During the 2021 General Legislative Session, lawmakers passed several bills to address the COVID-19 pandemic. These bills represent an attempt by the Legislature to balance a decrease in restrictions across the state with the need to remain diligent in protecting the health of all Utahns.

This page outlines what those bills mean to the state response and how they will affect guidelines moving forward.

• All schools required to have 4 days of in-person instruction
• No soft closures allowed
• Test to Stay process is implemented (see school manual) when the following occurs:
  • 2% positivity (schools with 1,500+ students) OR 30 positive cases (schools with fewer than 1,500 students)

• Removes statewide mask mandate
• Masks still required for gatherings of 50 or more people
• Masks still required for K-12 schools (see public health order)
• Masks still required in state buildings
• Businesses can still require masks for employees and customers
• County governments can enact local mask requirements
• State and local health orders end on July 1 or when the following metrics are met:
  • 14-day case rate is at or below 191 per 100,000
  • ICU seven-day hospitalization rate is less than 15%
  • At least 1.63 million prime doses have been allocated to the state (prime doses are first doses)
• Utah Department of Health still recommends wearing face masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19

• The Governor and UDOH must provide 24-hour notice to the Legislature before declaring a Public Health Emergency (PHE) or issuing an Order of Constraint (OC)
• A local health department must provide 24-hour notice to their county elected officials before declaring a PHE or OC
• The Legislature or county elected officials may overturn a PHE or OC at anytime
• 30-day maximum time limit on an initial PHE or OC
• The Legislature or county elected officials may allow an extension of a PHE with 10 days notice

• HB294 ends
• If metrics outlined in HB294 have not been met, all state and local PHEs and OCs end
• New PHEs and OCs must follow the requirements of SB195

Should Utah see a spike in cases after July 1, 2021, health officials will work with elected leaders to enact an appropriate response.

Even after statewide restrictions and mask mandates have been lifted, guidance set forth in the Utah Transmission Index, COVID-19 Business Manual, COVID-19 School Manual and on the Protect Yourself page related to quarantine and isolation is valuable and should be considered when meeting with others outside your household. The Utah Department of Health still encourages the use of face masks as an effective way to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Please keep in mind that private businesses can still require masks if they choose. Please be respectful of business owners and staff at businesses that choose to require masks in their buildings. Likewise, please be respectful of individuals who don’t feel it necessary to wear masks where they’re not required.

Additional information on what each bill means can be found here.