HB 5 is Utah's base budget bill for fiscal years 2025 and 2026, allocating funds for state government operations. It appropriates a total of $397 million for FY 2026 (July 2025-June 2026) and $31 million for FY 2025 (July 2024-June 2025), specifying amounts from the General Fund, Income Tax Fund, and other sources. The bill directly affects all state agencies by funding their operations, employment levels, and capital projects as outlined in the budget allocations. It does not create new policies but provides the financial framework for existing government functions.
HB 7 is a budget bill that allocates funding for Utah state government operations during fiscal years 2025 (2024-2025) and 2026 (2025-2026). It provides $142.5 million for operating and capital budgets in fiscal year 2026, including $72.8 million from the General Fund, primarily supporting the Utah National Guard, Capitol Preservation Board, and legislative offices. The bill does not create new policies but adjusts existing funding levels for these state agencies. It directly affects state government operations and the agencies listed in the budget allocations.
HB 1 allocates $147.7 million for Utah's public higher education institutions in fiscal year 2025 and $2.87 billion for fiscal year 2026, primarily funding operations, instruction, and research at the University of Utah and Utah State University. The bill specifies funding sources including $454 million from the General Fund and $1.26 billion from the Income Tax Fund for 2026. It directly affects all Utah public universities by providing their core operating budgets for the upcoming fiscal years.
HB 269 modifies Utah's laws governing privacy spaces in education and government facilities by requiring degree-granting institutions to assign students to sex-designated housing based on their sex, not gender identity. It clarifies that exceptions to housing rules for nonprofits now apply only to educational institutions, removes ambiguous medical documentation requirements for accessing such spaces, and specifies which government entities must comply with these provisions. The bill also narrows exceptions for gender-based distinctions to apply solely to school athletic eligibility decisions. These changes directly affect students in campus housing and public facilities with sex-designated spaces, while making technical adjustments to existing housing and facility laws.
SB 7 is a funding bill that allocates $180.6 million for Utah's fiscal year 2025 and $8.37 billion for fiscal year 2026 to support state government operations, primarily funding the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and other agencies. It provides specific funding for DHHS programs like clinical services, health care administration, and oversight, including $1.9 million for Primary Care and Rural Health. The bill uses multiple funding sources, including $82.7 million from the General Fund for 2025 and $1.5 billion from the General Fund for 2026. This bill does not create new policies but allocates existing budget resources for essential social services and agency operations.
HB 267 restricts public sector labor union activities in Utah. It bars public employers from recognizing unions as bargaining agents or entering collective bargaining contracts, requires labor organizations to provide annual financial accounts to members and the Labor Commission, and excludes new union employees from the Utah Retirement Systems. The bill also prohibits using public funds to support union organizing or administration and authorizes professional liability insurance for K-12 staff and other public employees with sufficient demand. These changes directly affect public employees, unions, and state/local government employers.
This bill modifies Utah's laws regarding statewide initiatives and referendums to extend the time available for petition sponsors to gather voter signatures. Specifically, it increases the deadline for submitting statewide referendum petitions from 40 to 60 days after a legislative session ends, while adjusting related timelines for local measures to maintain consistency. The legislation also clarifies rules about when laws passed by initiative must take effect and updates verification procedures to ensure voters understand the measures they are signing. These changes apply directly to political groups and individuals organizing signature drives for ballot measures across the state.
This bill creates a fast-track process for placing a specific constitutional amendment on the Utah ballot if the legislature proposes one between August 1 and September 1, 2024. It shortens the usual timeline for preparing ballot titles, analyses, and arguments, requiring these materials to be submitted and published much faster than standard procedures. The law also sets strict word limits for arguments and allows for brief rebuttal arguments to be included in the voter information pamphlet. These changes apply only to amendments proposed during that specific two-week window in 2024.
This bill updates the rules for Utah justice courts, which handle minor criminal offenses and small claims cases. It clarifies which specific traffic and wildlife violations can be tried in justice courts versus district or juvenile courts, particularly for minors and high school students. The legislation also establishes clear guidelines for determining where a crime occurred based on the location of the act, the victim, or the property involved. Additionally, it creates a formal process allowing prosecutors to transfer domestic violence cases from justice courts to district courts while ensuring victims are notified about the transfer.
This bill creates and funds a new state account called the Federal Overreach Restricted Account to support Utah's legal and educational efforts regarding public lands. The legislation allows money from this account to be used for defending state rights over federal lands and for educating the public on issues of federalism and state sovereignty. To ensure accountability, any organization receiving funds from the account must report its planned spending to the Executive Appropriations Committee before making payments. The bill also includes specific appropriations for the fiscal years 2024 and 2025 to transfer existing funds into this new account and to provide additional money for legal contracts and administrative costs.
HB 3003 updates the rules and timelines for creating new school districts and electing their board members in Utah. The bill changes how local school boards propose new districts, adjusts election dates for these specific events, and clarifies which officials oversee the voting process. It also requires county and city leaders to modify the initial terms of newly elected school board members after redistricting and sets new deadlines for this redistricting work. Because the law applies retroactively, it affects procedures for districts that have already been established or are in the process of being formed.
This bill directs Utah government officials to follow state laws instead of new federal Title IX regulations that the state considers conflicting. It specifically instructs elected and appointed leaders, as well as public education employees, to enforce Utah statutes regarding student eligibility, privacy, campus rights, and abortion rather than the federal rules. The measure relies on state sovereignty laws to prohibit officers from assisting in enforcing the federal directives if they are deemed to violate Utah's legal framework.
