SB0031S04 (Substitute)
Office of Professional Licensure Review Amendments
Introduction
Jan 20
Senate Rules
Senate Committee
Feb 6
Senate 2nd Reading
Feb 23
Senate 3rd Reading
Feb 25
House Rules
Mar 3
House Committee
Mar 3
House Floor Vote
Mar 6
Senate Concurrence
Mar 6
Governor Signed
Mar 17
This bill modifies the scope of practice requirements for health professions.
This bill:
AI-generated summary. We recommend consulting the bill text for important decisions.
Across more than a dozen licensed health professions, this bill expands and adjusts what certain providers are legally permitted to do in Utah. Physical therapists gain the ability to prescribe durable medical equipment (such as wheelchairs or braces) and to order a broader range of medical imaging without a physician's order; physical therapist assistants are now allowed to perform some joint mobilization techniques, though high-velocity thrust techniques remain off-limits to them. Certified registered nurse anesthetists receive limited prescriptive authority — up to a five-day supply of medications — immediately before and after procedures they participate in. Advanced practice registered nurses and physician assistants are newly authorized to perform minor surgical procedures, though that authority is set to expire July 1, 2028. Nurses seeking advanced practice licensure must now document at least 2,000 hours of registered nursing experience first, with a phase-in period and exceptions. The bill also lowers the hours a physician assistant must work before practicing without a formal collaborative agreement from 10,000 to 8,500 hours, creates a new respiratory care apprentice license for students in their final year of training, allows occupational therapists to prescribe durable medical equipment and adaptive devices, and permits acupuncturists to delegate low-risk supportive tasks to unlicensed aides under supervision. For patients across Utah, these changes most directly expand access to services — such as imaging orders, equipment prescriptions, and minor procedures — from providers they may already see, potentially reducing the need for additional physician referrals.
Current version: SB0031S04 (Substitute)
Introduction
Jan 20
Senate Rules
Senate Committee
Feb 6
Senate 2nd Reading
Feb 23
Senate 3rd Reading
Feb 25
House Rules
Mar 3
House Committee
Mar 3
House Floor Vote
Mar 6
Senate Concurrence
Mar 6
Governor Signed
Mar 17
IntroductionJan 20
Senate Rules
Senate CommitteeFeb 6
Senate 2nd ReadingFeb 23
Senate 3rd ReadingFeb 25
House RulesMar 3
House CommitteeMar 3
House Floor VoteMar 6
Senate ConcurrenceMar 6
Governor SignedMar 17
This bill modifies the scope of practice requirements for health professions.
This bill:
AI-generated summary. We recommend consulting the bill text for important decisions.
Across more than a dozen licensed health professions, this bill expands and adjusts what certain providers are legally permitted to do in Utah. Physical therapists gain the ability to prescribe durable medical equipment (such as wheelchairs or braces) and to order a broader range of medical imaging without a physician's order; physical therapist assistants are now allowed to perform some joint mobilization techniques, though high-velocity thrust techniques remain off-limits to them. Certified registered nurse anesthetists receive limited prescriptive authority — up to a five-day supply of medications — immediately before and after procedures they participate in. Advanced practice registered nurses and physician assistants are newly authorized to perform minor surgical procedures, though that authority is set to expire July 1, 2028. Nurses seeking advanced practice licensure must now document at least 2,000 hours of registered nursing experience first, with a phase-in period and exceptions. The bill also lowers the hours a physician assistant must work before practicing without a formal collaborative agreement from 10,000 to 8,500 hours, creates a new respiratory care apprentice license for students in their final year of training, allows occupational therapists to prescribe durable medical equipment and adaptive devices, and permits acupuncturists to delegate low-risk supportive tasks to unlicensed aides under supervision. For patients across Utah, these changes most directly expand access to services — such as imaging orders, equipment prescriptions, and minor procedures — from providers they may already see, potentially reducing the need for additional physician referrals.
Motion: Favorable Recommendation
Motion: Favorable Recommendation
Governor Signed
Lieutenant Governor's office for filing
Senate/ to Governor
Executive Branch - Governor
Senate/ received enrolled bill from Printing
Senate Secretary
Senate/ enrolled bill to Printing
Senate Secretary
Enrolled Bill Returned to House or Senate
Senate Secretary
Last updated Mar 26, 2026, 9:43 PM