HB 266 designates a specific segment of Route 198 in Utah County - from Main Street in Payson to Main Street in Santaquin - as the "Sgt. Billy D. Hooser Memorial Highway." The bill requires Utah's Department of Transportation to update official highway maps to reflect this name and install commemorative signs along the route. This is a commemorative naming bill with no funding or policy changes beyond the highway designation. It takes effect on May 6, 2026, and directly affects the identified highway segment in Utah County.
HB 201 extends Utah's existing radioactive waste facility expansion tax until December 31, 2026. It applies to facilities submitting new applications for waste disposal capacity before that date, requiring a $3.45 tax per cubic yard of new capacity (capped at 8.7 million cubic yards). Revenue from this tax must be paid within 60 days of application and deposited into the Electrical Energy Development Investment Fund. The bill makes minor technical updates to tax code sections but does not create new funding or alter the tax's core structure.
HB 151 exempts certain courses - like Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, medical, and family and consumer science classes - from standard sensitive material review requirements when parents provide consent. It directly affects students in these courses and their parents, who must explicitly approve access to materials deemed "subjective sensitive" (e.g., content considered harmful to minors). The bill adds a parental consent pathway for these courses, allowing schools to temporarily permit such materials during review if parents consent, while maintaining prohibitions on "objective sensitive material" (e.g., pornographic content). This changes how schools handle parental input for specific course materials without altering the core ban on prohibited content.
HB 252 creates a nonrefundable individual income tax credit for Utah businesses that pay tariffs on imported goods but do not pass those costs to customers. It applies to businesses importing items held for sale or used in operations, such as manufacturers or retailers. To claim the credit, businesses must first obtain written certification from the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity verifying their eligibility and the credit amount, which equals the total qualifying tariff payments multiplied by a set percentage. The credit is limited to the business's tax liability for the year and cannot be carried forward, with certification requirements effective retroactively from January 1, 2026.
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 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.
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.
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.
