26B-1-425. Utah Health Workforce Advisory Council -- Creation and membership.

776 words·~4 min read·/ut/title-26b/chapter-1/26b-1-425

A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.

Effective 5/6/2026

(1)There is created within the department the Utah Health Workforce Advisory Council.

(2)The council shall be comprised of at least 14 but not more than 19 members.

(3)The following are members of the council:

(a)the executive director or that individual's designee;

(b)the executive director of the Department of Workforce Services or that individual's designee;

(c)the commissioner of higher education of the Utah System of Higher Education or that individual's designee;

(d)the state superintendent of the State Board of Education or that individual's designee;

(e)the executive director of the Department of Commerce or that individual's designee;

(f)the director of the Division of Multicultural Affairs or that individual's designee;

(g)the chair of the Utah Behavioral Health Commission or that individual's designee;

(h)the chair of the Utah Indian Health Advisory Board; and

(i)the chair of the Utah Medical Education Council created in Section 26B-4-706 .

(4)The executive director shall appoint at least five but not more than ten additional members that represent diverse perspectives regarding Utah's health workforce as defined in Section 26B-4-705 .

(a)A member appointed by the executive director under Subsection

(4)shall serve a four-year term.

(b)Notwithstanding Subsection (5)(a) for the initial appointments of members described in Subsection

(4)the executive director shall appoint at least three but not more than five members to a two-year appointment to ensure that approximately half of the members appointed by the executive director rotate every two years.

(a)The executive director or the executive director's designee shall chair the council.

(b)The executive director or the executive director's designee shall designate a member appointed under Subsection

(4)to serve as vice chair of the council.

(a)As used in this Subsection

(7), "health workforce" means the same as that term is defined in Section 26B-4-705 .

(b)The council shall:

(i)meet at least once each quarter;

(ii)study and provide recommendations to an entity described in Subsection

(8)regarding:

(A)health workforce supply;

(B)health workforce employment trends and demand;

(C)options for training and educating the health workforce; and

(D)the implementation or improvement of strategies that entities in the state are using or may use to address health workforce needs including shortages, recruitment, retention, and other Utah health workforce priorities as determined by the council;

(iii)provide guidance to an entity described in Subsection

(8)regarding health workforce related matters;

(iv)review and comment on legislation relevant to Utah's health workforce;

(v)advise the Utah Board of Higher Education and the Legislature on the status and needs of the health workforce who are in training, including making policy recommendations; and

(vi)maintain independence from the department and the governor such that the council and the council's subcommittees are able to provide independent advice and recommendations, especially regarding proposed bills and policy considerations.

(8)The council shall provide information described in Subsections (7)(b)(ii) and

(iii)to:

(a)the Legislature;

(b)the department;

(c)the Department of Workforce Services;

(d)the Department of Commerce;

(e)the Utah Medical Education Council; and

(f)any other entity the council deems appropriate upon the entity's request.

(a)The Utah Medical Education Council created in Section 26B-4-706 is a subcommittee of the council.

(b)The council may establish subcommittees to support the work of the council.

(c)A member of the council shall chair a subcommittee created by the council.

(d)Except for the Utah Medical Education Council, the chair of the subcommittee may appoint any individual to the subcommittee.

(10)For any report created by the council that pertains to any duty described in Subsection

(7), the council shall:

(a)provide the report to:

(i)the department; and

(ii)any appropriate legislative committee; and

(b)post the report on the council's website.

(11)The executive director shall:

(a)ensure the council has adequate staff to support the council and any subcommittee created by the council; and

(b)provide any available information upon the council's request if:

(i)that information is necessary for the council to fulfill a duty described in Subsection

(7); and

(ii)the department has access to the information.

(12)A member of the council or a subcommittee created by the council may not receive compensation or benefits for the member's service but may receive per diem and travel expenses as allowed in:

(a)Section 63A-3-106 ;

(b)Section 63A-3-107 ; and

(c)rules made by the Division of Finance according to Sections 63A-3-106 and 63A-3-107 .

Amended by Chapter 145 , 2026 General Session