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HB 259UTAHSession 2026State BillSigned into law
Enacted

Utah grants parents access to minor children's medical records and penalizes noncompliant facilities

Original title: Parental Access to Children's Medical Records Amendments

Last action · March 26, 2026: Governor SignedSponsors: Mike Petersen and 2 others

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓
Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
Law

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What This Bill Does

Utah law establishes a parent's right to access a minor child's electronic medical records, requiring health care facilities and electronic system vendors to provide access by December 31, 2027, or face daily fines. Facilities must provide free physical or alternative record copies within five business days if electronic systems fail, with certain exceptions including court orders and sexual assault counseling.

Why it matters

Parents gain enforceable legal access to their minor children's health records, while health care facilities and software vendors face daily $1,000 fines for noncompliance starting in late 2027, with penalties flowing into a restricted state disability services account.

Who It Affects

Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

parents

Parents gain the legal right to access their minor children's electronic health records and receive paper or alternative records within five business days if electronic systems fail.

Directly affected

health care facilities

Health care facilities must ensure parents can access child electronic health records, provide alternative free copies within five business days upon request, and face daily $1,000 civil fines for noncompliance after December 31, 2027.

Directly affected

electronic medical record system vendors

EMRS vendors must ensure their clinical systems are capable of being modified by health care facilities to permit parental access, subject to daily $1,000 fines after December 31, 2027.

Directly affected

Utah State Hospital

The Utah State Hospital is expressly exempted from the electronic record access, vendor modification, and penalty provisions under Subsections (3) through (7).

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

When can a health care facility restrict a parent from viewing a child's medical records?
A facility may restrict access only if the parent's rights have been terminated, the child is emancipated or legally married, a court order requires restriction, or the record relates to sexual assault counseling.
What happens if a facility's electronic system cannot display a child's medical records to a parent?
The facility must provide a notice with a request link and supply the medical records free of charge within five business days of the request.
What are the financial penalties for health care facilities or vendors that fail to comply after December 31, 2027?
Noncompliant facilities and vendors are subject to a $1,000 civil fine for each day they remain in violation.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

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Where This Stands

Current status: Signed into law.

