Welcome to the 10th day on the Hill.
Lawmakers spent almost $31 billion this morning. And then they continued passing bills through the House and Senate floors and in afternoon committee hearings.
There’s only 35 days left!
Observations from the Hill
BASE BUDGET BILLS: Both chambers spent a good chunk of their floor time advancing base budget bills, locking in the Legislature’s starting point for a roughly $30 billion state budget. Here’s where your taxpayer dollars are going:
- Public Education: $9.8 billion
- Social Services: $8.7 billion
- Transportation and Infrastructure: $4 billion
- Higher Education: $3.2 billion
- Economic and Community Development: $1.9 billion
- Criminal Justice: $1.4 billion
- Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environmental Quality: $1 billion
- General Government: $451 million
- National Guard, Veterans Affairs, and Legislature: $202 million
These votes don’t settle final funding levels, but they matter. Base budgets determine where leadership’s early priorities lie, what programs are protected, what’s vulnerable to cuts, and how much room lawmakers leave themselves as they debate 5% reductions and competing priorities in the weeks ahead.
DATA CENTER WATER USE: One of the clearer bright spots today was the House’s unanimous passage of HB 76 Data Center Water Transparency Amendments, sponsored by Rep. Jill Koford, a bill requiring greater transparency around how much water Utah’s data centers are using. After changes made during the House committee hearing, water-use data that was initially treated as a private record will now be publicly accessible, with narrow protections for truly proprietary information.
The bill passed 72–0, reflecting growing bipartisan recognition that Utah can’t manage its water crisis without knowing where water is going, especially as water-intensive industries continue to expand.
ELECTIONS & DEMOCRACY: The House Government Operations Committee tackled several election-related bills, revealing a familiar tension between access, security, and trust.
- HB 223 Electronic Signature Collection Amendments, sponsored by Rep. Jordan Teuscher, would require signature gatherers to use electronic signatures and verification, rather than paper packets, by 2030. Supporters argued that moving toward digital signature gathering would reduce costs, ease administrative burdens, and increase integrity through ID verification. Critics, including clerks and members of the public, raised concerns about cybersecurity, privacy, access for people without IDs or devices, and the wisdom of mandating a system that’s still largely untested. The bill moves forward after a favorable 7-2 vote, but skepticism remains.
- HB 288 Voting Registration Amendments, sponsored by Rep. Trevor Lee, sailed through unanimously. The bill expands voter registration opportunities by meeting Utahns where they already interact with the state, specifically when purchasing a hunting or fishing license. It was broadly framed as a low-cost, inclusive way to boost participation without compromising security.
- HB 104 State Holiday Amendments, sponsored by Rep. Ryan Wilcox, also passed unanimously. While it doesn’t mandate time off, it would formally recognize Election Day as a state holiday, reinforcing the idea that voting is a civic priority even if the practical impacts are modest for now.
- HB 311 Amendments to Election Law, sponsored by Rep. Jefferson Burton, requires poll workers to verify signatures if they have a reason to believe it’s forged, regardless of whether an ID number is provided. County clerks supported the bill as a reasonable refinement, while advocates stressed the importance of training and safeguards to prevent eligible voters from being disenfranchised. The bill passed unanimously despite concerns raised about subjectivity and signature variation.
ENVIRONMENTAL ACCOUNTABILITY: In the House Public Utilities and Energy Committee, lawmakers advanced HB 222 Limitation of Actions Amendments, a bill sponsored by Rep. Carl Albrecht that tightens liability standards for environmental and climate-related claims tied to energy production.
Supporters framed the bill as providing certainty and protecting Utah’s energy economy from unpredictable lawsuits. Opponents warned it effectively shields companies from accountability and closes the courthouse doors to Utahns harmed by pollution or climate impacts.
The bill passed 9–1, underscoring the Legislature’s continued prioritization of industry stability over environmental recourse.
INTERNATIONAL MONEY TRANSFERS: The House Revenue and Taxation Committee advanced HB 141 International Money Transmission Amendments, sponsored by Rep. Stephanie Gricius, which imposes a 2% tax on international money transfers when government ID isn’t provided.
Opponents, including Voices for Utah Children and financial services advocates, warned the bill disproportionately harms immigrant and working-class families who rely on remittances, pushing them toward riskier, less transparent alternatives. Supporters argued it deters anonymous transfers tied to illicit activity.
The bill passed 8–2, despite persistent concerns about equity, privacy, and unintended economic harm.
SCHOOL BOARDS & LOCAL DEMOCRACY: Finally, HB 170 School Board Referendum Amendments, sponsored by Rep. Rex Shipp, which would create a referendum process for school board decisions, was held by the House Revenue and Taxation Committee due to unresolved timing and implementation issues. Supporters framed the bill as a transparency and accountability measure, while school districts warned it could disrupt budgeting and tax timelines. Expect amendments and possible return appearance soon.
