HB 463 reorganizes Utah's existing special education funding structure by creating distinct sections for programs like Self-Contained Services, Preschool Services, and Extended School Year. It clarifies definitions, requires the State Board of Education to establish accounting procedures, and specifies how local education agencies (LEAs) must use funds (e.g., allowing up to 25% of certain funds for general education costs). The bill does not appropriate new money but streamlines administrative processes for programs serving students with disabilities. It directly affects LEAs, school districts, and the State Board of Education in managing special education funding.
HB 503 modifies Utah's title insurance regulations by updating definitions and creating revenue-based capital requirements for companies with affiliated business arrangements. It defines "affiliated business" as title insurance revenue from referral relationships and sets increasing annual revenue thresholds (starting at 0.5% in 2020-2021 and rising to 4.5% by 2028-2029) that trigger capital reserve requirements. Title insurance companies must maintain sufficient capital - ranging from $50,000 to 5% of average annual revenue (capped at $150,000) - based on their revenue concentration from affiliated sources. This bill directly affects Utah-licensed title insurance companies, particularly those with referral-based business models, and takes effect May 6, 2026.
HB 579 modifies how interest earnings from Utah's Medicaid ACA Fund are allocated. It directs up to $7 million annually in interest to the Division of Services for People with Disabilities Restricted Account, specifically to fund services for individuals on that agency's waitlist. The remaining interest goes to the Medicaid Growth Reduction and Budget Stabilization Account. The bill makes technical changes to existing funding mechanisms without appropriating new money, affecting Medicaid administration and disability service access.
HB 570 changes how Utah local governments and private entities calculate impact fees for new single-family homes. It requires using the number of plumbing fixtures (like sinks and toilets) shown in building plans - instead of construction costs or other factors - to determine the fee amount. This directly affects new home builders and local governments that collect these fees for infrastructure projects. The bill amends Utah Code Section 11-36a-305 to standardize this calculation method for single-family residential developments, effective May 2026.
HJR 29 is a resolution passed by Utah's legislature expressing support for the federal Upward Mobility Act introduced by Rep. Blake Moore. The resolution highlights Utah's ranking as the top state for upward mobility and urges Congress to pass the Act, which would create a five-year pilot program combining 10 federal anti-poverty programs into a single block grant. This pilot would allow states like Utah to design flexible programs that eliminate "benefits cliffs" (where earning slightly more causes loss of assistance) and test approaches to help low-income individuals achieve financial independence. Utah volunteers to participate in the pilot if the Act is enacted, though the resolution itself has no funding or binding effect.
HB 574 updates Utah's child passenger safety laws by requiring age- and size-appropriate restraints for children under 16. It mandates rear-facing car seats for infants under 2 years (until reaching the seat's weight/height limit), forward-facing seats for children aged 2-3.9 years, booster seats for children aged 4-8, and adult seatbelts for children 9 and older. The bill also requires children under 13 to ride in the rear seat when possible, aligning with federal safety guidelines. This takes effect May 6, 2026, with no new funding or penalties added.
HB 580 establishes new regulations for private civil detention facilities in Utah, directly affecting facilities operated by private entities under government contracts (e.g., for immigration processing). The bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to create rules ensuring safe conditions, including clean living spaces, nutritious meals, medical care, accessible communication, and staff training. It mandates regular unannounced facility inspections, public posting of results, and allows fines up to $10,000 per violation for noncompliance. The law takes effect in May 2026 and does not appropriate new funding.
HB 552 amends Utah's behavioral health system by shifting administration of the Governor's Suicide Prevention Fund to the Office of Behavioral Health (replacing the governor) and creating a new community-based peer support grant program. It requires the Department of Health and Human Services to maintain a database of involuntary commitments, establishes a family outreach specialist role to assist families after suicide or overdose deaths, and restructures advisory committees to better coordinate behavioral health initiatives. The bill appropriates $114.95 million from the General Fund for fiscal year 2027 to support these changes. These provisions directly affect Utah residents accessing behavioral health services, state agencies managing mental health programs, and families impacted by suicide or overdose.
SB 308 reorganizes Utah's judicial districts by reducing the number from eight to four (Northern, Western, Southern, Eastern) effective July 1, 2026. It combines existing districts - like merging the First, Second, and Third Judicial Districts into the Northern Judicial District - and creates subdistricts for administrative purposes within each new district. The bill adjusts the number of district and juvenile court judges per district (e.g., increasing the Northern District to 51 judges from previous totals) while ensuring current judges retain their positions. This change affects all Utah counties, court operations, and judicial staffing without requiring new funding.
SB 250 modifies how $198.5 million in state funds (transferred from the Water Infrastructure Restricted Account) can be used to acquire water rights for the Great Salt Lake, restricting it solely to managing lake water levels. It also allocates $1.5 million from the General Fund for the Great Salt Lake Commissioner's office operations. The bill ensures these funds cannot be used for any purpose other than water acquisition or lake management, as specified in Utah Code Section 73-32-304. This directly affects state agencies, including the Department of Natural Resources, responsible for Great Salt Lake water resource management.
HB 569 defines "ultra-processed food" (pending a federal definition by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) and directs Utah's Department of Workforce Services (DWS) to seek a federal waiver from the USDA to restrict SNAP benefits for these foods. It requires DWS to submit this waiver request within three months of the federal definition, include public health and cost-saving justification, and outline implementation plans for retailers and recipient education. The bill also mandates annual reports to the legislature on SNAP spending patterns, waiver status, and challenges. This legislation affects Utah SNAP recipients who purchase ultra-processed foods, but the restriction would only take effect if the federal waiver is approved.
HB 533 requires land use authorities (like counties or municipalities) to consider groundwater preservation when reviewing development projects on agricultural land that would change its use. It mandates that authorities factor in methods to maintain historical groundwater levels, such as irrigation, flood basins, or injection wells, before approving permits. The bill also requires the Utah Geological Survey or local irrigation companies to provide groundwater data to authorities upon request. This law directly affects agricultural landowners, developers, and local governments managing land use decisions, while explicitly stating it does not override existing water rights or the state engineer’s authority.