Procedural history

75 actions
  1. Mar 26, 2026Lieutenant Governor's office for filingEnrolled
    Governor Signed
  2. Mar 12, 2026House
    House/ to Governor
  3. Mar 12, 2026House
    House/ received enrolled bill from Printing
  4. Mar 11, 2026House
    House/ enrolled bill to Printing
  5. Mar 11, 2026Clerk of the House
    Enrolled Bill Returned to House or Senate
  6. Mar 6, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel / Enrolling
    Draft of Enrolled Bill Prepared
Show 69 earlier actions
  1. Mar 6, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel / Enrolling
    Bill Received from House for Enrolling
  2. Mar 6, 2026House
    House/ signed by Speaker/ sent for enrolling
  3. Mar 6, 2026House
    House/ received from Senate
  4. Mar 6, 2026Senate
    Senate/ to House
  5. Mar 6, 2026Senate
    Senate/ signed by President/ returned to House
  6. Mar 6, 2026Senate
    Senate/ received from House
  7. Mar 6, 2026House
    House/ to Senate
  8. Mar 6, 2026House
    House/ concurs with Senate amendment
  9. Mar 5, 2026House
    House/ placed on Concurrence Calendar
  10. Mar 5, 2026House
    House/ received from Senate
  11. Mar 5, 2026Senate
    Senate/ to House with amendments
  12. Mar 5, 2026SenateFloor
    Senate/ passed 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspension
  13. Mar 5, 2026Senate
    Senate/ substituted
  14. Mar 5, 2026Senate
    Senate/ 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspension
  15. Mar 5, 2026Senate
    Senate/ Rules to 2nd Reading Calendar
  16. Mar 5, 2026Released
    LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0259S06
  17. Mar 5, 2026Version Sponsor
    LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0259S06
  18. Mar 5, 2026Legislative Fiscal Agency
    LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0259S06
  19. Mar 5, 2026Legislative Fiscal Analyst
    LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0259S06
  20. Mar 4, 2026Senate
    Senate/ 2nd Reading Calendar to Rules
  21. Mar 2, 2026Released
    LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0259S05
  22. Mar 2, 2026Version Sponsor
    LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0259S05
  23. Feb 27, 2026Senate
    Senate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar
  24. Feb 27, 2026Senate
    Senate/ comm rpt/ substituted/ amended
  25. Feb 27, 2026Released
    LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0259S04
  26. Feb 27, 2026Senate
    Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation
  27. Feb 27, 2026Senate
    Senate Comm - Amendment Recommendation
  28. Feb 27, 2026Senate
    Senate Comm - Amendment Recommendation
  29. Feb 27, 2026Senate
    Senate Comm - Substitute Recommendation
  30. Feb 27, 2026Legislative Fiscal Agency
    LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0259S05
  31. Feb 27, 2026Legislative Fiscal Analyst
    LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0259S05
  32. Feb 26, 2026Version Sponsor
    LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0259S04
  33. Feb 25, 2026SenateCommittee
    Senate/ to standing committee
  34. Feb 24, 2026Legislative Fiscal Agency
    LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0259S04
  35. Feb 24, 2026Legislative Fiscal Analyst
    LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0259S04
  36. Feb 20, 2026SenateIntroduced
    Senate/ 1st reading (Introduced)
  37. Feb 19, 2026Senate
    Senate/ received from House
  38. Feb 19, 2026House
    House/ to Senate
  39. Feb 19, 2026HouseFloor
    House/ passed 3rd reading
  40. Feb 19, 2026House
    House/ substituted
  41. Feb 19, 2026House
    House/ uncircled
  42. Feb 19, 2026Released
    LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0259S03
  43. Feb 19, 2026Version Sponsor
    LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0259S03
  44. Feb 18, 2026Legislative Fiscal Agency
    LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0259S03
  45. Feb 18, 2026Legislative Fiscal Analyst
    LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0259S03
  46. Feb 18, 2026House
    House/ circled
  47. Feb 18, 2026House
    House/ 3rd reading
  48. Feb 11, 2026Released
    LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0259S02
  49. Feb 10, 2026Version Sponsor
    LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0259S02
  50. Feb 10, 2026House
    House/ 2nd reading
  51. Feb 10, 2026House
    House/ comm rpt/ substituted
  52. Feb 9, 2026House
    House Comm - Favorable Recommendation
  53. Feb 9, 2026House
    House Comm - Substitute Recommendation
  54. Feb 9, 2026Legislative Fiscal Agency
    LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0259S02
  55. Feb 9, 2026Legislative Fiscal Analyst
    LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0259S02
  56. Feb 3, 2026Released
    LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0259S01
  57. Feb 3, 2026Version Sponsor
    LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0259S01
  58. Feb 2, 2026Legislative Fiscal Agency
    LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0259S01
  59. Feb 2, 2026Legislative Fiscal Analyst
    LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0259S01
  60. Jan 29, 2026HouseCommittee
    House/ to standing committee
  61. Jan 20, 2026HouseIntroduced
    House/ 1st reading (Introduced)
  62. Jan 20, 2026House
    House/ received fiscal note from Fiscal Analyst
  63. Jan 20, 2026House
    House/ received bill from Legislative Research
  64. Jan 17, 2026Released
    LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0259
  65. Jan 17, 2026Version Sponsor
    LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0259
  66. Jan 14, 2026Legislative Fiscal Agency
    LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0259
  67. Jan 14, 2026Legislative Fiscal Analyst
    LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0259
  68. Jan 14, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel
    Numbered Bill Publicly Distributed
  69. Jan 14, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel
    Bill Numbered but not Distributed

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

Lobbying Activity

No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.

Full breakdown

Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.

Sponsors

Mike PetersenHouse · District 2RepublicanPrimary sponsor
Brady BrammerSenate · District 21RepublicanCosponsor
Brady BrammerSenate · District 21RepublicanCosponsor

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

financial connection100% confidence

Fines Fund Restricted State Account

Civil penalties collected from noncompliant health care facilities and electronic medical record vendors are directed into the Division of Services for People with Disabilities Restricted Account.

Division of Services for People with Disabilities Restricted Account

Connected Entities

Division of Services for People with Disabilities Restricted Account, Utah State Hospital, Department of Health and Human Services
OrganizationDivision of Services for People with Disabilities Restricted Account“restricted account receiving fine collections under Section 26B-2-244”Map →
OrganizationUtah State Hospital“facility exempt from Subsections (3) through (7)”Map →
OrganizationDepartment of Health and Human Services“department authorized to expend funds from the restricted account”Map →

Sources

Open source document

le.utah.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance75
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy60
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment10
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz45
    Current news / social attention level

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