SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah State Legislature has adjourned with a mad dash to pass bills and some drama on Capitol Hill.
Sen. Daniel Thatcher rage-quit the Utah Republican Party on the final day of the session, joining the newly formed Forward Party and telling reporters: “I don't have to be part of the crazy making anymore.”
“You're not imagining it, you're not crazy. We're not listening to you,” he said, putting the GOP on blast. Senate GOP leaders said they wished him well.
That same day, Utah State Auditor Tina Cannon accused lawmakers of trying to evict her from her office inside the Capitol building itself through a bill making its way in the legislature.
“I was shocked, disappointed, frustrated,” she said. “It doesn’t matter how I feel. It matters how this looks. It is a representation of the constitutional office that I hold.”
The auditor said she’s also the first independently elected Republican woman to a statewide office in Utah. Senate GOP leaders pushed back hard on her claims that she was being evicted, insisting there will be a space for her office in the Capitol building itself as they reconfigure offices in the historic building. Late Friday, they pulled the bill to continue negotiations.
Over the past 45 days, the Utah State Legislature did seem to flex its power quite a bit with bills that exerted state authority. But House Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, said they are reacting to their constituents.
“Look, the legislative branch is over policy in the state of Utah. We are the closest elected officials to the citizens of the state and it’s important that those that are elected are making the decisions,” he told reporters.
Senate President J. Stuart Adams, R-Layton, said he disagreed that they were exercising too much control.
“We pass bills, that’s what we do here. We feel bad people feel that way. We try to listen and we refine things,” he said.
House Minority Leader Angela Romero, D-Salt Lake City, had a message for Utahns who feel upset with the legislature’s actions: vote out the lawmakers who are passing the bills you disagree with.
Governor Spencer Cox said he was largely pleased with what lawmakers accomplished, but he told FOX 13 News that he does think lawmakers introduce too many bills and some he was contemplating a veto on. He has 20 days from the time the legislature adjourns Sine Die to decide.
"I do think there are too many bills. I say this every year. I mean it this year. I mean it every year," he said. "But yeah, I hear those criticisms as well. And that’s what this 20 days is about. We’ll look at those bills. We’ll try to see if we got the balance right. If not? We have checks and balances for a reason."
There were hundreds of bills that passed. By no means everything considered, here is a look at some of the bigger things that passed, failed and never really got oxygen in the Utah State Legislature:
VOTE-BY-MAIL AND ELECTIONS
Utah’s election systems will see some changes after a major bill passed the legislature. It requires you to “opt-in” to vote-by-mail every eight years. You can do it through driver license renewal or going into a county clerk’s office. You will also need to include the last four digits of your driver license ID number on the envelope to verify it is you. The change will take effect in a few years. The bill itself faced heated pushback from voter rights groups and Utahns who did not want to see vote-by-mail taken away.
A bill related to voter rolls and the state’s participation in the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC) passed the House and failed in the Senate.
Sen. Lincoln Fillmore’s proposed constitutional amendment raising the threshold that any citizen ballot initiative raising taxes (think Medicaid expansion) must pass from a simple majority to 60% has cleared the legislature. You, the voter, get to decide that in 2026.
Signature-gathering requirements for ballot initiatives, candidate petitions and municipal actions have been tightened under several bills that passed the legislature. A bill also passed making the sponsors of initiatives pay for the cost of newspaper publication requirements (about $1.4 million).
Rep. Anthony Loubet passed a proposed constitutional amendment to deal with a 19th century law in a 21st century world: newspapers no longer publish daily and so the 1800s-era law that requires newspaper publication is no longer relevant, he argued. You, the voter, will decide it in 2026.
A bill by Rep. Stephanie Gricius institutes a code of conduct for county clerks following accusations that the Utah County Clerk had looked at certain lawmakers’ ballots (he has denied wrongdoing) in a spat over vote-by-mail.
A bill to move Utah away from a “winner take all” approach when it comes to the Electoral College never got a hearing.
Sen. Stephanie Pitcher passed a bill regulating a candidate’s name on the ballot, including how they handle “nicknames.”
Rep. Jason Kyle proposed a bill to create a runoff election in primary races with numerous candidates and no one gets over 50%. The bill passed the House but did not advance in the Senate.
Sen. Dan McCay passed a bill that makes it a crime to give a federal contribution with the intent to influence a state official to take or not take action on something.
County auditor candidates must have experience in auditing or accounting before they can run for office under a bill that passed the legislature.
A bill that changes what to do in an election tie passed the legislature. Currently, it’s a coin toss. But Rep. Andrew Stoddard’s bill requires a “game of chance” where there’s an equal opportunity when there’s three or more candidates.
Rep. Anthony Loubet passed a bill that prohibits a public official from making an expenditure from public funds on a billboard.
