HB 262 changes Utah's judicial retention election rules by requiring judges and justices to receive at least 67% "yes" votes to be retained, instead of the current simple majority (more yes than no votes). This applies to all judges and justices seeking retention in Supreme Court, appellate, district, and justice court positions. The bill modifies the existing retention process without altering filing fees, ballot placement, or other procedural details. It directly affects every judicial officer facing a retention election under Utah law, requiring a higher vote threshold for continued service. The change takes effect May 6, 2026.
HB 224 modifies how Utah electrical corporations recover energy costs through "energy balancing accounts." It establishes a baseline cost set by the Public Service Commission in rate cases, requiring companies to share 80% of cost differences (both above and below the baseline) with customers for expenses incurred on or after January 1, 2026. Costs before this date remain fully recoverable by companies (100% recovery). This directly affects utility customers and electrical corporations by changing how energy cost fluctuations are shared, with refunds or additional charges triggered when actual costs deviate from the baseline.
HB 184 allows property owners to request that municipalities accept "preferred land use regulations" for building starter homes or smaller residential lots, even if current zoning would normally prohibit it. The bill defines a "starter home" as a single-family home sold at or below the local average home price (with two parking spots), and sets a minimum lot size of 5,400 square feet for certain developments. Municipalities must review these requests within five business days, either approving them or denying them with written reasoning; if not denied within 30 days, the request becomes permitted. This process aims to increase housing affordability by streamlining approvals for smaller, more affordable homes without requiring additional engineering plans or design documents.
HB 206 prohibits advertising electronic cigarettes and nicotine products on billboards, streetcars, buses, and other public display locations in Utah. It directly affects businesses that sell these products by restricting where they can advertise their goods. The bill allows business signage at physical stores and print media ads in newspapers or magazines. The law takes effect on May 6, 2026, and does not appropriate funds.
HJR 9 modifies the effective date for education-related bills in Utah. It defines "bill that addresses public education" as legislation primarily affecting Utah's public school system (including funding, administration, and state oversight), excluding pure budget bills. The resolution sets a default effective date of July 1st for such bills - instead of the standard 60 days after session adjournment - and requires legislative leadership approval for bills with alternative effective dates. This change applies only to bills directly impacting public education, with no new funding or substantive policy changes.
SB 85 expands Utah's teacher performance award program to include teachers in school districts not participating in the program. It creates a "self-nomination" pathway for eligible teachers in non-participating districts who meet statewide performance thresholds (top 40% in their subject/grade using state data). The bill updates the program rules to allow these teachers to qualify without district nomination, using a state-calculated value-added growth model. The changes apply to all Utah public school teachers and require the state center to identify qualifying teachers and issue invitations. No new funding is appropriated for this eligibility expansion.
This bill designates a specific section of State Street in Provo, Utah County, as Officer Joseph Shinners Memorial Boulevard. The legislation requires the Department of Transportation to add this name to official state highway maps and install appropriate signage along the route. The affected roadway runs between 2000 North and 500 West Lakeview Parkway in Provo. This change is purely commemorative and does not involve any funding or modifications to existing traffic laws.
This bill designates 900 South in Salt Lake City as "Charlie Kirk Boulevard" and amends Utah law to establish a process for the Legislature to special-name class C roads (local streets under municipal control). It requires municipalities and the Department of Transportation to coordinate on signage and naming, while limiting municipal control over such roads once designated by the Legislature. The bill specifically names 900 South as Charlie Kirk Boulevard for future highway maps and signage, with no funding or policy changes beyond the naming. It affects Salt Lake City and the Department of Transportation regarding road signage and jurisdiction.
HB 175 restricts political activities for entities receiving Utah government contracts or state grants. It prohibits contractors and grant recipients from participating in political campaigns, devoting significant resources to influencing legislation, or advocating for legislative action as their primary objective. The bill also bans these entities from making political contributions. Violations can lead to contract termination or denial of future funding, effective July 1, 2026. It does not affect individual political rights or nonpartisan voter education activities.
HR 6 amends Utah House rules to strengthen lobbyist ethics standards. It prohibits paid lobbyists and volunteer lobbyists from entering the House floor, lounge, or offices during sessions, and bans them from influencing which bills get debated or referred to committees. The bill also prevents lobbyists, volunteer lobbyists, or government officials from using legislative staff identification badges. These changes directly affect lobbyists, volunteer lobbyists, and government officials interacting with the Utah House of Representatives. The resolution updates existing rules without appropriating funds or creating new programs.
HB 216 amends Utah's child support law to exclude Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits from the gross income calculation used to determine child support payments. This change directly affects parents who receive SSDI, ensuring these disability benefits are not counted as income when calculating their child support obligation. The bill modifies Utah Code Section 81-6-203 by adding SSDI to a list of excluded benefits, alongside other means-tested programs like Medicaid and SNAP. This adjustment aligns with existing exclusions for similar benefits and prevents SSDI recipients from having these funds considered as available income for support payments. The change takes effect May 6, 2026.
SB 64 amends Utah's Government Records Access and Management Act to update rules for public record requests. It directly affects Utah government agencies and employees by requiring them to provide staff summaries of record rules, modify response deadlines and fees for requests, and establish annual reviews of record retention. Key changes include adding federal employees to "at-risk" protections, making record destruction to avoid disclosure a crime, and clarifying appeal processes for denied requests. The bill makes no new funding commitments and focuses on streamlining access while strengthening record-keeping compliance for state and local entities.
