Utah Legislature

After nearly a year of debate, Utah lawmakers have passed a sweeping tax reform bill that cuts taxes by $160.5 million. 

Utah lawmakers are expected to take up tax reform in a special session Thursday after a state task force approved legislation late last night aimed at cutting taxes by $160 million.

Lawmakers will have an extra $682 million to spend next year, and legislative leaders say that’s a good reason to double a tax cut they’ve proposed as part of a sweeping tax reform bill.

In a show of holiday bipartisanship, Santa Claus and the Grinch came together Friday with a message to Utah lawmakers: Don’t hold a special session on tax reform.

After Utah lawmakers approved a bill in 2017 that gave more money to the state’s crime lab to process sexual assault kits, the head of that lab estimated it could clear the backlog of untested kits in 2018. Now, the Department of Public Safety said it will take until July 2020 to get caught up.

A tax cut for Utahns is a key ingredient to lawmakers’ plan to rewrite the state tax code. But under tax reform plans currently being considered, about one in five Utahns — mostly those without children — would pay more in taxes.

Friday night, a legislative task force released its third and likely final proposal for restructuring the state’s tax code. It comes ahead of a public hearing scheduled for 5 p.m. Monday.

When Ginger Phillips was experiencing severe symptoms of her schizoaffective disorder, she used to end up in the emergency room a lot.

Draft legislation to regulate government use of facial recognition software was unveiled and subsequently abandoned Wednesday after some lawmakers worried it did not do enough to protect privacy.

Taxes on services remain unpopular in Utah as a legislative task force looks to expand the state’s revenue base by adding sales taxes on new things. That includes a range of services, from home repairs and tutoring to streaming media like Netflix. 

Utah lawmakers are proposing new sales taxes on a list of items and services. At the same time, they plan to cut the state income tax rate and significantly boost tax breaks for children and dependents.

Utah lawmakers approved a medical cannabis system that will use more privately-run dispensaries instead of public health departments to help distribute the drug. 

There are 31 U.S. states that give some sort of preference to veteran-owned businesses when awarding state contracts, according to a report presented at a Tuesday meeting of Utah’s Veterans and Military Affairs Commission. 

Utah lawmakers from both parties say they make take legislative action following admission by the Utah Department of Public Safety that the agency routinely runs facial recognition software through a state database of driver’s license and mugshot photos.

Utah lawmakers are promising a fresh start on tax reform proposals after major backlash against a bill earlier this year.

Utah lawmakers often pride themselves as a deliberative, decision-making body, spending just 45 days each year to pass legislation, but new research may suggest otherwise.

Utah lawmakers are celebrating their newfound power to call themselves into special session without approval from Gov. Gary Herbert. Whether they’re playing coy by saying it will be used sparingly remains to be seen.

Utah Republican and Democratic leaders remembered former Congressman Jim Hansen, Utah’s longest-serving member of the House, who died Wednesday at age 86.

A state school safety committee asked lawmakers on Wednesday to budget almost $100 million to improve security at schools and hire more mental health professionals.

Parts of the Mountain West region have joined a number of state legislatures introducing tax credits to help low-income Americans. Utah could be the latest.