THE JUDICIARY
Rulings the Utah Supreme Court made last year on lawsuits related to abortion rights and independent redistricting (and the voiding of some constitutional amendments) really irritated some lawmakers on Utah’s Capitol Hill. So a number of bills were introduced aimed at the judicial branch of government.
In a deal struck on the final week of the legislative session, the House agreed to abandon bills to give legislative input on judges up for retention; raise the threshold for judges to keep their seats on the bench; and adding justices to the Utah Supreme Court. The Senate’s bills tweaking who can sue over a law the legislature passes and the appeals process did advance. So did a bill letting the governor pick the next chief justice of the Utah Supreme Court (with Senate confirmation).
Resolutions were introduced to dissolve the North Logan, Hyde Park and Salt Lake County just courts.
OLYMPICS AND SPORT
A bill that its sponsor coyly said deals with a “major sporting event in 2034” would let cities and counties create tax increment financing zones to help pay for upgrades to Olympic venues and even build new ones in anticipation of that “major sporting event” — the 2034 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City (sorry for spoiling that if you didn’t know it was happening).
Lawmakers also passed bills reminding you that winter sports are hazardous and removing liability for injuries at Olympic venues.
Sen. Dan McCay passed a bill blocking cities from enacting noise ordinances around golf courses as they try to do landscaping work, which sometimes involves early morning mowing.
A bill to let students who participate in rodeo competitions be excused from schools just like any other football player, cheerleader or other athlete passed the legislature.
Rep. Sahara Hayes passed a bill requiring colleges and universities to come up with policies to guard against abusive coaching practices. The bill was also amended to provide compensation to student athletes for their name, image and likeness.
A big bill to allow Salt Lake County to dip into transportation funds to furnish a remodel of the Salt Palace Convention Center as part of the downtown sports, arts and entertainment district linked to the Utah Hockey Club’s arrival passed the Senate, but did not get a vote in the House on the final night of the legislative session.
TRANSPORTATION
The omnibus transportation wasn’t a big deal — until it was. An amendment snuck in on the Senate floor put a moratorium on Salt Lake City’s ability to do much with its own streets. Lawmakers had complaints about road closures and bike lanes and bus lanes, etc. After a lot of drama, the bill was negotiated down to have some oversight of road projects in Salt Lake City, if they affect arterial roads and corridors.
The “black license plate” has been so popular, the legislature wanted a cut. Rep. Val Peterson passed a bill letting the state use money from the sale of the popular plate (which was earmarked for the Utah State Historical Society) to be used for other state. The Historical Society still gets a cut, but now there will also be a “white license plate” and some corporate ones and major league team ones, too.
Rep. Verona Mauga’s bill blocking parking in bike lanes passed the legislature.
To prepare for a world of flying cars and drones, UDOT will conduct more outreach and education on “advanced air mobility” under a bill passed by Sen. Wayne Harper.
House Minority Whip Jennifer Dailey-Provost introduced a bill to explore enacting the “Rio Grande Plan” to put rail lines that divide Salt Lake City underground. The bill never got a hearing.
A bill to expand “traction laws” when it comes to winter driving conditions passed the legislature.
House Majority Whip Karianne Lisonbee’s bill to block police from taking your vehicle registration or driver license for a window tinting violation passed.
Sen. Scott Sandall passed a bill creating a “rebuttable presumption” in a highway crash between a driver and open range livestock.
Lane splitting by motorcycles will be prohibited under a bill passed by Rep. Norm Thurston. Another bill that passed increases penalties for operating a motorcycle without a specific license endorsement.
Your lawyer can have more access to traffic accident evidence under a bill passed by Rep. Andrew Stoddard.
Teenage drivers with a learner’s permit can drive with an adult who isn’t a parent in certain circumstances, under a bill passed by Rep. Jill Koford. Another bill enacting provisions for a child in state custody can get a driver’s license passed the legislature.
A bill to reinstate “red light cameras” in Utah to cut down on red light runners never got a hearing.
Rep. Ariel Defay passed a bill that lets you opt in for a vehicle registration reminder in the mail. Under the same bill, an off-highway vehicle registration can be good for two years if you choose.
TAXES AND MONEY
Lawmakers passed a budget of nearly $29 billion (down from previous years). The legislature continued its cuts to the income tax for another year, passing a small reduction (about $45 a year for the average Utah family). A bill on tax cuts also included a child tax credit and one for businesses who wish to build child care facilities inside their work spaces.
A bill to eliminate the Social Security income tax (as Gov. Cox has pushed for) didn’t happen, but lawmakers did approve eliminating it for people who make less than $90,000.
The next time your local elected leaders want to raise property taxes? They’d better show up to their own “truth-in-taxation” hearings under a bill passed by Sen. Heidi Balderree. It requires a quorum of elected officials for such hearings, which are already legally required.
