HB 183 amends Utah state laws to replace the term "gender" with "sex" in all relevant statutes and removes protections based on gender identity. It repeals existing provisions covering gender identity in housing, employment, and crime, prohibits changes to sex designations on birth certificates, and restricts student access to privacy spaces based on biological sex. The bill also requires state agencies to use "sex" instead of "gender" in rulemaking, bars certain employees in child-related roles from having face-to-face contact with children if their work presents a different sex than their biological sex, and directs courts to consider parental opposition to a child's gender identity (conflicting with biological sex) as a factor in custody decisions. These changes directly affect transgender and gender-diverse individuals, schools, healthcare providers, and courts handling custody cases. The bill contains no funding impacts and is currently in early legislative stages.
HB 200 increases penalties for transporting or harboring aliens when the victim is under 13 years old, elevating some offenses from misdemeanors to felonies. It expands victims' legal rights by allowing lawsuits for "aggravated exploitation of prostitution involving a child" under human trafficking laws and gives Utah's attorney general authority to sue suspected traffickers. The bill also clarifies that providing humanitarian aid (like medical care or housing) through religious or charitable organizations isn’t a violation. It directly affects victims of trafficking - especially children - and law enforcement prosecuting these offenses. No new funding is allocated, and existing protections for public benefits remain unchanged.
HB 245, the Construction Wage Standard Act, requires contractors working on Utah public construction projects (costing $100,000 or more) to pay qualifying employees at least the minimum wage set by the Labor Commission for their occupation and county. The Labor Commission must determine and publish these wage standards annually, based on prevailing wages, and contractors must keep records of wages paid. This applies to workers directly on-site (excluding transport workers or prisoners) for projects like roads, schools, or public buildings funded partly by taxpayer money. Noncompliance carries penalties, but the bill does not appropriate new state funds.
HB 235 reduces Utah's corporate and individual income tax rates from 4.5% to 4.45% for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2026. It directly affects Utah corporations and residents who pay state income tax, lowering their tax burden slightly. The bill amends three key tax code sections (59-7-104, 59-7-201, and 59-10-104) to reflect the new rate, with no new state funding required. The change applies retroactively to 2026 tax years and takes effect on May 6, 2026.
HB 131 amends Utah’s labor code to clarify employer definitions and wage payment disclosure requirements. It requires employers to notify employees at hiring about paydays and wage rates, with posting as an acceptable alternative, and mandates advance notice for any changes to these details. The bill directly affects all Utah employers, including unincorporated businesses and franchise operations, by specifying when such entities are considered employers and how wage notices must be provided. Key provisions include defining "active manager" for ownership disputes and updating notice rules under Section 34-28-4, while maintaining existing misdemeanor penalties for violations under Section 34-28-12. This is a technical clarification with no new funding or substantive policy changes.
SB 114 would automatically update Utah’s controlled substance schedule to align with federal rescheduling of a specific type of psilocybin. If the federal government reschedules this psilocybin, Utah’s law would automatically move it out of Schedule I without requiring new state legislation. The bill amends Utah Code Section 58-37-4, which lists controlled substances, to implement this automatic adjustment. It does not create new restrictions or funding but ensures Utah’s law follows federal changes for this substance.
HB 257 requires pharmacies, not the state, to provide patients receiving opiate prescriptions with a pamphlet covering addiction risks, safe storage/disposal methods, pain management alternatives, naloxone benefits, and substance use disorder resources. The pamphlets must be written in simple language, available in multiple languages, and periodically reviewed for effectiveness. The bill takes effect on May 6, 2026, with no new state funding required. It directly affects pharmacies dispensing opiates and patients receiving such prescriptions.
SB 173 regulates virtual currency kiosks (physical terminals for buying/selling cryptocurrency with cash) in Utah. It requires operators to obtain money transmitter licenses, limits daily transactions to $1,000 per customer (or $2,000 for new customers), caps transaction fees at 3%, and mandates clear fraud warnings about irreversible transactions. Operators must provide detailed disclosures, including exchange rates and transaction hashes, and display customer service contact information. The law takes effect May 6, 2026, and enforcement falls to the attorney general under Utah’s consumer protection laws.
Utah's HB 232 (Medicaid Abortion Payment Amendments) restricts Medicaid funding for abortion providers by prohibiting those with over $500 million in annual revenue from qualifying as eligible Medicaid providers, effective May 6, 2026. The bill directly affects abortion clinics or providers meeting the revenue threshold, excluding hospitals from this restriction. Key provisions amend Utah Code Sections 26B-3-114 and 76-7-301 to define "elective abortion" and clarify that Medicaid funds cannot cover abortions unless the mother's life is endangered, excluding cases like rape, incest, or fatal fetal defects. This is a funding restriction, not an abortion ban, as it only impacts Medicaid reimbursement for specific providers.
HB 159 creates a nonrefundable income tax credit for Utah residents who volunteer as first responders. It provides $250 for 100-199 volunteer hours or $500 for 200+ hours per year, directly benefiting certified first responder volunteers who meet the hour requirements. To claim the credit, volunteers must obtain a certification from their agency documenting their hours and retain this record for tax purposes. The credit applies retroactively to taxable years beginning January 1, 2026, and takes effect May 6, 2026. This policy incentivizes community service by reducing tax liability for qualifying volunteers.
SB 95 requires Utah public universities to conduct content-neutral risk assessments for events featuring outside speakers before approval. It establishes a five-tier threat classification system (Levels 1-5) based on objective factors like credible threats, historical disruptions, venue security, and expected attendance, not speaker viewpoints. Institutions must implement security measures matching assigned threat levels - including enhanced patrols or venue modifications - and report to oversight bodies. The bill also mandates insurance coverage, authorizes security fees tied to threat levels, and protects certain assessment records while ensuring public access to key information. This directly affects universities, student groups sponsoring events, and outside speakers at public gatherings on campus.
SB 143 amends Utah's Exemptions Act to expand protections for motor vehicles used by individuals with disabilities. The bill allows people with disabilities (or their dependents) to exempt a vehicle specifically modified to accommodate their disability from unsecured debt collection, regardless of the vehicle's value. Previously, such vehicles were limited to a $3,000 exemption or a $15,000 value cap. This change directly affects individuals relying on modified vehicles for daily mobility, ensuring these essential assets cannot be seized to pay debts.
