Bill > SB0134

This bill enacts the Uniform Health Care Decisions Act, which comprehensively updates Utah's laws regarding advance health care directives, health care decision-making, and patient autonomy. The bill introduces a detailed framework for how individuals can create advance health care directives, including specifying preferences for medical treatment, appointing agents to make health care decisions, and establishing default decision-makers when no agent is appointed. Key provisions include defining capacity for making health care decisions, creating a hierarchical system of default surrogates (such as spouse, children, or other family members) who can make medical decisions for an incapacitated person, and establishing protections and duties for agents and health care professionals. The bill provides a standardized optional form for creating an advance health care directive, allows for mental health care-specific directives, and includes robust protections against coercion or fraud in creating these directives. Importantly, the bill explicitly states that it does not authorize euthanasia or assisted suicide, and it provides immunity for health care professionals acting in good faith. The legislation will take effect on January 1, 2026, and will apply to advance health care directives created before, on, or after that date.

Health and Social Services

https://le.utah.gov/~2025/bills/static/SB0134.html