SALT LAKE CITY — Legislative leaders have approved a list of items they will study over the next year that could become bills in the 2025 session.
The Legislative Management Committee, made up of Republican and Democratic leadership on Utah's Capitol Hill, approved the list that will tackle some interesting issues. They include:
- Artificial intelligence, including regulation to use in voting systems
- Medicaid and any budget impacts to the state
- Affordable housing and homelessness
- Maintaining Utah's tourism economy, including marketing the state and visitor mitigation
- If students' grades ought to be tied to attendance as a way to address chronic absenteeism
- How math is taught in Utah
- Student mental health
- Child actors and laws governing their work in social media campaigns
- Consumer protections in rooftop solar contracts
- Organized crime, including impacts from illegal immigration, theft rings and cybercrime.
While water remains an issue for lawmakers to consider policy, the Great Salt Lake was not specifically mentioned on the legislature's interim session study list. House Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, told FOX 13 News it remains a top priority for him.
"We’re very fortunate the Great Salt Lake is coming back. Things are going a lot better. We’ve learned a lot over the last several years on the Great Salt Lake. The great salt lake will always and continue to be a priority for the state of Utah. It has to be," he said.
Speaker Schultz said the interim session is valuable because lawmakers have only 45-days to consider and vote on legislation. Interim meetings allow them to take testimony and better craft bills ready to go by the time the legislative session starts in January.
The House Speaker said it was critical that people get involved now to help influence that policy before the legislative session begins next year.
Read the full list of legislative study items here:
