HB 287 repeals Utah's driving privilege card program, which allowed undocumented immigrants to obtain limited driving authorization. It prohibits the Driver License Division from issuing these cards after May 6, 2026, and removes provisions for multilingual driver's exams. The bill also requires insurance providers to offer coverage to people without driver's licenses and creates a rebuttable presumption of fault for insurance claims involving "unlawfully present individuals" in accidents. These changes affect undocumented immigrants who currently use privilege cards and alter insurance and driver licensing procedures in Utah. The bill makes related technical updates to Utah Code sections, with most provisions taking effect July 1, 2027.
HB 421, the "Hit and Run Amendments," increases penalties for drivers who leave the scene of an accident involving property damage or injury. It specifically targets repeat offenders - those previously convicted of the same hit-and-run offense or driving under the influence (DUI) - by imposing harsher punishments. The bill amends Utah's traffic code (sections 41-6a-401, 41-6a-401.3, and others) to clarify definitions, strengthen penalties, and add a new provision (41-6a-401.8) while repealing outdated language. This directly affects drivers convicted of hit-and-run incidents with prior related offenses, making penalties more severe for those with prior violations. The bill contains no new funding requirements or technical changes beyond the penalty adjustments.
HB 403 is a technical corrections bill that updates existing Utah Code sections without creating new policies or costs. It removes an obsolete subsection, clarifies the official name of the Motor Vehicle Division, and fixes spelling errors in three code sections related to electric bicycles (41-6a-1115.5), vehicle registration (41-22-3.5), and boating account administration (79-7-301). The bill makes no changes to public requirements or penalties but ensures existing laws are accurately worded. It directly affects how state agencies reference these laws in official communications. The bill takes effect May 6, 2026.
HB 198 repeals a provision tying educator salary adjustments to the funding status of Utah's Fits All Scholarship Program. The bill removes the condition that would have reduced salary adjustments from $10,350 to $5,175 if the scholarship program was not funded, ensuring all eligible educators receive the full $10,350 adjustment for fiscal year 2026 regardless of the scholarship program's status. It affects school districts, charter schools, regional education service agencies, and Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind that employ educators covered under the bill (including teachers, counselors, librarians, and specialists). The change takes effect July 1, 2026, with no new funding added - only a technical adjustment to the existing salary calculation mechanism.
This resolution designates the first Friday in September as "Utah Civic Engagement and Service Day" to promote community involvement. It encourages Utah citizens, schools, local governments, and nonprofits to organize activities like community service projects, civil dialogue forums, voter registration drives, and neighborhood improvements on that day. The resolution specifically supports free speech, peaceful assembly, and respectful civic discourse as foundational to democratic participation. It does not create new laws or appropriate funding, but rather urges voluntary community action aligned with Utah's constitutional values. The focus is on fostering civic responsibility through recognized annual activities, not on mandating specific government actions.
This bill sets a 25-student maximum for most classes in Utah public schools, directly affecting school districts, teachers, and students in grades K-12. It exempts classes with teaching aides present for most of the time, online asynchronous courses, and designated large-group classes like band or physical education in secondary grades (6-12). School districts may temporarily exceed the limit due to enrollment changes if they create a written compliance plan and notify parents within 10 days. The State Board of Education will develop rules for reporting class sizes and may designate additional exempt class types. The law takes effect on July 1, 2026.
HB 427 modifies Utah's tax increment financing (TIF) process for public entities like cities, counties, and special districts. Starting July 1, 2026, these entities must hold a public meeting to discuss their TIF application and submit it to the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity for review. The bill requires applicants to include a "but-for analysis" proving the project needs TIF to proceed, and mandates that excess TIF revenue must be used to pay down debt instead of general funds. It also requires public disclosure of application details and defines key terms to standardize the process. This bill affects local governments seeking to fund development projects using future tax revenue growth.
HB 415 modifies Utah's State Construction Code to allow property owners to alter, add to, or repair existing structures without bringing them up to current new-construction safety standards - unless the work would make the structure less safe than before. This primarily affects homeowners, contractors, and property managers renovating older buildings, reducing compliance burdens for minor updates. Key provisions include new exceptions for bedroom window egress (allowing existing smaller windows to remain) and clarifying that renovations don’t require full code upgrades unless safety is compromised. The bill also adds definitions for terms like "Accessory Dwelling Unit" and "Energy Storage System" but contains no funding or major new requirements.
HB 406 updates Utah's regulations for homeowners' associations (HOAs) and their members. It creates an Office of the Homeowners' Association Ombudsman that must publicly share advisory opinions, publish educational resources online, and clarify that its staff cannot form attorney-client relationships. The bill sets a $150 nonrefundable filing fee for advisory opinions, bans HOAs from requiring binding arbitration before seeking this help, and removes rules about splitting advisory opinion costs. It also sets a $200 cap on administrative fees, clarifies when state HOA laws apply, and requires associations to maintain annual budgets while specifying that association documents belong to the association and must be returned upon request.
HB 397 requires Utah courts to provide free public livestreams of most open court proceedings through the Administrative Office of the Courts, making them accessible via court websites. It includes exceptions for cases involving safety risks, victim rights, minors, or privacy concerns, and mandates courts to find no "less restrictive alternative" before blocking a livestream. The bill also requires creating and preserving audiovisual recordings of all livestreams for public access on court websites for at least one year. These recordings must exclude protected content like juror identities, confidential communications, or sensitive exhibits. The law takes effect on May 6, 2026.
HB 368 exempts cold baths in apartment building common areas from health department regulations, while updating exemptions for other public cold baths (like those in gyms or spas). The bill defines "public cold bath" as a facility with chilled water under 60°F, limited to five users, and meeting specific safety standards. It prevents Utah's Department of Health and Human Services from imposing new rules on these facilities, removing regulatory requirements for operators. This directly affects apartment building managers and owners of public cold bath facilities by eliminating health department oversight. The law takes effect May 6, 2026.
HB 435 requires Utah state agencies to refer to land controlled by Israel (restored after the 1967 Six-Day War) as "Judea and Samaria" in all official government materials, including rules, press releases, and publications. It specifically prohibits the use of the term "West Bank" in these materials, defining "official government material" broadly to cover all state communications. This procedural bill affects all Utah state departments and officials who produce or distribute government content, changing only the terminology used in state documents without altering land policies or funding.
