[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6325584,"mediaKeyId","2333096-2d4c26e11ca50c875c5027a5243a68d4","parentId",2333096,"title","Committee unanimously clears bill to regulate earned‑wage access providers","audioSeconds",236,"startMs",7254000,"endMs",7490000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2333096-2d4c26e11ca50c875c5027a5243a68d4&start=7254&end=7490","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2333096-2d4c26e11ca50c875c5027a5243a68d4/thumbnail_7254000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6325584/Utah/Committee-unanimously-clears-bill-to-regulate-earnedwage-access-providers","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6325584-1eb4a7962f1c064e8dfdb054068c1fb7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771025158&Signature=oMsI09-Zz3F5RVhNSN3jb3o6Q04EgkW9tRcTWeKW~HyknczvqU7u-vbWSgyUA95dgJm9CSDN1l6QLvuYJC1L3D1qkcBqTscqDonAFDIQtvCAohQnJzpdHMAIRcpaCvht7wgZrrjxSlSRnyHd8Q04rfrxx1eTRL-fpfFpYDxxe~IvrPuEkl4p2ZD0UxFqA7sZMeU4DDZuIgx~j5PG9P38ut9i9cjMCdfJvrlt3un0lumN5BYziC4evYi8NkT7qo9kqtlrNH8mRlPtT-opSFYa3VVLrYBKdSSbNExiEgDFu595fctwMqMWX5CDXU6cJ6YmiMki7DwRku~~5DtuYG-QmQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Utah State Legislature","date","2025-02-18T00:00:00Z","article","A House committee unanimously adopted a substitute and passed House Bill 279, creating a state regulatory framework for earned‑wage access (EWA) providers that let workers access wages already earned before payday.

A sponsor presented the bill as a consumer‑protection and innovation measure and said it recognises EWA as a distinct financial product that is not a loan. A representative of DailyPay, Ryan Naples, told the committee the company charges no origination or late fees, performs no underwriting and bases access on wages already earned. “We are credit invisible. We charge no origination, late fees, or interest,” Naples said.

Testimony from Earnin (remote) described similar practices and urged passage to provide regulatory stability for thousands of Utah workers who use EWA to manage cash flow. Zach Drucker of Earnin said the company served nearly 30,000 Utah residents and supported the bill to ensure safe, transparent access to earned wages.

Under HB279 as considered, providers must register with the Division of Consumer Protection, disclose all fees and terms up front and offer at least one no‑fee option for receiving funds (for example, ACH transfers that take one to three business days). The bill also prohibits harmful collection practices and clarifies that EWA is not a loan.

The committee adopted a drafting amendment to improve wording; that amendment passed with one legislator (Representative Burton) recorded in opposition. The second substitute and the bill as amended passed on unanimous voice votes.

Supporters said the bill protects workers while allowing fintech innovation; no opposition testimony was recorded in committee. The measure will proceed to the House floor.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Business, Labor, and Commerce Committee - February 18, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The committee adopted substitutes and approved HB 279, a regulatory framework requiring registration of earned‑wage access providers, fee disclosure, and consumer protections; amendments clarified wording and one minor amendment passed with a single dissent on a grammatical change.","taxTitle","2025 Utah Legislature, Utah Legislature, Utah Legislative Branch, Utah","taxId",78171,"location","Utah","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6325588,"Committee backs McPherson plan to overhaul vape regulation, repeal local flavor ban and boost enforcement funding",5179,1645000,6824000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2333096-2d4c26e11ca50c875c5027a5243a68d4&start=1645&end=6824","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2333096-2d4c26e11ca50c875c5027a5243a68d4/thumbnail_1645000.jpg","/articles/6325588/Utah/Committee-backs-McPherson-plan-to-overhaul-vape-regulation-repeal-local-flavor-ban-and-boost-enforcement-funding","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6325588-05237e1e20bd6e3372b1bbf0c9f63790/orig.mp4?Expires=1771025158&Signature=VkFoES9vLo1fMj33oZ-IUeIrLG23Ay4JQ6dgmmwJ8Uzav1cb7jS5NjPLImb8HfaBK0Cus-srr7jl08DTO64r3gWrdUIFK-kP9kn2wV6HkkQsTyoX9yVhuT8kaxfXPk9iTehnEB8ehvykcGvMs-cqe2prQ9JWV7pvMlYgPcVVQU4f5cSiM4RnyP~pzpcLrYzL8m31QjuSFEWvpkkPDsBGRDQXNAqcNC5lVBE9jN9CYlLjZSp7NhCLBh9DYcRwandcz86eAfNN5ZqbsMOI-pqgY3LXJhUU0vlKXR7RH0RMz33GNujwnbgqEzw6di4mE0EpafkkT2KBaKG7pDxe7GXK~g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A House committee voted 8–6 on Thursday to report House Bill 432, a wide‑ranging rewrite of Utah’s vape rules that would repeal parts of the state’s prior flavor restrictions, remove a nicotine‑content limit, increase licensing and enforcement funding, and create a distributor regulatory structure and an RFID pilot to track products.