Sen. Lincoln Fillmore passed a bill to make cafés and other restaurants inside grocery stores, convenience stores, etc., taxed at the same rate as other restaurants. Some industry groups called it a “tax increase.”
The State Treasurer can invest some funds in “precious metals” under a bill that passed.
Rural counties can continue to use transient room taxes (paid when you rent a hotel room or vacation rental) to fund search and rescue operations under a bill passed by Rep. Bridger Bolinder.
UNIONS AND LABOR
A bill stripping public employee unions of their right to collective bargaining passed the legislature early on in the session and was signed into law by Gov. Cox, stirring up a hornet’s nest of controversy with a mass demonstration on Capitol Hill. The bill faced opposition from police, firefighters, teachers and other public employee unions. Many of those unions are now running a citizen referendum on the law.
Rep. Jordan Teuscher filed a proposed amendment to enshrine Utah’s “right to work” law in the state constitution. It did not advance.
Rep. Melissa Garff Ballard’s bill authorizing the state to do more to investigate child labor law violations passed the legislature.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE
This was a year where a lot of bills were introduced creating new crimes and enhancing penalties. A series of bills were introduced to join President Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration.
Sen. Todd Weiler passed a bill to crack down on police “quotas,” which are already prohibited but some officers told FOX 13 News they were still required to meet. The bill prohibits any discipline for an officer who refuses to fill a quota for tickets. It also authorizes the state to investigate any complaints of police departments who have a quota system.
The type of drugs that can be used in a lethal injection execution have changed under a bill passed by Sen. Derrin Owens.
A bill tweaking Utah’s bail system including the rules for criminal defendants who appear before a judge to ask for release, passed the House and failed in the Senate.
Even threatening to distribute a faked “intimate” image (using AI or Photoshop or whatever) of someone is now a crime under a bill passed by Rep. Ryan Wilcox.
Senate Minority Whip Karen Kwan passed a bill saying a dog owner is not liable for injury or death caused by the dog to a trespasser.
Youth service organizations can require workers to submit information for a registered sex offender background check.
A bill letting paramedics perform non-911 related medical services to someone passed.
The definition of “public safety” animal has been expanded to include more than just police K-9s.
Littering can be a class C misdemeanor under a bill passed by Rep. Ken Ivory. You will also be charged $10 if you show up to a landfill with an uncovered or unsecured load.
People who have been convicted of a felony can serve on a jury, if they get their record expunged or the crime is reduced to a misdemeanor under a bill passed by Rep. Melissa Garff Ballard.
Sen. Heidi Balderree passed a bill cracking down on “squatters,” making it easier for law enforcement to remove people from properties.
“Ritual abuse” will be a criminal penalty under a bill passed by Rep. Ken Ivory. The bill also requires training for law enforcement to recognize signs of it. Sen. Don Ipson passed a bill on “child torture” making it an enhanced crime.
“The Division of” Adult Probation & Parole has been created under a bill that passed the legislature.
Rep. Tyler Clancy passed a bill requiring mental health providers and the Dept. of Corrections to coordinate when someone is released so they continue treatment. It also says that certain crimes that have been expunged and juvenile arrests can’t be used to bar someone from a job interview.
More notice will have to be given to victims if someone petitions to remove themselves from the Sex Offender & Kidnap Registry.
The unauthorized release of autopsy photos and videos has been criminalized under a bill passed by Sen. Stephanie Pitcher.
Prisons will do more screening for substance abuse disorders under a bill that passed the legislature.
Youth criminal defendants will have access to indigent defense funds under a bill that passed.
Utilities can’t be cut off in cases where someone in a house obtains a protective order under a bill that passed.
Rep. Matthew Gwynn passed a bill to exempt some police officers doing undercover work from having to prominently wear a body camera.
Sen. Stephanie Pitcher passed a bill clarifying when a criminal defendant can withdraw a guilty or no contest plea.
Rep. Walt Brooks passed a bill saying a “citizen’s arrest” is only lawful if police are notified and it lasts only until police arrive.
House Minority Leader Angela Romero reintroduced a bill to re-start the Murdered, Missing Indigenous Relatives Task Force to tackle the problem in the state and push police to do more to investigate such crimes. The bill passed the House but ran out of time in the Senate on the final night of the legislative session.
ALCOHOL POLICY
The annual omnibus alcohol bill is a carefully negotiated piece of legislation that involves a lot of “stakeholder input.” That means everyone from alcohol prevention to hospitality groups chimes in on it. This year’s bill included a serving of drama when the Senate killed the bill over a big, ugly word: “proximity.” Lawmakers resisted efforts to give local governments more say in where alcohol can be sold when it’s near community spaces like schools, parks and churches. A “sin tax” was included then removed. Bartenders will be legally able to dip a straw in a drink and taste it to determine if the cocktail meets standards. You will also be able to legally order beer from a grocery store online and pick it up (once you show ID and wave hi at the surveillance camera). Left out of the bill? The return of the mini-bottle and changing the legal definition of “cider.”
