Rep. Cal Roberts

Maddy summaryHB 492 creates the State Housing Infrastructure Partnership Fund and Board to provide loans for housing-related infrastructure projects. It directly affects municipalities, counties, and other qualifying local governments by authorizing the Board to issue loans from the $100 million fund to finance system improvements (like water systems, roads, or sewer facilities) that support housing construction. The bill requires loan recipients to prioritize projects including starter homes and transfers duties from the repealed Affordable Housing Infrastructure Grant Board to the new Board. It also establishes reporting requirements and rulemaking authority for the Board to manage the fund.

Maddy summaryHB 507 establishes a State Reinvestment Restricted Account to collect and manage funds from specific economic development activities. It prohibits local governments from offering incentives for large data centers (with exceptions), creates new development zones for housing, transit, and other projects, and requires counties/cities to follow specific rules for zone creation and funding. The bill sets a 2028 deadline for creating certain zones like home ownership promotion areas and coordinates with another economic development bill (H.B. 475). It affects local governments, counties, cities, and the Utah Inland Port Authority by modifying how they manage economic development projects and tax increment funds.

Maddy summaryHB 68 creates a new Division of Housing within the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity, replacing the previous Housing and Community Development Division. It renames that division to the Community Development Division, repeals the Commission on Housing Affordability, and requires the new Division's deputy director to coordinate with the Utah Housing Corporation (UHC) under specific circumstances. The bill also reorganizes housing-related code sections, defines key terms, and makes technical changes to existing laws, all without appropriating new state funds. This restructuring directly affects state housing agencies, the UHC, and the oversight of affordable housing programs in Utah. The changes take effect on July 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 475 renames Utah's "Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity" to the "Governor's Office of Economic Development" and establishes a new Economic Development Council to coordinate statewide economic planning. The bill exempts the renamed office from certain procurement rules, defines key terms, and requires the council to report to a specific legislative committee on its activities. These changes directly affect state government operations, particularly the Governor's Office and the newly formed council, by restructuring responsibilities and reporting requirements. The bill makes technical updates to multiple state codes but does not appropriate new funds or directly impact residents or businesses.

Maddy summaryHB 575 reduces Utah's motor fuel tax rate and requires refineries to report production data to the Office of Energy Development. The bill establishes new permitting rules for oil and gas infrastructure projects, including a 120-day processing timeline for applications and coordination between state agencies. These changes directly affect refineries, oil and gas companies building pipelines or storage facilities, and fuel consumers through tax adjustments. The bill appropriates $11.9 million for implementation in fiscal year 2027.

Maddy summarySB 230 modifies Utah's Consumer Credit Code to ban prepayment penalties on most consumer loans. It directly affects borrowers who pay off loans early, such as for mortgages or credit cards, by preventing creditors from charging fees for early repayment. The bill removes an existing exception that allowed penalties for certain home loans without a subordinate lien, ensuring borrowers can pay off debts without extra fees. It also clarifies that third-party fees (like origination costs) aren't automatically rebated unless the creditor qualifies for a rebate. This change takes effect May 6, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 249 modifies Utah's process for managing federal funds by requiring the Legislative Fiscal Analyst to share federal fund portions of budget stress tests with the Federalism Commission. The bill mandates Utah State University's Huntsman School of Business to create a public dashboard tracking state reliance on federal funds and model economic scenarios for contingency planning. It also establishes new review requirements for medium-impact federal funds requests approved by the governor or state boards, directing the Commission to evaluate and recommend on these requests. The bill appropriates $650,000 from the Income Tax Fund for implementation, affecting state agencies, the Commission, and Utah State University.

Maddy summaryHB 586 amends Utah's tax code to direct a portion of new sales tax revenue growth into transportation funding. Starting in fiscal year 2028, the State Tax Commission must annually deposit additional revenue from state sales and use taxes into the Transit Transportation Investment Fund. This bill does not appropriate new money but reallocates existing tax growth to support transit projects. The change affects how sales tax revenue is managed for transportation infrastructure, directly impacting the state's transportation funding stream.

Maddy summarySB 231 modifies Utah's property tax system for large energy users (facilities with 100+ megawatts of cumulative electricity demand). It prohibits new tax increment financing agreements (a tool for funding development projects) for projects containing such "large load customers" after May 6, 2026, affecting cities, counties, and special districts. The bill also requires large load customers to notify county auditors and treasurers of their location. These changes adjust how tax revenue is distributed and restrict development funding for major energy consumers.

Maddy summaryThis bill (HJR 2) is a procedural rule change for Utah's legislature, affecting how lawmakers draft and handle resolutions. It requires legislators to use formal "citations" (not resolutions) to honor individuals, groups, or events - replacing the previous practice. The bill also defines "binding" vs. "nonbinding" resolutions and gives rules committees power to block resolutions that violate these rules. It makes technical updates to existing legislative procedures but does not create new policies or allocate funding.