Budget & Taxes

signed · Utah · House Mar 25, 2026

HB 337: Nicotine Product Tax Amendments

HB 337 increases taxes on cigarettes and changes how taxes are calculated for other nicotine products. It raises the cigarette tax rate and shifts taxation for moist snuff and alternative nicotine products from a weight-based system to a percentage of the manufacturer's sales price. The bill also repeals tax reductions previously available for certain modified-risk tobacco products. These changes directly affect tobacco manufacturers, retailers, and consumers who purchase these products in Utah.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesIncreases tobacco product taxes and changes tax calculation methods to generate state revenue, directly strengthening tax revenue streams under Budget & Taxes.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

signed · Utah · House Mar 25, 2026

HB 185: Carbon Credit Amendments

HB 185 establishes new rules and funds for carbon credit transactions in Utah. It creates a Carbon Credit Investment Fund funded by a 19% assessment on carbon credit sales (administered by the State Tax Commission) and a Carbon Credit Litigation Fund. The bill requires carbon credit brokers to hold licenses, imposes criminal penalties for unlicensed sales, and gives the Office of Energy Development a right of first refusal to purchase in-state carbon credits. State agencies must report carbon credit details and deposit sale revenue into the General Fund, while 5% of the Investment Fund’s annual earnings go to rural counties and eligible rural colleges meeting specific enrollment and completion rate criteria.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates 19% assessment on carbon credit sales to fund state programs via new Carbon Credit Investment/Litigation Funds, directly establishing revenue mechanism.95% confidence ✓ EnergySupports EnergyCreates Carbon Credit Investment Fund to support emissions reduction initiatives under energy policy, directly funding carbon credit transactions and renewable energy infrastructure development.95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentCreates Carbon Credit Investment Fund, requires licensing for brokers, and gives agencies authority to manage carbon credits - directly advancing emissions reduction efforts.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

signed · Utah · House Mar 25, 2026

HB 376: Land Management Funding Amendments

HB 376 creates the Utah Forest Restoration Institute at Utah State University to improve forest and watershed health. The institute will conduct research, develop wildfire risk mitigation strategies, and coordinate with the existing Watershed Restoration Initiative to fund projects, including emergency requests after natural disasters. The bill appropriates $3.8 million from the Income Tax Fund for fiscal year 2027 to support these efforts. It requires the institute to monitor project effectiveness, review funding requests, and submit annual reports to legislative committees.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAppropriates $3.8M from Income Tax Fund to fund forest/watershed programs, strengthening public service funding.95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentFunds research and projects to improve forest/watershed health, directly advancing environmental protection through conservation and natural resource management.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

signed · Utah · Senate Mar 25, 2026

SB 217: Local Food Amendments

SB 217 simplifies regulations for local food producers by redefining raw milk and raw milk products as "homemade food" under Utah's Home Consumption and Homemade Food Act. It removes signage requirements for direct-to-sale farmers markets, clarifies when producers can sell homemade foods at such locations, and exempts these sales from state sales tax. The bill also ensures producers retain ownership of their products sold through representatives and repeals previous Department of Agriculture regulations governing raw milk. These changes primarily affect small-scale food producers, farmers markets, and local direct-to-consumer food businesses.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExempts homemade food sales from state sales tax, providing tax relief for small producers under Agriculture regulations.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

signed · Utah · House Mar 25, 2026

HB 37: Used Oil Management Act Amendments

HB 37 amends Utah's Used Oil Management Act to increase the recycling fee on lubricating oil sales starting July 1, 2026, and grants the Division of Waste Management rulemaking authority to set future fees beginning July 1, 2027. The bill requires the Division to notify the State Tax Commission 90 days before any fee change takes effect and clarifies that grant funds can be used to hire permitted transporters for curbside used oil collection programs. It directly affects lubricating oil vendors who must collect and remit the fees, and supports used oil collection programs through updated incentive payment rules. The changes take effect May 6, 2026, with the new fee structure beginning July 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill increases recycling fee (tax) on lubricating oil sales, generating state revenue. Establishes fiscal management procedures (notification to Tax Commission, rulemaking authority) for fee adjustments, supporting budget stability.95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentIncreases recycling fees for used oil, mandates proper disposal via higher costs, and clarifies grant funds for curbside collection programs to promote environmental protection.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