Rep. Steve Eliason passed a bill to allow someone with extreme DUI convictions to be “interdicted” and have their license marked as such — which could block them from being able to purchase alcohol in the state. People seeking to quit drinking could also voluntarily do it.
Veterans convicted of DUIs may be able to go to a special “veterans court” under a bill that passed.
GREAT SALT LAKE, THE COLORADO RIVER AND WATER
House Speaker Mike Schultz may have put a “pause” on major water legislation to evaluate what’s working and what’s not, but bills still made it through. It also triggered some protests on Utah’s Capitol Hill with people calling for lawmakers to do more to save the Great Salt Lake.
Rep. Casey Snider passed a bill pushing Utah toward “tiered water rates.” That sets new thresholds where you pay more if you use more water. He also passed a bill streamlining funding for water infrastructure projects.
A resolution calling for Utah to use its full share of Colorado River water passed the House, but did not get voted on in the Senate on the final night of the legislative session. Environmental groups have raised concerns that could impact delicate negotiations between states on agreements governing the river that supplies water to more than 40 million people.
The Utah Water Quality Board can mediate violations of water laws under a bill that passed. A bill passed consolidating the Office of the Great Salt Lake Commissioner and others under the Utah Department of Natural Resources.
Lawmakers passed a bill by Rep. David Shallenberger expanding agriculture water optimization, which is incentives to help farmers buy new water-saving tech to grow crops while conserving the precious resource. Rep. Jill Koford passed a bill designed to ensure that saved water made it downstream to the Great Salt Lake.
A bill by Rep. Doug Owens to ban a specific sprinkler head that he said wasted water failed to pass. So did a bill calling for water-wise landscaping on state properties after some lawmakers called out a “war on turf.” His bill setting new turf regulations for new construction was also a non-starter in the legislature.
Signatures on water rights agreements can be done by electronic signature under a bill that passed.
The state has a formalized “water plan” under a bill passed by Rep. Carl Albrecht.
After initially getting $0 for dust monitoring in more areas by the Great Salt Lake, Rep. Doug Owens lobbied hard and got $50,000.
GOVERNMENT
More of Utah’s code will use gender-neutral language under a bill passed by Senate Minority Whip Karen Kwan.
A bill passed raising the population threshold of what it takes to be a “county of the first class.” That means Salt Lake County remains alone and Utah County remains “second class.” Washington County is lower down the tier, which also keeps them from having to pay into certain homelessness funds run by the state.
Sen. Mike McKell passed bill to replace the State Records Committee, which hears appeals of public records denials, and replaces it with an administrative law judge. The bill was fought by news media outlets.
Political parties can use higher education institutions for gatherings under a bill passed by Sen. Brady Brammer.
A bill to let taxpayers contribute to a special fund on hunger on their income tax form has passed the Utah legislature.
A bill from Rep. Karen Peterson puts guardrails around transport utility fees that cities may charge property owners for the impact to roads. But a provision allowing churches to be charged some of those fees led to a standoff between the House and Senate. The House wanted the fees, the Senate wanted religions excluded. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a major property owner, was lobbying to be excluded. The bill never got a final vote on the final day of the session and cities will keep charging them.
State agencies must publish federal guidance letters, outlining federal policy changes, under a bill that passed the legislature.
ENVIRONMENT
A resolution to have the state “co-manage” Utah’s national parks and other federal lands passed the House. Rep. Steve Eliason’s bill comes as the Trump administration is enacting deep cuts in staffing. That same resolution also carves a path for new state parks to be created.
Rep. Andrew Stoddard introduced a bill to implement a state plan to tackle halogen emissions, which he said account for as much as 25% of Utah’s winter inversion pollution. The bill passed the House, then failed in a Senate committee. It was resurrected and passed the legislature in what environmentalists call a major victory.
A bill passed allowing the governor to enter into agreements with other states for wildfire fighting resources. Rep. Casey Snider passed a separate bill on management of a $150 million fund for wildfire fighting efforts.
A bill to explore ways to expand glass recycling across the state passed. So did a bill pushing communities to have more events where they collect electronic waste for recycling.
Lands managed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service are among those that must be kept open in a fiscal emergency. In the past, Utah has paid to keep national parks open during a federal government shutdown.
A bill pushing to remove the name “Mormon Cricket” out of deference to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was introduced. Its sponsor faced pushback, so he pulled the bill and it never went anywhere.
