Summary of Current Legislation
Here is a quick summary of bills proposed by the 2022 Utah Legislature relevant to the topics covered by the Utah Bee.
CANNABIS
SB0040 – Utah Protections of Public Employees Act (Thatcher/ Nelson)
This bill would amend the Utah Protections of Public Employees Act so that any public employee of the state cannot be discriminated against or retaliated against for having a valid Utah-issued medical cannabis card and should treat an employee using medical cannabis the same way the state treats employee use of any prescribed controlled substance. Unfortunately, this bill does not apply to private employers.
SB0046 – Medical Cannabis Patient Protections Amendment (Thatcher/ Ferry)
Like SB0040, this bill would amend the Medical Patient Protections Act so that government employees would be protected from being discriminated against for holding a medical cannabis card and states it should be treated like any other prescription. Like SB0040, this bill would only apply to public employees, not private.
SB0153 – Medical Cannabis Governance Study (Davis)
This bill requires the Health and Human Services Interim Committee to create a subcommittee to study and recommend a single state entity to oversee all medical cannabis regulations. In addition, it requires the Department of Agriculture and Food and the Department of Health to report to the subcommittee as requested.
SB0035 – Expungement Modifications (Weiler/ Ward)
This bill would allow someone to expunge from their record a conviction related to cannabis possession without a medical cannabis card, assuming that at the time of conviction for the offense, the person had a qualifying condition and the cannabis in question was in the proper form and amount under Utah law.
PSILOCYBIN
HB167 – Mental Illness Psychotherapy Drug Task Force (Brammer)
This bill would create a “Mental Illness Psychotherapy Drug Task Force” to study and make recommendations on psychedelic drugs that may assist in treating mental illness. The psychotherapy drugs that the panel would consider are defined as controlled substances that are “not currently available for legal use” and “may be able to treat, manage, or alleviate symptoms from mental illness.”
ALCOHOL
SB176 – Alcohol Beverage Control Act Amendments (Stevenson/ Waldrip)
This bill amends provisions of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act and provisions related to the Act. Highlighted provisions include: Utah's Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control will change its name to the Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services; permits various retail licensees to sell beer for off-premise consumption under certain conditions; and allow mini-bottles to be sold in state-run liquor stores under a pilot program.
SB0014 - Consumer Alcohol Beverage Purchasing (Davis/ Hawkes)
This bill amends provisions of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act regarding consumer
purchasing. Highlighted provisions include creating the Division of Consumer Purchasing within the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control; and moves the wine subscription program under the administration of the division.
HB0110 - Alcohol Education Amendments (Stenquist/ Wilson)
This bill modifies provisions related to the use and oversight of the Drinking While Pregnant Prevention Media and Education Campaign Restricted Account. The bill would move responsibility for expending funds from the Drinking While Pregnant Prevention Media and Education Campaign Restricted Account from the Department of Health to the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health.
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