Lawmakers consider $10,000 ongoing RFA to add HIPAA-compliant translation to SafeUT

Senator Baldry asked the Higher Education Appropriation Subcommittee on Jan. 26 to approve a modest ongoing appropriation to add HIPAA‑compliant automated translation services to Utah’s SafeUT crisis app so that Spanish speakers — and speakers of other languages — can access immediate, secure texting support.

Baldry said adding automated text translation is a technology enhancement rather than a new program, and estimated the cost at $10,000 ongoing beginning in fiscal year 2027. She and supporters argued automated translation is cheaper and faster than hiring multilingual crisis staff or contracting interpreters and that the upgrade would future‑proof SafeUT as Utah’s population becomes more multilingual.

Committee members asked about SafeUT’s current budget and whether the $10,000 could be absorbed into existing funds. A committee participant referenced a current SafeUT budget figure during Q&A (approximately $4,000,000), and Baldry said the RFA originated as her district-level proposal to reach Spanish‑speaking residents and that program administrators supported the approach.

No appropriation was approved at the Jan. 26 meeting; the RFA was presented for consideration and committee members asked follow-up budget and implementation questions.

What’s next: Appropriation staff may seek more information from SafeUT administrators about integration and recurring costs before making a recommendation.