Rep. Ashlee Matthews’ bill to expand the state’s “pollinator program” to help save bees by providing more pollinator-friendly plants passed the legislature.
Houses in areas prone to wildfires may be reclassified in terms of their proximity to risk under a bill that passed the legislature. That could impact things like insurance rates.
Consumer-grade solar sales will face some new regulations and disclosures under a bill passed by Rep. Colin Jack.
A bill on gravel pits was introduced, but Rep. Casey Snider insisted on the House floor that his bill did not authorize a controversial project in Parley’s Canyon.
HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS
Bills on housing did not advance as much as some in the Utah State Legislature would have liked. Sen. Lincoln Fillmore at one point blamed it on some cities’ resistance to any kind of changes to enable more affordable housing. Some policies did advance around first time homeowner zoning and spurring housing and condominium construction. A resolution calling for streamlining affordable housing policies did advance (but resolutions are largely statements by the legislature on a particular issue and not legally binding).
Sen. Todd Weiler proposed a bill creating a “code red” for homeless people in extreme heat. It works like a “code blue” for cold in warning people to get out of the elements. The bill passed the Senate and failed in the House.
The House killed a bill that would create a “homeless persons ombudsman” to investigate complaints. Then it was resurrected. It passed the legislature and now heads to the governor’s desk.
Bills pushing for more efforts on unsanctioned camping, drug screenings at shelters and one requiring Salt Lake City to enter into an agreement with Utah’s Department of Public Safety for resources passed.
House Minority Whip Jennifer Dailey-Provost passed a bill looping in agencies that work with veterans when dealing with homeless people who have served in the military in the past.
A bill by Rep. Neil Walter blocked cities from regulating larger-scale open houses (like the Parade of Homes) differently than any other home for sale.
The state can bring a legal action for “defective construction” under a bill passed by Sen. Evan Vickers.
Sen. Harper passed a bill tweaking requirements for “first home investment zones” designed to get people into more affordable housing.
ENERGY
Few subjects in the Utah State Legislature got as much attention as energy policy in Utah. Gov. Cox last year announced “Operation Gigawatt” to expand energy supply in the state. Lawmakers passed bills to ensure what they “reliable and affordable” energy supplies in the state.
A major bill by Rep. Carl Albrecht lays the groundwork for small-scale nuclear power plants in Utah by creating a special consortium. It faced pushback from Democrats in the Senate who worried the legislature was exerting too much control over local communities and who would oversee the project. Some environmental groups also had issues with the policy. Other bills in the legislature redefined what type of nuclear and radioactive waste the state can accept.
House Majority Leader Jefferson Moss passed a resolution to start a compact between Utah, Idaho and Wyoming to explore energy production.
A bill passed on “decommissioned assets” that appears related to the Intermountain Power Project in Millard County, setting a pathway to preserve coal-fired units in the massive power plant.
A bill by Rep. Christine Watkins urges utilities to switch to the latest grid technologies for the benefit of consumers.
Rep. Kay Christofferson passed a bill pulling back some tax credits for solar and other alternative energy projects.
Sen. Nate Blouin’s bill to block utilities from using ratepayer money to pay for lobbying or advertising never got a hearing.
Rep. Doug Owens passed a bill to block homeowners associations from prohibiting solar panel installation.
EDUCATION
A major bill overhauling Utah’s higher education system was introduced, sparking concern on Utah’s colleges and universities as lawmakers spoke of degree programs with few students and a need for more “career-ready” fields. Rep. Karen Peterson’s bill ultimately set aside money in a fund for universities to use as they readjust their programs. It also has any changes take effect years from now to give universities and colleges time to adapt.
Legislative leaders and the governors announced $1,400 raises for teachers and $1,000 bonuses for other school staff. The $50 million funding boost for educators meant other budget cuts for other programs.
House Speaker Mike Schultz personally sponsored a bill to expand career and technical education across the state, including $65 million for grants to help school districts with their offerings. The Speaker argued the bill was necessary to help students find good jobs. The bill won widespread support.
Sen. Lincoln Fillmore passed a bill that changes how your tax dollars go to education. Currently, a lot of property tax money goes directly to a school district. Under the bill, it will go to the state first, then get distributed to local school districts. Critics call it an “end run” around Amendment A, which was voided by the Utah Supreme Court and changed how public education got funded.
A bill on the “Utah Fits All” scholarship program (that critics call a “voucher” program) won bipartisan support in the legislative session. That’s because Rep. Candice Pierucci’s bill put more guardrails on the program, including restricting the use of scholarship funds for things like ski passes. The program also saw a $40 million increase out of the budget. Governor Cox signed the bill into law during the session.
