Utah’s continued success is built on a simple principle: living within our means while planning responsibly for the future. Each year, the Legislature carefully reviews how taxpayer dollars are spent, ensuring that every investment strengthens our communities while protecting Utah’s long-term financial stability.

This year, the Legislature adopted a balanced $31.6 billion budget for FY2027, slightly lower than the current year. Of that amount, $12.4 billion comes from state sales and income taxes, reflecting continued economic growth and responsible fiscal management. As part of this process, we also asked state agencies to identify efficiencies and redirect resources away from programs that are ineffective or duplicative. ~3% of existing funding was reallocated, ensuring that taxpayer dollars are focused on programs that deliver the greatest value for Utah families.

The budget also continues our commitment to keeping taxes low while making targeted investments that strengthen our state. Over the past six years, the Legislature has consistently returned money to taxpayers while maintaining the services Utahns rely on.

Key highlights from this year’s budget include:

• $101M income tax cut, lowering the rate to 4.45%, a 6-year trend of tax cuts
• >$600M in tax relief over the past 2 years, helping families keep what they earn
• Nearly $300M in new funding for public education, including a 4.2% WPU increase
• $65M to expand CTE programs that prepare students for high-demand careers
• $25M to support at-risk students and strengthen educational outcomes
• $25.6M for early literacy, helping students read proficiently at an early age
• $12.4M in stipends for future educators and $8.8M for teacher classroom supplies
• $76M for higher education, supporting research, innovation, & workforce needs
• $60M for social services and $48M for criminal justice initiatives
• $30M to support efforts to protect and restore the Great Salt Lake

This disciplined approach to budgeting continues to place Utah in a strong financial position. Our state has maintained the nation’s No. 1 economic outlook for 18 straight years and has been ranked the best state in America for three years running. By focusing on responsible budgeting today, we are building the foundation that will allow Utah families, businesses, and communities to thrive for generations to come.

H.B. 33: Political Signs Amendments: Protects the integrity of political campaign signs by prohibiting the obstruction or alteration of a sign’s message. The bill increases transparency by requiring financial disclosures on certain signs and helps keep communities clean and orderly by requiring campaign signs to be removed within 14 days after an election.

H.B. 147: Government Form Submission Amendments: Expands access to government services by requiring state and local agencies to provide an electronic option for submitting forms and records, saving Utahns time, reducing unnecessary travel, and modernizing how public services are delivered.

H.B. 186: Judicial Conduct Commission Amendments: Strengthens judicial accountability by ensuring allegations of misconduct against judges are properly reported to the Judicial Conduct Commission and improving oversight through clearer investigative procedures and annual reporting to the Legislature.

H.B. 214: Firearms Liability Amendments: Protects lawful firearm manufacturers and sellers from frivolous lawsuits over the criminal misuse of firearms while preserving the ability to hold companies accountable for negligence, defective products, or violations of state and federal law.

H.B. 216*: Child Support Calculations Amendments: Improves fairness in child support calculations by allowing Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) to be considered as income, helping ensure children receive the financial support they deserve while preserving judicial discretion.

H.B. 217: Stolen Vehicles Amendments: Strengthens public safety by ensuring stolen vehicles can be reported to police agencies immediately, preventing unnecessary waiting periods that can delay investigations and allowing police to act quickly to recover stolen vehicles.

H.B. 218: Digital Skills Amendments: Strengthens digital literacy education by updating a middle school course to teach healthy and safe use of social media, AI, and other emerging technologies so students can safely navigate the online world.

H.B. 228: Vehicle Sales Amendments: Protects used car buyers by closing loopholes that allow title washing and requiring vehicles damaged or totaled in another state to carry the same title brand in Utah (such as flood, fire, or hail damage).

H.B. 366: Judicial Modifications: Improves efficiency in Utah’s courts by allowing city-prosecuted criminal cases to be consolidated in nearby courtrooms before consistent judges, reducing travel for prosecutors, defendants, and victims. The bill also improves fairness in constitutional challenges by allowing either party to request review by a three-judge panel.

