34A-2-107.3. Mental Health Protections for First Responders Workgroup.
(1)
There is created the Mental Health Protections for First Responders Workgroup within the commission consisting of the following members:
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Terms Used In Utah Code 34A-2-107.3
Commissioner: means the commissioner of the commission appointed under Section 34A-1-201. See Utah Code 34A-1-102
Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business.
(a)
the commissioner or the commissioner’s designee;
(b)
one member of the Senate, appointed by the president of the Senate, and one member of the House of Representatives, appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives;
(c)
three representatives of the workers’ compensation insurance industry appointed by the chair, one of whom is a voting member of the employer side of the Workers’ Compensation Advisory Council, as follows:
(i)
one member representing the insurance carrier designated to write coverage for the residual market;
(ii)
one member representing an insurance carrier other than the carrier described in Subsection (1)(c)(i); and
(iii)
one member representing self-insured employers;
(d)
one member representing the Division of Risk Management;
(e)
four representatives of first responders appointed by the chair, one of whom is a voting member of the employee side of the Workers’ Compensation Advisory Council;
(f)
one representative from the Utah League of Cities and Towns;
(g)
one representative from the Utah Association of Counties;
(h)
one representative from the Utah Association of Special Districts;
(i)
the director of the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health, or the director’s designee; and
(j)
as appointed by the chair, one or more individuals with expertise in mental stress or occupational medicine to serve as ex officio, nonvoting members of the workgroup.
(2)
The commissioner or the commissioner’s designee is the chair of the workgroup.
(3)
(a)
A majority of the members of the workgroup constitutes a quorum.
(b)
The action of a majority of a quorum constitutes the action of the workgroup.
(4)
(a)
The salary and expenses of each member of the workgroup who is a legislator shall be paid in accordance with Section 36-2-2 and Legislative Joint Rules, Title 5, Legislative Compensation and Expenses.
(b)
A member of the workgroup who is not a legislator may not receive compensation, benefits, per diem, or travel expenses for the member’s service on the workgroup.
(5)
The commission shall provide staff support to the workgroup.
(6)
The workgroup shall review and make recommendations on the following issues:
(a)
the alleviation of barriers, including financial barriers, to mental health treatment for first responders inside and outside of the workers’ compensation system;
improving a first responder‘s accessibility to mental health treatment; and
(d)
any additional issue that the workgroup:
(i)
determines is an important issue related to workers’ compensation for first responders; and
(ii)
decides to review.
(7)
The workgroup shall present a final report on the items described in Subsection (6), including any legislative recommendations, to the Business and Labor Interim Committee on or before September 30, 2025.
