HB0259 • 2026

Parental Access to Children's Medical Records Amendments

Children Healthcare

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Rep. Petersen, Michael J.
Last action: 2026-03-26
Official status: Governor Signed
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Parental Access to Children's Medical Records Amendments

This bill amends provisions related to parent access to a minor's medical record.

What This Bill Does

This bill amends provisions related to parent access to a minor's medical record.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2026-03-26 Lieutenant Governor's office for filing
Governor Signed
2026-03-12 Clerk of the House
House/ received enrolled bill from Printing
2026-03-12 Executive Branch - Governor
House/ to Governor
2026-03-11 Clerk of the House
Enrolled Bill Returned to House or Senate
2026-03-11 Clerk of the House
House/ enrolled bill to Printing
2026-03-06 Legislative Research and General Counsel / Enrolling
Bill Received from House for Enrolling
2026-03-06 Legislative Research and General Counsel / Enrolling
Draft of Enrolled Bill Prepared
2026-03-06 Senate President
House/ concurs with Senate amendment
2026-03-06 House Speaker
House/ received from Senate
2026-03-06 Legislative Research and General Counsel / Enrolling
House/ signed by Speaker/ sent for enrolling
2026-03-06 Senate President
House/ to Senate
2026-03-06 Senate President
Senate/ received from House
2026-03-06 House Speaker
Senate/ signed by President/ returned to House
2026-03-06 House Speaker
Senate/ to House
2026-03-05 House Concurrence Calendar
House/ placed on Concurrence Calendar
2026-03-05 Clerk of the House
House/ received from Senate
2026-03-05 Legislative Fiscal Analyst
LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0259S06
2026-03-05 Legislative Fiscal Agency
LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0259S06
2026-03-05 Released
LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0259S06
2026-03-05 Version Sponsor
LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0259S06
2026-03-05 Senate 2nd Reading Calendar
Senate/ 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspension
2026-03-05 Senate 2nd Reading Calendar
Senate/ Rules to 2nd Reading Calendar
2026-03-05 Clerk of the House
Senate/ passed 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspension
2026-03-05 Senate 2nd Reading Calendar
Senate/ substituted
2026-03-05 Clerk of the House
Senate/ to House with amendments
2026-03-04 Senate Rules Committee
Senate/ 2nd Reading Calendar to Rules
2026-03-02 Released
LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0259S05
2026-03-02 Version Sponsor
LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0259S05
2026-02-27 Legislative Fiscal Analyst
LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0259S05
2026-02-27 Legislative Fiscal Agency
LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0259S05
2026-02-27 Released
LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0259S04
2026-02-27 Senate Business and Labor Committee
Senate Comm - Amendment Recommendation
2026-02-27 Senate Business and Labor Committee
Senate Comm - Amendment Recommendation
2026-02-27 Senate Business and Labor Committee
Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation
2026-02-27 Senate Business and Labor Committee
Senate Comm - Substitute Recommendation
2026-02-27 Senate Business and Labor Committee
Senate/ comm rpt/ substituted/ amended
2026-02-27 Senate 2nd Reading Calendar
Senate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar
2026-02-26 Version Sponsor
LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0259S04
2026-02-25 Senate Business and Labor Committee
Senate/ to standing committee
2026-02-24 Legislative Fiscal Analyst
LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0259S04
2026-02-24 Legislative Fiscal Agency
LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0259S04
2026-02-20 Senate Rules Committee
Senate/ 1st reading (Introduced)
2026-02-19 Senate Secretary
House/ passed 3rd reading
2026-02-19 House 3rd Reading Calendar for House bills
House/ substituted
2026-02-19 Senate Secretary
House/ to Senate
2026-02-19 House 3rd Reading Calendar for House bills
House/ uncircled
2026-02-19 Released
LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0259S03
2026-02-19 Version Sponsor
LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0259S03
2026-02-19 Waiting for Introduction in the Senate
Senate/ received from House
2026-02-18 House 3rd Reading Calendar for House bills
House/ 3rd reading
2026-02-18 House 3rd Reading Calendar for House bills
House/ circled
2026-02-18 Legislative Fiscal Analyst
LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0259S03
2026-02-18 Legislative Fiscal Agency
LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0259S03
2026-02-11 Released
LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0259S02
2026-02-10 House 3rd Reading Calendar for House bills
House/ 2nd reading
2026-02-10 House Business, Labor, and Commerce Committee
House/ comm rpt/ substituted
2026-02-10 Version Sponsor
LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0259S02
2026-02-09 House Business, Labor, and Commerce Committee
House Comm - Favorable Recommendation
2026-02-09 House Business, Labor, and Commerce Committee
House Comm - Substitute Recommendation
2026-02-09 Legislative Fiscal Analyst
LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0259S02
2026-02-09 Legislative Fiscal Agency
LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0259S02
2026-02-03 Released
LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0259S01
2026-02-03 Version Sponsor
LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0259S01
2026-02-02 Legislative Fiscal Analyst
LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0259S01
2026-02-02 Legislative Fiscal Agency
LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0259S01
2026-01-29 House Business, Labor, and Commerce Committee
House/ to standing committee
2026-01-20 House Rules Committee
House/ 1st reading (Introduced)
2026-01-20 Clerk of the House
House/ received bill from Legislative Research
2026-01-20 Clerk of the House
House/ received fiscal note from Fiscal Analyst
2026-01-17 Released
LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0259
2026-01-17 Version Sponsor
LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0259
2026-01-14 Legislative Research and General Counsel
Bill Numbered but not Distributed
2026-01-14 Legislative Fiscal Analyst
LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0259
2026-01-14 Legislative Fiscal Agency
LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0259
2026-01-14 Legislative Research and General Counsel
Numbered Bill Publicly Distributed