A bill to offer free meals to students in need (and reduced prices for others) passed the legislature. Rep. Tyler Clancy’s bill also blocks school districts from stigmatizing students who rack up school lunch debt, telling them to communicate with parents. It’s an issue FOX 13 News has covered extensively with students across Utah racking up millions in school lunch debt. Senate Minority Leader Luz Escamilla ran a bill to offer free meals across the board. It did not advance.
A bill to study chronic absenteeism and ways to reduce it failed in a Senate committee. So did a bill offering incentives for kids to stay in school.
Lawmakers passed a bill that would tighten up on university president candidates names being released too soon.
A bill to remove some of the regulations surrounding homeschooling, including criminal background checks in some circumstances, passed the legislature.
A bill to study schools and whether they can withstand the impacts of a major earthquake never got a hearing.
Rep. Nicholeen Peck passed a bill blocking the state from using health curriculum from any organization that performs elective abortions. The bill is aimed at Planned Parenthood, which provides some school health curriculum.
Rep. Mark Strong passed a bill aimed at reducing school fees. The bill requires more disclosure to parents upfront about what’s charged and tries to carve a path for students to complete course work even if they don’t want to pay the fee.
Sen. Jen Plumb’s bill to create more “unisex” spaces did not go anywhere. But her bill to allow students to have access to a private changing area and not be forced to change clothes in a group setting passed.
Kids enrolling in public schools will need to be toilet trained starting this year, but a bill that passed no longer forces school districts to come up with a plan to deal with a student that isn’t.
A bill banning smartphones and smart watches in classrooms passed the legislature. Sen. Lincoln Fillmore’s bill lets school districts create their own policies, but it’s based on a default ban. Students can still use phones in hallways or at recess, and there’s exceptions for medical and emergency needs.
A bill to prohibit school districts from selling any contact info, and prohibit schools from requiring certain apps on personal devices passed.
The Utah Attorney General’s Office must be involved if a school district contracts or settles with the U.S. Department of Justice.
Transferring schools? Your kid’s immunization record will go with them under a bill that passed the legislature.
Some school employees will be renamed “education support professionals” under a bill that passed.
A bill requiring a video presentation for parents warning what a student might find when they use technology (the internet is a wild place) passed the legislature.
Staff bullying and student bullying are more clearly defined in Utah law under a bill that passed.
GUNS
Farm slaughterhouses are exempted from some dangerous weapons discharge laws under a bill that passed.
Rep. Matt MacPherson passed a bill prohibiting a plea in abeyance from leading to the forfeiture of someone’s gun in certain instances, and also requiring the return of a firearm that was seized if someone is convicted of a crime that wouldn’t make them a restricted person.
House Majority Whip Karianne Lisonbee’s bill codified Utah gun laws to allow those 18 years old to openly carry passed the House, but failed in the Senate.
A bill making it an infraction to modify a toy gun to look like a real gun passed the House, but did not advance on the final night of the session.
IMMIGRATION
Lawmakers on Utah’s Capitol Hill pushed a number of bills tied to illegal immigration. Some advanced and some didn’t.
Rep. Candice Pierucci passed a bill pushing deportations of immigrants convicted of violent crimes, tweaking the incarceration length for misdemeanors to enable easier removal of some undocumented immigrants. Sen. Cal Musselman passed a bill requiring people serve their sentences before being deported.
A bill that would have expanded e-Verify did not get very far in the Utah State Legislature. A bill that would add a tax to international wire transfers did not pass on the final night of the legislative session.
A bill by Rep. Candice Pierucci increasing penalties for human trafficking passed. So did a bill she ran providing schools with extra money for resources when they see a surge in students who do not speak English.
Sen. Ron Winterton passed a bill to create an “Office of Refugee Services” in Utah.
Rep. Trevor Lee passed a bill clarifying that applications pending for asylum or temporary protected status are restricted persons not allowed to possess, purchase, transfer, or own dangerous weapons.
COMMERCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
The Beehive Development Agency lived and died quickly. Senate Majority Leader Kirk Cullimore said the bill is designed to coordinate major economic development projects, but opponents across the political spectrum blasted the bill as a “power grab” that could have widespread implications from land use to water projects. The bill was amended to give local governments some say in the projects. Critics say that local consent is not enough. Ultimately, he dropped the bill.
Bills also passed expanding the Inland Port Authority and the Point of the Mountain development projects. Sen. Jerry Stevenson passed a bill to create a “Spaceport Authority” to look at developing one in Utah.
Rep. Ken Ivory passed a bill blocking franchises from forcing their franchisees to open on Sunday if it conflicts with the owner’s religious beliefs. The bill does not apply to hotels and motels.
A bill to allow a food truck to be pulled by an electric bicycle passed.
A bill to ensure transferable concert and other event tickets didn’t get anywhere this session.
Fake meats must be clearly labeled as such under a bill that passed by Rep. Neil Walter.