H.B. 382: Uniform Assignment for the Benefit of Creditors Amendments: Modernizes Utah’s law by adopting the new Uniform Assignment for the Benefit of Creditors Act, preserving a faster, less expensive, and less disruptive alternative to bankruptcy for struggling businesses that cannot afford to pay their creditors.

H.B. 416: Firefighter Cancer Amendments: Supports Utah firefighters by creating and funding a Firefighter Cancer Trust Fund that provides immediate assistance after a cancer diagnosis while workers’ compensation claims are processed. The bill also establishes funding to help small first responder agencies provide critical mental health resources.

H.B. 519: Unclaimed Property Modifications: Expands opportunities for student athletes by allowing universities to directly compensate them for their name, image, and likeness (NIL).

*– HB216 was incorporated into SB257.

S.B. 145: Lobbying Amendments: Strengthens transparency and ethical standards in Utah’s lobbying laws by clarifying definitions, updating reporting requirements, and prohibiting lobbyists from receiving compensation contingent on the outcome of government action.

S.B. 183: Surveillance Camera Amendments: Protects homeowners’ property and privacy by prohibiting law enforcement from tampering with, disabling, or redirecting surveillance cameras on private property, including doorbell cameras, while preserving exceptions for exigent circumstances and officer safety.

S.B. 208: Vehicle Emission Inspection Program Revisions: Strengthens enforcement of vehicle registration laws by preventing the Motor Vehicle Division from registering a vehicle when the owner has unpaid civil penalties for providing a false or improper address, helping ensure fairness for taxpayers and compliance with emissions requirements.

S.B. 218: Constable Modifications: Improves accountability and professionalism in constable services by creating a statewide licensing system, establishing a Constables Licensing Board, and ensuring individuals performing constable duties meet clear training and oversight standards.

S.B. 235: Governor Compensation Amendments: Aligns the governor’s salary with the Chief Justice of the Utah Supreme Court, creating a consistent benchmark for executive compensation and adjusting the salaries of other constitutional officers accordingly.

S.B. 256: Identity Protection Modifications: Strengthens protections against AI generated deepfakes by clarifying that defamation laws apply to digitally manipulated content and protecting individuals from the unauthorized use of their identity, including non commercial deepfake content.

S.B. 270: State Court Amendments: Improves the efficiency and timeliness of Utah’s courts by allowing the Judicial Council to establish specialized divisions within the district court to manage high volume housing and debt collection matters.

S.B. 278: Development Authority Modifications: Strengthens transparency and oversight for the Point of the Mountain State Land Authority by clarifying prior legislation, enabling new for sale housing development, improving coordination with Draper City, and returning a greater share of tax revenue to local taxing entities. The bill also increases oversight of Public Infrastructure Districts created by land authorities to ensure responsible governance and fiscal accountability.

S.B. 287: Targeted Advertising Amendments: Creates a tax on targeted digital advertising to address the harmful impacts of social media on children, directing the revenue to programs that support youth mental health, literacy, youth sports and recreation, foster care and adoption services, and other initiatives that strengthen families and communities.

S.B. 292: Autonomous Systems Amendments: Establishes a clear liability framework for fully autonomous vehicles (levels four and five), allowing individuals injured in minor crashes involving driverless vehicles to receive quicker compensation while providing legal certainty that encourages autonomous vehicle innovation and investment in Utah.

S.B. 310: Uniform Intimate Images Amendments: Strengthens protections against the nonconsensual distribution of intimate images by adopting the Uniform Intimate Images Act, giving victims stronger legal tools to hold offenders accountable and seek relief.

S.J.R. 5: Joint Resolution Amending the Utah Rules of Civil Procedure: Updates the Utah Rules of Civil Procedure to improve the administration of complex cases by clarifying procedures for three-judge district court panels, judicial disqualification, and the transfer and consolidation of cases.