HJR 21 amends Utah's Rules of Civil Procedure to clarify procedures for three-judge district court panels. It adds a definition for "district court panel" in Rule 1, updates Rule 42 to address case transfers when such panels are convened, and revises Rules 63 and 63A to specify judge disqualification and replacement processes in these panels. The changes directly affect Utah district courts handling cases requiring three-judge panels, including parties, attorneys, and judges involved in those proceedings. The resolution makes procedural adjustments without altering substantive law or requiring funding.
HB 461 requires specific Utah authorities - including the Utah Inland Port Authority, Point of the Mountain State Land Authority, Utah Fairpark Area Investment and Restoration District, Military Installation Development Authority, and Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity - to publish detailed annual reports on publicly accessible websites. These reports must include property value changes, actual vs. forecasted tax revenue, maps of project areas, and how funds supported development goals. The bill mandates these disclosures by June 30 each year, with a follow-up notification to the Political Subdivisions Interim Committee by September 1. It focuses solely on transparency, with no new funding or policy changes, and applies to all existing project areas regardless of when they were established. The bill amends Utah Code sections to formalize these disclosure requirements.
HB 451 creates a small farm assistance program using Utah’s Agriculture Resource Development Fund to provide loans and grants to small farmers owning or leasing active farms under 20 acres. The program covers down payments for land acquisition, equipment purchases, and operational costs related to developing or maintaining agricultural land. It appropriates $20 million for fiscal year 2026, requires the Department of Agriculture to report program progress to a legislative committee, and updates existing fund rules to prioritize small farm support. This directly affects small-scale agricultural producers seeking financial assistance for land expansion or operational needs.
HB 497 adjusts Utah's public education funding formula to provide additional support for schools experiencing enrollment declines. It requires the Office of Legislative Fiscal Analyst to calculate and add funding to the Minimum School Program when enrollment drops, specifically increasing the weighted pupil unit value based on projected enrollment-related budget reductions. This change directly affects public schools with declining student enrollment by ensuring their funding levels are adjusted to account for reduced revenue from the Uniform School Fund. The bill updates existing code (53F-9-201.1) and takes effect on July 1, 2026, without appropriating new funds.
HB 523 prohibits Utah's Office of Homeless Services from using state funds to establish or operate shelters with 300 or more beds year-round (defined as "large-scale, low-barrier shelters"), excluding temporary emergency shelters. It repeals a law allowing eminent domain for unincorporated city-owned land related to homeless services and makes technical updates to existing statutes. The bill does not appropriate new funding and specifically restricts state appropriations, not federal funds. It affects how state money can be allocated for homeless shelter infrastructure but does not change services for temporary shelters or existing homeless management systems.
HB 526 requires Utah school districts to request a welfare check for students absent 10+ consecutive days under specific conditions: if parents failed to notify the school, didn’t home-school, didn’t unenroll the student, ignored school communications, and the student isn’t enrolled elsewhere. The bill mandates referrals to local law enforcement or child services solely to verify the student’s safety, not to replace other actions. It does not require schools to take additional steps beyond the welfare check referral. The law takes effect May 6, 2026, with no new funding or procedural changes beyond the referral process.
HB 525 creates the Child Care Center Employee Subsidy Pilot Program, which provides subsidies to licensed child care centers to reduce tuition costs for their own employees' children. It directly affects licensed child care centers (eligible employers) and their staff (eligible employees) who enroll children at the center but don't qualify for standard income-based subsidies. The program allows centers to receive up to 50% of average monthly tuition costs for each eligible employee's child, funded by a $3 million appropriation from the General Fund for fiscal year 2027. Funds in the new restricted account are designated as nonlapsing, ensuring they remain available for the program's duration. The bill amends existing child care subsidy laws to establish this targeted support, preventing duplicate benefits for the same child under other subsidy programs.
HB 532 creates a three-year School-based Behavioral Health Pilot Program administered by Utah's Department of Health and Human Services. The program awards funds to qualified organizations (implementation partners) to help schools establish a tiered mental health support system, including universal screenings, group counseling for at-risk students, and individualized care. Local schools (LEAs/RESAs) must apply to participate, contract with an implementation partner, and follow specific guidelines for delivering mental health services across four tiers of support. The bill coordinates with existing initiatives like SafeUT Crisis Line and does not appropriate new state funds. It directly affects Utah public schools participating in the pilot and their students.
SB 274 provides supplemental funding to Utah's local schools based on student reading assessment results. It directs the state board to give additional literacy coaching support to school districts (LEAs) and small schools (under 300 students) where average reading performance falls below statewide averages on benchmark assessments. Funding amounts are set as half a full-time equivalent for most districts and a full-time equivalent for small schools showing significant reading growth gaps. The bill does not appropriate new state funds but triggers existing budget allocations based on prior year assessment data, effective July 1, 2026.
HB 542 repeals Utah's existing requirement for government agencies to implement "zero trust architectures" under Section 63A-16-214. This provision, enacted in 2023, mandated specific cybersecurity protocols for state agencies. The bill removes this requirement without replacing it with new rules. It takes effect on May 6, 2026, impacting how Utah state agencies manage cybersecurity compliance. The repeal has no associated funding or new implementation mechanisms.
HB 551 amends Utah's government records access laws to prevent individuals who are the subject of a record request from influencing how their own records are handled. The bill prohibits such individuals from classifying responsive records, participating in governmental reviews of their requests, or appealing decisions related to their requests. This applies directly to people seeking their own records from state or local government entities. The changes are technical amendments to existing code sections (63G-2-103, 204, 307, 401, 701) with no new funding or substantive policy shifts.
HB 458 requires hospitals and birthing facilities to create and publish clear policies about caring for premature infants, including their specific capabilities for different gestational ages. It mandates that prenatal providers discuss preterm birth risks, care options, and facility capabilities with patients around 20 weeks of pregnancy, and ensures parents can request transfers or neonatology consultations before birth. The bill prohibits denying lifesaving care to infants based solely on gestational age and requires annual reporting to the health department on preterm birth outcomes, including survival rates. These changes directly affect birthing facilities, prenatal providers, and parents expecting preterm births in Utah, aiming to improve transparency and care coordination.