Official Summary Text

This bill amends provisions related to parent access to a minor's medical record.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

5
26B-1-335
26B-2-244
0
Parental Access to Children's Medical Records Amendments
2026 GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Michael J. Petersen
Senate Sponsor: Brady Brammer
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill amends provisions related to parent
access to a minor's medical record.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
defines terms;
specifies that a parent has the right to access their child's medical record;
requires a health care facility to ensure that a child's parent
has access to the child's
electronic health record unless certain circumstances are met;
requires an electronic medical record system vendor to ensure a health care facility can
provide access to parents
;
authorizes the attorney general's office to bring enforcement actions; and
requires a health care facility to provide medical records free of charge under certain
circumstances.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
None
Utah Code Sections Affected:
AMENDS:
26B-1-335
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2024, Chapter 268
ENACTS:
26B-2-244
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. Section
26B-1-335
is amended to read:
26B-1-335
. Division of Services for People with Disabilities Restricted Account.
(1)
As used in this section, "account" means the Division of Services for People with
Disabilities Restricted Account created in Subsection
(2)
.
(2)
There is created a restricted account within the General Fund known as the "Division of
Services for People with Disabilities Restricted Account."
(3)
The account consists of:
(a)
carry forward funds from the division's budget;
and
(b)
unexpended balances lapsed to the account from the division's budget
.
; and
(c)
fines paid under Section
26B-2-244
.
(4)
At the close of a fiscal year, the division may, without an appropriation, deposit into the
account carry forward funds described in Subsection
(3)
.
(5)
Subject to appropriation, the Department of Health and Human Services may expend
funds from the account to serve individuals eligible for division services statewide.
Section 2. Section
26B-2-244
is enacted to read:
26B-2-244
. Medical record access for children.
(1)
As used in this section:
(a)
"Child" means an individual under the age of 18 years old.
(b)
"Electronic medical record system" means an electronic system for maintaining
medical records in a clinical setting.
(c)
"EMRS vendor" means the vendor of an electronic medical record management
system.
(d)
"Health care system" means an entity that owns two or more health care facilities.
(e)
"HIPAA" means the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996,
Pub. L. No. 104-191, 110 Stat. 1936, as amended.
(f)
"Parent" means an individual who has a parent-child relationship, as defined in
Section
81-5-102
, with the child.
(2)
A parent has the right to obtain and access the medical records that pertain to the
parent's child unless:
(a)
the parent's parental rights have been terminated;
(b)
the child is emancipated or legally married;
(c)
required by a court order; or
(d)
the medical record relates to sexual assault counseling in accordance with Section
77-38-204
.
(3)
(a)
Subject to Subsection
(3)(b)
, a health care facility may not restrict a parent's
access to the electronic medical record of the parent's child.
(b)
A health care facility may:
(i)
restrict a parent's access to an electronic medical record of the parent's child for a
reason described in Subsection
(2)
; and
(ii)
only restrict access to the portion of the electronic medical record that would be
restricted under Subsection
(2)
.
(4)
An EMRS vendor providing an electronic medical record system for a health care
facility shall ensure the electronic medical record system provided to the health care
facility is capable of being modified by the health care facility to comply with
Subsection
(3)
.
(5)
(a)
Subject to Subsection
(5)(f)
, a health care facility in violation of Subsection
(3)
is
subject to a $1,000 civil fine for each day the health care facility does not comply
with Subsection
(3)
after December 31, 2027.
(b)
An EMRS vendor in violation of Subsection
(4)
is subject to a $1,000 civil fine for
each day the EMRS vendor's electronic medical record system does not comply with
Subsection
(4)
after December 31, 2027.
(c)
The attorney general may bring a civil action against a health care facility or EMRS
vendor to enforce this section.
(d)
In enforcing this section, the attorney general may issue subpoenas in investigating a
potential violation.
(e)
A court shall award attorney fees to the attorney general if the attorney general is
successful in an enforcement action described in this section.
(f)
If two or more health care facilities are owned by a health care system and not in
compliance with Subsection
(3)
, the civil fine described in Subsection
(5)(a)
shall be
assessed against the health care system for each day of noncompliance as if the health
care facilities were a single health care facility.
(6)
(a)
A health care facility shall:
(i)
provide a notice to any parent that is unable to access a part of an electronic
medical record if:
(A)
the electronic medical record system is unable to provide the parent access;
and
(B)
the parent is not otherwise precluded from access to the records under HIPAA
or Subsection
(2)
; and
(ii)
upon request, provide the parent medical records.
(b)
A health care facility shall provide records under Subsection
(6)(a)
:
(i)
without charge; and
(ii)
within five business days of the day on which the health care facility receives the
request.
(c)
A health care facility that fails to provide records in accordance with this Subsection
(6)
is subject to a $1,000 civil fine per record.
(d)
The notice described in Subsection
(6)(a)(i)
shall state the following "If your child's
medical records are not visible, click here to request them. They must be provided
within five business days or a $1,000 fine applies per Utah Code Section
26B-2-244
."
(7)
A fine collected under this section shall be deposited into the fund described in Section
26B-1-335
.
(8)
Subsections
(3)
through
(7)
do not apply to the Utah State Hospital.
Section 3.
Effective Date.
This bill takes effect on
May 6, 2026
.
3-11-26 3:53 PM