, or the manager's
designee;
(d) an emergency medical services provider;
(e) a representative from the Office of the Medical Examiner;
(f) a representative from the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health;
(g) a representative from the Office of Vital Records;
(h) a representative from the Office of Health Care Statistics;
(i) a representative from the Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing;
(j) a healthcare professional who specializes in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment
of substance use disorder;
(k) a representative from a state or local jail or detention center;
(l) a representative from the Department of Corrections;
(m) a representative from Juvenile Justice Services; and
(n) any other individual whom the committee determines is necessary to fulfill the
committee's responsibilities under Subsection (7).
(5) The department shall give the committee access to all reports, records, and other
documents, including protected health information, that are relevant to the committee's
responsibilities under Subsection (7).
(6) The committee coordinator may request records that are relevant to the committee's
responsibilities under Subsection (7) through Title 63G, Chapter 2, Government Records
Access and Management Act, and by subpoena.
(7) The committee shall:
(a) conduct a multidisciplinary review of available information regarding a decedent of
an opioid overdose death, which review shall include:
(i) consideration of the decedent's points of contact with healthcare, social services,
criminal justice and other systems; and
(ii) identification of specific factors that put the individual at risk for opioid overdose;
(b) promote cooperation and coordination among government entities involved in
opioid misuse, abuse, or overdose prevention;
(c) develop an understanding of the causes and incidence of opioid overdose deaths in
the state;
(d) make recommendations for changes to law or policy that may prevent opioid
overdose deaths;
(e) inform public health and public safety entities of emerging trends in opioid
overdose deaths;
(f) monitor overdose trends on non-opioid overdose deaths; and
(g) review non-opioid overdose deaths in the manner described in Subsections (7)(a)
through (7)(e), when the committee determines that there are a substantial number of overdose
deaths in Utah caused by the use of a non-opioid.
(8) A committee may interview a staff member, a provider, or any other person who
may have knowledge or expertise that is relevant to the review of an opioid overdose death.
(9) A majority vote of committee members present constitutes the action of the
committee.
(10) Each committee member and each individual granted access to a committee
proceeding shall sign a confidentiality agreement, created by the department, indicating that the
individual agrees to:
(a) keep confidential all information relating to the review of an opioid overdose death;
and
(b) not release any information relating to the review of an opioid overdose death,
unless required or permitted by law to release the information.
(11) The committee shall meet at least eight times each year.
(12) Committee meetings are closed to the public.
(13) The committee shall record minutes of committee meetings.