HB 1 amends Utah's public education budget for fiscal years 2026-2027, primarily adjusting funding formulas and allocations. It sets the weighted pupil unit (WPU) value at $4,870 for 2026-2027, revises eligibility for career and technical education funding, and modifies emergency funding for English learners. The bill appropriates over $8.7 billion for school operations and capital budgets in 2027, including $4.8 billion from the Uniform School Fund, and adjusts tax rate calculations to support school funding. These changes directly affect Utah school districts, charter schools, and state education agencies through updated budget allocations and funding mechanisms.
SB 134 increases judicial staffing across Utah courts by adding judges to address caseloads. It raises the Utah Supreme Court from 5 to 7 justices, the Court of Appeals from 7 to 9 judges, and adjusts district court judge numbers in multiple districts (e.g., increasing the Third District from 32 to 33 judges and the Fourth District from 13 to 14 judges effective January 2027). The bill also amends rules for recruiting judges to fill vacancies and establishes new roles like associate chief justice for the Supreme Court. No new funding is allocated, and the changes take effect under a special timeline. This directly affects Utah’s court system by expanding judicial capacity.
SB 7 is a state budget bill that allocates funding for Utah's National Guard, Veterans Affairs, and legislative operations for fiscal years 2026 and 2027. It appropriates $148.44 million for 2027 operations (including $76.05 million from the General Fund), covering existing programs like National Guard operations, veterans services, and legislative office support. The bill directly affects state agencies including the Utah National Guard, Department of Veterans and Military Affairs, and the Legislature’s offices, funding their ongoing operations through specific line items. It does not create new policies but provides the financial resources for current agency functions as outlined in the budget.
SB 5 is the General Government Base Budget bill for Utah's fiscal years 2026 (July 1, 2025-June 30, 2026) and 2027 (July 1, 2026-June 30, 2027). It appropriates a total of $538.3 million for state agency operations in FY2026, including $387.1 million for FY2027, primarily from the General Fund and Income Tax Fund. The bill allocates specific funds to agencies like the Department of Commerce (for business licensing and AI policy development), Insurance Department (for autism coverage and fraud programs), and Tax Commission (for license plates and tax administration). These funds cover ongoing operations, system upgrades, and program activities without specifying new policy changes or eligibility criteria.
This House Rules Resolution (HR 1) amends internal procedural rules for the Utah House of Representatives, affecting House members, committee staff, and leadership. It defines "minority leader" and "minority party," clarifies daily convening times (10 a.m. daily except weekends), and removes the requirement for the House Rules Committee to prepare minutes of its meetings. The resolution also modifies how committee chairs handle motions and makes technical adjustments to multiple rule sections (including HR1-3-102 and HR3-1-102). As a procedural bill, it does not change substantive policy or affect the public.
This resolution modifies Senate committee procedures by requiring standing committees to verify whether the Office of Professional Licensure Review conducted a "sunrise review" before considering legislation that would regulate new occupations. It defines key terms and updates existing rules to ensure committees check this review process for bills affecting regulated occupations. The change applies only to how committees handle such legislation, not to the public or specific professions. It is a technical procedural update with no fiscal impact or direct effect on citizens.
This bill modifies House committee procedures for reviewing legislation that would regulate new occupations. Specifically, it requires standing committees to verify whether the Office of Professional Licensure Review conducted a "sunrise review" (a pre-implementation analysis) before considering such bills. The resolution also clarifies definitions related to regulated occupations and makes minor technical updates to existing committee rules. It does not appropriate funds or directly affect specific individuals or businesses, but changes how committees process certain licensing-related legislation. The bill passed the House with no opposition.
This Senate Rules Resolution (SR 1) amends internal procedural rules for the Utah State Senate. It directly affects all senators, Senate staff, and individuals accessing the Senate chamber by clarifying definitions (such as "minority leader" and "minority party"), adjusting rules for extraordinary sessions, and modifying guest access procedures on the Senate floor. Key provisions include defining leadership roles, specifying when prior rules apply during sessions, and requiring senators to accompany invited guests to prevent disruptions. The changes focus solely on internal Senate operations with no funding or policy impact.
SB 2002 clarifies and updates the jurisdiction of Utah's appellate courts, specifically the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals. It establishes the Supreme Court's exclusive authority in certain cases (like capital felony appeals, election disputes, and lawyer discipline), allows appeals to proceed even if attorney fee motions are unresolved in district court, and updates jurisdiction descriptions for agency decisions. This affects legal proceedings involving those specific cases, as well as litigants and courts navigating appellate pathways. The bill makes technical changes to court procedures without creating new policies or appropriating funds.
SB 2001, titled "Election Amendments," modifies Utah's election rules for the 2026 U.S. Representative race. It allows candidates to file a "notice of intent" to gather signatures before officially declaring candidacy and permits signature collection from any state resident (not just their district) for congressional petitions. The bill sets a specific filing window (March 9-13, 2026) for U.S. Representative candidates and requires them to withdraw from other offices before filing. These changes apply only to the 2026 election cycle and affect candidates seeking the U.S. House seat in Utah. No new funding is appropriated for this bill.
HB 2001 repeals H.B. 267, the 2025 General Session law that modified public sector labor union regulations in Utah. This bill has no new provisions or financial impact - it solely removes the previous legislation. The repeal takes effect on February 8, 2026, unless overridden by a two-thirds vote in both chambers (which would change the effective date). It directly affects the legal framework governing public sector unions by undoing the prior amendments. The bill was signed by the governor on December 11, 2025.
HJR 201 is a legislative resolution (not a bill) passed by Utah's Legislature. It condemns recent court actions regarding redistricting, specifically criticizing the Utah Supreme Court for creating a "super law" doctrine and ordering the use of a map drawn by special interest groups instead of the Legislature's approved map. The resolution reaffirms that redistricting authority belongs to the Legislature per the Utah Constitution and Proposition 4, and urges courts to follow constitutional text rather than override elected representatives. It does not create new laws or appropriate funds.