signed · Utah · House Mar 24, 2026

HB 318: Agency Fee Amendments

HB 318 modifies Utah's budget procedures for state agencies that charge other state agencies for services (internal service fund agencies). It requires these agencies to submit detailed rate data to the Governor's Office of Planning and Budget and Legislative Fiscal Analyst *before* billing other agencies, including cost breakdowns and justification for fees. The bill also mandates annual reports on actual costs and revenue for each fee charged. These changes aim to increase transparency around interagency billing without appropriating new funds.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesMandates transparency in agency fee structures and cost reporting, promoting fiscal accountability within state budget procedures per subjects listed.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

signed · Utah · House Mar 24, 2026

HB 329: State Employee Maternity and Leave Amendments

HB 329 increases state employee paid leave for childbirth, adoption, and foster care. It extends postpartum recovery leave from 3 to 9 weeks and adds 9 weeks of paid leave for adopting children under six, plus 3 weeks for fostering children under six. School districts (LEAs) can apply for reimbursement through a new program if they implement similar paid leave policies for their employees, with $3 million appropriated for fiscal year 2027. The bill also updates the Breastfeeding Protection Act to include breast pump use and requires the Department of Human Resource Management to establish rules for administering these leave provisions.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates $3 million for LEA reimbursement program, directly funding a new state budget line item to support paid leave policies for employees.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill allocates $3M for school districts to implement paid leave for staff, directly supporting educators through funding and retention benefits, aligning with education support indicators.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareIncreases paid maternity/foster care leave and funds reimbursement, improving access to postpartum health services and aligning with breastfeeding protections.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands state employee paid leave benefits (postpartum, adoption, foster care), adds new protections, and funds LEA reimbursement programs, directly advancing worker benefits and protections under Labor & Employment.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

signed · Utah · House Mar 24, 2026

HB 325: Government Records Classification Amendments

HB 325 modifies Utah's government records law to make certain financial records public while keeping tax exemption details private. It requires all government entities to classify records showing fund receipts or expenditures - such as budgets, grant documents, vendor payments, and financial reports - as public information. Conversely, it classifies any record revealing whether a taxpayer receives property tax exemptions, deferrals, or abatements as private. These changes apply to all Utah government agencies without new funding requirements.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill mandates public access to budget/spending records (e.g., financial reports, vendor payments) promoting fiscal transparency. Keeps tax exemption details private but doesn't alter tax policy. Primary focus supports budget transparency per subje...95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

signed · Utah · House Mar 24, 2026

HB 290: Child Tax Credit Amendments

HB 290 expands Utah's child tax credit by raising income thresholds where the credit begins to phase out. It increases the phaseout limits to $30,500 for married filing separately, $49,000 for single/head of household, and $61,000 for joint filers (up from $27,000, $43,000, and $54,000, respectively). This change directly affects Utah taxpayers with qualifying children who previously saw their credit reduced due to higher income. The bill maintains the $1,000-per-child credit amount but allows more families to claim the full credit, with retrospective effect for 2026 tax years. The change takes effect May 6, 2026, and requires no new state funding.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesRaises income thresholds for child tax credit phaseout, expanding eligibility for middle-income families and providing tax relief per Utah's tax policy framework.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

signed · Utah · House Mar 23, 2026

HB 537: Olympic Ticket Sales Tax Exemption

HB 537 exempts sales of tickets for the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games from Utah's sales and use tax. This directly affects ticket buyers purchasing tickets for these specific events. The bill amends existing tax code sections to add Olympic tickets as a defined exemption, making them tax-free like other listed exemptions (e.g., certain food sales or religious institution transactions). The exemption applies only to tickets for the 2034 Games and does not involve new state spending.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExempts Olympic ticket sales from tax, providing tax relief as a standard exemption per tax code amendments.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes