SB 151 modifies how Utah allocates insurance premium tax revenue to fund public safety. It directs $5 million in FY 2027 toward firefighter retirement programs and creates a new Motor Vehicle Safety Impact Account to fund hiring new Highway Patrol troopers through annual transfers from insurance tax revenue. The bill clarifies funding priorities for firefighter retirement, requires the state to notify lawmakers if excess revenue is collected, and repeals outdated provisions. These changes directly affect firefighters' retirement benefits and Highway Patrol staffing levels.
HB 190 expands Utah's tax credit for employers providing child care by increasing the credit rate for small businesses to 30% (from 10%) of eligible child care costs and allowing credits for off-site child care facilities employers don't own. It removes a previous requirement that employers must have claimed a construction-related credit to qualify for the child care credit. The bill directly affects Utah employers who provide child care for employees, particularly small businesses meeting IRS Section 45F criteria. The changes apply retroactively and make no new state funding appropriations.
HB 270 voids non-compete agreements between employers and licensed healthcare workers in Utah, effective May 6, 2026. It specifically targets agreements that restrict healthcare workers - such as nurses, doctors, therapists, and counselors - from practicing in certain areas or for specific time periods after leaving a job. The bill also makes void certain nonsolicitation agreements between employers and healthcare workers under defined circumstances. This applies to all 35+ licensed healthcare professions listed in the bill, including advanced practice nurses, psychologists, and physical therapists, without creating new financial obligations.
SB 229 modifies Utah state employee benefits by replacing separate annual and sick leave with a single paid time off (PTO) system. It requires agencies to convert accrued leave hours to PTO at a 1:1 ratio, grants the Division of Human Resources authority to set PTO rules, and expands postpartum recovery leave for eligible employees. The bill also adds parental leave eligibility for State Board of Education employees and adjusts 401(k) match rates and maximum employer contributions for specified employees. These changes directly affect all Utah state employees covered under the modified benefit provisions, with no new funding required.
This bill allows Utah's Local Public Safety and Firefighter Surviving Spouse Trust Fund to reimburse employers for health coverage costs they paid between May 1, 2024, and May 7, 2025, for surviving spouses and dependent children of public safety or firefighter employees who died on duty. It specifically covers premiums and health savings account contributions already paid by employers during that period. The reimbursement uses existing money in the trust fund, requiring no new state funding. This change applies retroactively to costs incurred before the bill's effective date of May 6, 2026.
HB 396 modifies disclosure rules for subcontractors working on Utah public construction projects. It requires subcontractors to sign a statement confirming they have no employees (to qualify for a "zero estimated exposure" workers' compensation policy) and to report employee details to the state division. The bill also mandates general contractors and property owners to keep records for audits, shifts interest rates and penalties for unemployment insurance to be set by rule, and expands "unprofessional conduct" to include failing to meet these new requirements. These changes directly affect subcontractors, contractors, and property owners involved in public construction projects.
SB 89 creates a registration system for health care services platforms in Utah, which are digital tools connecting independent health care workers (like nurses or technicians) with facilities. It directly affects these platforms, requiring them to register with the state by January 2026, verify workers’ licenses and background checks, and maintain insurance. The bill prohibits platforms from forcing non-compete agreements, charging workers fees for job placements, or restricting workers from using other platforms or accepting direct employment. Physicians, advanced practice nurses, and physician assistants are explicitly excluded from these requirements, as they are already regulated under separate licensing laws. The registration fee is capped at $500 annually, with no state funds appropriated for implementation.
HB 73 amends Utah's Public Employee Retaliatory Action law to specifically prohibit state employers from making complaints to professional licensing boards against employees who report wrongdoing. This directly protects public employees (including whistleblowers) from retaliation that could threaten their professional licenses. The key change adds "making a complaint to a licensing body" to the list of prohibited retaliatory actions, alongside dismissal or pay cuts. The law now explicitly covers situations where an employer tries to use licensing authorities to punish an employee for reporting issues.
HB 338 requires all Utah first responder agencies to provide mental health services to current first responders, their spouses and children, surviving spouses of line-of-duty deaths, and retired or separated first responders (and their spouses) for three years after separation. It creates a Mental Health Resources Reserve Account funded by agency contributions to provide grants for mental health plans, prioritizing small agencies, and mandates the Department of Public Safety to submit annual compliance reports to specific committees and a public safety portal. The bill also updates grant application requirements to ensure providers have first responder-specific experience and outlines detailed plan criteria for agencies seeking funding. No new state funds are appropriated; existing resources will support these expanded services.
SB 84 creates the Department of Commerce Technology, Education, and Training Fund to support specific technology and training activities within Utah's Department of Commerce. The fund will be financed by existing fees collected by the Division of Corporations (for business filings) and the Division of Professional Licensing (for public licensee lists), with all interest earned also deposited into the fund. This money will directly pay for employee training, technology maintenance for business registrations, public education materials about licensing and filings, and subscription services for business data. The bill does not appropriate new state funds but redirects existing fee revenue toward these defined purposes.
