SB 195 establishes a Statewide Youth Apprenticeship Governance Council to coordinate youth apprenticeship programs across Utah state agencies and education providers. It authorizes the state to participate in the federal Workforce Pell Grant program and allows the Department of Workforce Services to share wage data with the Utah Board of Higher Education. Key provisions include modifying definitions, enabling interstate agreements for education programs, classifying certain student data as protected, and creating mechanisms for approving industry-recognized credentials. The bill directly affects state agencies, educational institutions, and apprenticeship programs by improving coordination and data sharing for workforce development. No new funding is appropriated.
SB 229 modifies Utah state employee benefits by replacing separate annual and sick leave with a single paid time off (PTO) system. It requires agencies to convert accrued leave hours to PTO at a 1:1 ratio, grants the Division of Human Resources authority to set PTO rules, and expands postpartum recovery leave for eligible employees. The bill also adds parental leave eligibility for State Board of Education employees and adjusts 401(k) match rates and maximum employer contributions for specified employees. These changes directly affect all Utah state employees covered under the modified benefit provisions, with no new funding required.
HB 271 adds metal theft - specifically catalytic converter theft - to the list of crimes addressed by Utah's multi-agency joint strike force, operated by the Attorney General and Department of Public Safety. The bill requires the strike force to annually report the number of catalytic converter thefts and arrests to the State Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice for inclusion in the public safety portal. These reports must be submitted by December 1 each year, if reasonably available. The bill amends existing Utah code sections to expand the strike force's focus and formalize the reporting requirement without appropriating new funds.
HB 361 creates two new election oversight mechanisms in Utah. It establishes a "conflict of interest elections officer" to replace the lieutenant governor in handling election disputes involving the governor or lieutenant governor running for office, requiring appointment by the state election board before even-numbered election years. It also forms an Elections Oversight Task Force with legislative, executive, and county clerk members to review and recommend improvements to Utah's election system, including analyzing potential conflicts of interest and alternative oversight structures. The task force must submit a report by September 1, 2027, with recommendations for changes to state law if needed. The bill includes a repeal date of July 1, 2028, for the task force.
HB 325 modifies Utah's government records law to make certain financial records public while keeping tax exemption details private. It requires all government entities to classify records showing fund receipts or expenditures - such as budgets, grant documents, vendor payments, and financial reports - as public information. Conversely, it classifies any record revealing whether a taxpayer receives property tax exemptions, deferrals, or abatements as private. These changes apply to all Utah government agencies without new funding requirements.
HB 290 expands Utah's child tax credit by raising income thresholds where the credit begins to phase out. It increases the phaseout limits to $30,500 for married filing separately, $49,000 for single/head of household, and $61,000 for joint filers (up from $27,000, $43,000, and $54,000, respectively). This change directly affects Utah taxpayers with qualifying children who previously saw their credit reduced due to higher income. The bill maintains the $1,000-per-child credit amount but allows more families to claim the full credit, with retrospective effect for 2026 tax years. The change takes effect May 6, 2026, and requires no new state funding.
HB 274 amends Utah's sentencing structure by changing the membership of the Sentencing Commission and updating its responsibilities. The bill requires the Commission to consider specific factors - like public safety, rehabilitation, and risk reduction - when setting adult sentencing and supervision guidelines, directly affecting courts, offenders, and correctional systems. Key provisions include adding new member roles (e.g., prosecutors, sheriffs, victim services representatives), mandating a full review of sentencing guidelines by November 2026, and requiring guidelines to address probation/parole violations and incentives. It makes technical updates to existing statutes (63M-7-401.2, 63M-7-404.3, and 76-3-201) without appropriating new funds.
HB 381 amends Utah laws governing electric-assisted bicycles and similar mobility devices. It clarifies that motorcycles include electric models, bans alcohol use while operating e-bikes, and prohibits modifications beyond the manufacturer's settings. The bill requires helmets for riders under 21 on highways, allows police to hold e-vehicles from minors for safety violations, and mandates safety courses for certain device operation. These changes directly affect e-bike and e-motorcycle users, particularly young riders, by establishing new safety standards and enforcement procedures.
SB 46 requires Utah state government facilities built or reconstructed after May 2026 to limit non-functional turf (like decorative grass) to 20% of grounds or local ordinance limits. It mandates a 25% reduction in outdoor water use by 2026 compared to 2020 levels, prohibits overhead irrigation between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., and requires agencies to report water usage annually. The bill defines "functional turf" as grass used for active purposes (e.g., sports fields) and "water wise landscaping" as using drought-resistant plants, efficient irrigation, and canopy coverage. These changes apply directly to state agencies managing government facilities, with the Division of Water Resources overseeing compliance.
HB 557 makes minor technical corrections to the Utah Code, primarily updating references, eliminating obsolete language, and fixing numbering errors across numerous existing statutes. It directly affects the Utah Code by ensuring consistency with current laws, including removing expired sunset provisions and updating cross-references. The bill does not create new policies or allocate funds, but adds a coordination clause to resolve conflicts with future legislation passed in 2026. This is a routine procedural update to maintain the accuracy of the legal code.
HB 537 exempts sales of tickets for the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games from Utah's sales and use tax. This directly affects ticket buyers purchasing tickets for these specific events. The bill amends existing tax code sections to add Olympic tickets as a defined exemption, making them tax-free like other listed exemptions (e.g., certain food sales or religious institution transactions). The exemption applies only to tickets for the 2034 Games and does not involve new state spending.
SB 290 strengthens privacy protections for victims and witnesses in Utah criminal cases by regulating access to their nonpublic electronic data, such as personal messages or intimate images shared with law enforcement. It requires law enforcement to implement secure "virtual rooms" for defendants' attorneys to review sensitive data without copying it, creates a presumption against disclosing intimate images, and mandates clear disclosure of devices used in investigations. The bill directly affects victims/witnesses (who gain greater control over their private information), law enforcement (who must adopt new policies), and defendants (who must seek court approval to access nonpublic data). Key provisions include defining "nonpublic victim or witness data," requiring prosecutors to notify defendants about device searches, and limiting data sharing to specific court-approved scenarios. The bill makes no changes to existing evidence disclosure rules under Utah Rules of Criminal Procedure.