A bill passed creating rules around the testing of raw milk and allowing Utah’s Department of Agriculture & Food to issue orders if there’s an outbreak.
A bill by Sen. Scott Sandall removing some of the regulations around cosmetology licensure passed.
HEALTH CARE
A bill to ban fluoride from Utah’s water passed the legislature. Currently, only Salt Lake and Davis counties and a handful of cities do it after voters approved it. If anyone wants fluoride in the future? You can get it from a pharmacy under the bill passed by Rep. Stephanie Gricius.
Rep. Katy Hall passed a bill on medical malpractice that became the subject of controversy. The bill initially set a cap on lawsuits, which was later removed. But the bill now requires a plaintiff pay the defendant’s attorneys fees if the lawsuit is ultimately ruled to not have merit.
Rep. Casey Snider passed a bill expanding the types of cancer covered by firefighters and providing more access to cancer screenings. His co-sponsor, Sen. Mike McKell, said the number one cause of death for firefighters isn’t fires — it’s cancer.
People on Medicare can pick lower-tiered plans under a bill passed by Rep. Jake Fitisemanu. Senate Minority Leader Luz Escamilla passed a bill seeking a Medicaid waiver for doula services.
Vaccines for humans hidden in food will be designated as a drug under a bill passed by Rep. Trevor Lee.
Sen. Mike McKell has passed a bill on advanced care directives for mental health reasons, allowing someone to make decisions for another person in crisis.
Sen. Cal Musselman passed a bill to have the definition of primary health care to include physical therapists.
Want to be an organ donor? A bill that passed the legislature would provide information on how to sign up when you file your taxes.
A significant bill passed after some emotional testimony from lawmakers who have struggled to have children. The bill expands in-vitro fertilization coverage for government employees. The sponsors hope that it inspires private companies to do the same.
Rep. Kristen Chevrier passed a bill asking the federal government for a waiver to block soda pop from being purchased with SNAP funds.
Following some emotional testimony from lawmakers who have personally endured the process, the legislature passed a bill expanding in-vitro fertilization coverage to government employees enrolled in the Public Employee Health Plan. The idea is for private companies to do the same and offer similar coverage.
Some lawmakers advanced bills that appeared to be reacting to the COVID-19 pandemic. Rep. Matt MacPherson’s bill allows for accommodations on face masks in public spaces (hospitals and clinics can still require masking).
A bill that let physicians with a “conscientious objection” to treating certain patients opt out was introduced. But the bill never even got a hearing.
Rep. Kristen Chevrier introduced a bill to allow you to “bring your own blood” (or that of a chosen donor) for a medical procedure. The bill passed the House but ran out of time in the Senate on the final night of the legislative session.
LGBTQ RIGHTS
A bill restricting where transgender people can live in college and university dorms was passed and signed by the governor. It followed some complaints about a transgender resident advisor at Utah State University who was in a co-ed space.
Rep. Trevor Lee passed a bill banning non-sanctioned flags from being displayed in classrooms and on some county and city government properties (like Pride flags). Critics of the bill say the provision on government buildings threatens events like the Utah Pride Festival and is likely to face a constitutional challenge concerning free speech. The bill’s passage prompted protests at the Capitol.
A bill seeking to restrict transgender adults’ access to gender-affirming care was introduced, but never advanced. A bill aimed at “adult-oriented performances” that critics say took aim at drag shows was introduced, but never got a hearing.
House Majority Whip Karianne Lisonbee passed a bill that restricts some treatment in prisons for transgender inmates.
Rep. Nicholeen Peck introduced a bill to remove “human sexuality” from discussion in sex ed instruction in schools. The bill did not get a hearing. Her bill to block disciplinary action against public employees who misgender someone (so long as it’s not in a harassing way) passed the House but did not get a vote in the Senate on the final night of the session.
AI AND TECHNOLOGY
A bill requiring age-verification, ratings and parental approval for apps passed the legislature. Sen. Todd Weiler’s bill won praise from both social media platforms like Meta, X and Snap and the group Utah Parents United.
Rep. Doug Fiefia passed a bill that lets you take your social media data with you should you decide to “X-it” for the “BlueSky” (or any other platform) and incorporates a “right to delete” from their own servers.
A bill limiting class action lawsuits over the sale of non-public personal information passed the legislature.
Police agencies that use AI in writing reports or other work must disclose it under a bill passed by Sen. Stephanie Pitcher. The bill also requires a human to review the AI-generated work.
A bill requiring AI mental health chatbots to disclose that they are, indeed, a chatbot passed the legislature.
Rep. Verona Mauga passed a bill criminalizing sexual conduct with a minor using an avatar or virtual reality.
Rep. Doug Owens passed a bill on children used in social media content, giving them access to money when they turn 18 from their influencer parents. It also gives them a right to delete from the platform if they choose.
A bill to allow some state funds to be invested in Blockchain passed.
CANNABIS AND OTHER SUBSTANCES
House Minority Whip Jennifer Dailey-Provost’s bill on medical cannabis faced some pushback from social conservatives who largely re-litigated the 2018 vote to legalize it in Utah. The bill itself expanded the number of “pharmacies” allowed to sell medical cannabis.
Other bills passed on medical cannabis this year were much more technical in nature, dealing with licensure requirements and regulation. Rep. Paul Cutler passed a bill telling cannabis growers they need to do more to deal with the “dank smell” that comes from marijuana and be a less smelly neighbor.
A bill was introduced seeking to put some regulations on kratom, but it never got a hearing.
A bill that sought to undo Utah’s ban on flavored vape juices (but also introducing new regulations for sellers) was introduced. Rep. Matt MacPherson’s bill was heavily opposed by social conservatives and Democrats who formed an odd alliance, and it ended up failing in a vote on the House floor.
FAMILY MATTERS
Sen. Mike McKell passed a bill further regulating facilities that offer to treat “troubled teens.” The bill got support from celebrity Paris Hilton, who urged more action to shut down facilities that she said harm children that they offer to help.
Sen. Jen Plumb passed a bill cracking down on child marriages, prohibiting juvenile courts from authorizing a minor’s marriage if there’s more than a four-year age difference. If it’s less than that? A juvenile court judge weighs in and there’s a 72-hour waiting period. Marriages are illegal in Utah for anyone under 16.
Rep. Ray Ward passed a bill allowing people who turn 18 to seek access to some of their adoption records. The same bill allows some birth parents who don’t want to be found to petition a court to seal their records.
Rep. Rosalba Dominguez passed a bill to make diapers more available for people who can’t afford them (they are not covered by government assistance programs). The bill also saw a small funding appropriation to help “diaper banks” who help those people.
Utah’s Division of Child & Family Services must notify law enforcement if they discover someone made a false accusation of child abuse under a bill passed by Rep. Christine Watkins.
Threatening a child welfare worker and assaulting one are now two separate crimes under a bill that passed.
Sen. David Hinkins passed a bill allowing people to safely relinquish a newborn child up to 90 days without fear of criminal charges.
Senate Minority Leader Luz Escamilla’s bill on home-based child care licensure passed the Senate, but failed to pass the House.
Native American tribes rallied on Utah’s Capitol Hill for a state version of the Indian Child Welfare Act which deals with where Indigenous children are placed in custody cases. The bill never got a hearing.
RESOLUTIONS
Resolutions are statements by the legislature on a topic and are not necessarily legally binding. Here’s some the Utah legislature ran this year:
- A resolution passed encouraging the federal government to do more permitting reform for energy projects.
- Rep. Walt Brooks passed a resolution to recognize Patriots Day.
- A resolution that urges federal government housing and homelessness agencies to implement reforms to housing assistant programs passed.
- A resolution urges a postage stamp honoring Dr. Martha Hughes Cannon, Utah’s first woman senator and the founder of what became the state health department, passed.
- Sen. Lincoln Fillmore passed a resolution urging “child independence” and pushing back on “helicopter parents.”
- Resolution passed urging state prison inmates be housed at the Juab County Jail and the Iron County Jail.
- Lawmakers passed another resolution on “federalism” and guarding against “federal overreach.”
- A resolution was passed on states’ rights to oversee their own elections.
RECOGNITIONS
Highway 102 in Box Elder County has been renamed the Borgstrom Brothers Memorial Highway after the Borgstrom Brothers, who died in World War II in service to their country.
A bill to move Utah’s day recognizing Juneteenth to align with the federal holiday was introduced, but failed to pass. For now, Utah will have a three-day weekend for Juneteenth.
ODDS AND ENDS
Rep. Candice Pierucci passed a bill making military installations a “dead zone” for food delivery like DoorDash, raising concerns about national security interests. That same bill cracked down on restricted foreign nations purchasing land in Utah.
The legislature passed a bill by Sen. Dan McCay making it clear that it’s spelled “Utahn” and not “Utahan” by making “Utahn” the official state demonym.
A bill to finally end the back-and-forth of Daylight Saving Time by moving Utah to permanent standard time was introduced and passed the House. But the clock stopped on Rep. Joseph Elison’s bill in the Senate.
A “chemtrail” bill to ban the release of chemicals or substances from an aircraft for the purpose of weather geoengineering (not cloud seeding) passed the Senate but did not make it in the House on the final night of the session.
A bill to legalize peri-mutuel horse racing by Sen. David Hinkins failed in the Senate on a very close 13-14 vote.
