Utah Budget

How much did the state front in the budget? Are lawmakers angling for federal funding? And what's the political will look like? All is answered.

Funding key pieces of Gov. Spencer Cox’s proposal made the early budget while reshaping existing dollars to focus on high‑utilizers, emergency shelter and behavioral‑health services.

Gov. Cox vetoed the idea last year. Republican lawmakers insist that they need the budget flexibility that moving the money to a state fund, instead of to school districts, would provide.

Solo la mitad de los estudiantes de tercer grado en Utah están leyendo al nivel de su grado. El gobernador Spencer Cox cree que tener una ley para hacer que los estudiantes con dificultades en lectura repitan el grado ayudaría a aumentar ese número.

Only half of Utah third-graders are reading at grade level. Gov. Spencer Cox thinks having a law to hold students struggling with reading back a grade would help boost that number.

Gov. Spencer Cox said this year's budget was tight, but he carved out $25 million in one-time money plus an ongoing $20 million for Utah’s new approach to homelessness that aligns with a Trump executive order.

There are four different kinds of special sessions in Utah. The governor says he will call for one in May, but lawmakers may also be considering their own sessions as well.

Lawmakers tackled issues like immigration, elections and labor unions during its 45-day regular session.

As the end of the session draws near, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, House Speaker Mike Schultz and Senate President Stuart Adams announced a wage increase of $278 million for teachers, support staff and district staff.

Dollars from the State Basic School Levy on Utahns’ property tax bills used to go directly to local districts. Lawmakers say the change is in the interest of state budget flexibility and giving schools more equitable funding in the future.

Each year since Gov. Spencer Cox took office there has been an uptick in the total money pitched for the state budget. This year’s ask is $30.6 billion.

The amendment sought to get rid of the constitutional earmark that says Utah’s income tax revenue can only be used for education and certain social services.