Representative McPherson, the sponsor, told the committee he drafted the substitute to address illegal sales to minors and enforcement gaps in the current framework. “SB 61 didn't do anything that would provide any real benefit to preventing youth vaping in this state,” McPherson said, arguing the substitute concentrates enforcement where illegal sales occur and funds active compliance work.

Key features discussed in committee include:

- Repeal of statutory language that restricted flavored electronic cigarette products to retail tobacco specialty businesses (RTSBs) and repeal of the statutory nicotine‑content limit.
- Creation of a handling permit and higher RTSB license fees (example figure discussed: raise from $30 to $3,000 annually) to fund enforcement and training for employees.
- A new 2.5% tax on products, with about 80% of revenue directed to the Department of Health and Human Services for enforcement, cessation campaigns and research.
- Stronger penalties for sales to minors and distributor violations, including first‑offense fines and permit suspensions (the sponsor described a hypothetical first offense fine of $10,000 and a 30‑day suspension) and escalated second‑offense penalties including lifetime revocation tied to owners.
- A pilot program for RFID tagging of products (20 stores), with eventual requirement for RFID on packaging and sponsor commitment to consider device‑level tagging.

McPherson described enforcement evidence from Salt Lake County health compliance checks showing much higher failure rates among general retailers than among RTSBs and said the bill would create an enforcement fund and allow non‑sting enforcement actions. He also said the bill aims to avoid shutting down RTSPs while doing more to control illegal vendors and the distributors that supply them.

The hearing attracted competing testimony. Beau Maxon of the Utah Vapor Business Association said the substitute “is without question the most unprecedented piece of tobacco regulation” and supported strong enforcement paired with the substitute’s regulatory framework. Several retail vape‑shop owners warned the committee the bill could imperil licensed businesses that invested in the RTSB framework, describing long leases and buildouts under the prior regime.

Public‑health witnesses, including Ray Alonzo of the Utah Medical Association and Dr. Kelly Adams of Utah PTA, opposed removing nicotine limits and warned that flavored products and higher nicotine concentrations increase youth uptake and addiction. “If I'm a youth, and I want to try smoking, I'm going to be more inclined to reach for a product that says green apple on it,” Ray Alonzo said.

Other witnesses argued the federal pre‑market pathway (PMTA) and FDA product reviews complicate the market: attorneys and consumer advocates pointed to enforcement gaps for unregulated products often manufactured abroad. Legal advocates told the committee that parts of last year’s SB61 have pending litigation focused on search‑and‑seizure issues; industry witnesses said the substitute would remove litigation risk by changing the state’s approach.

Representative Ballard moved the substitute and later moved that the committee report the bill favorably. The roll‑call record captured yes votes from Ballard, Nguyen, Peterson, Roberts, Sawyer, Speaker Schultz, Wilcox and Chair Malloy; recorded no votes included Dunnegan, Ivory, Thurston, White, Vice Chair Kyle and others for a final tally of 8–6 in favor.

During floor‑discussion time the sponsor said he would consider amendments to add a nicotine cap (several members urged a 3–5% cap) and to require RFID on devices rather than solely in packaging. The committee adopted the first substitute without recorded opposition and reported the bill favorably 8–6.

The substitute contains a mix of supply‑side controls (distributor licensing, penalties) and revenue measures (licensing fees and a product tax) intended to fund enforcement, cessation advertising, and research. It will go to the House floor for additional amendment and debate.

","The committee adopted a substitute and reported House Bill 432 favorably 8–6 after hours of testimony from industry, health groups and retailers. The substitute repeals elements of prior law, raises fees and penalties, creates distributor licensing and a 2.5% product tax to fund enforcement and research, and starts an RFID pilot.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6325593,"Utah panel advances bill to protect child influencers, require trust accounts and takedown rights",1558,63000,1621000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2333096-2d4c26e11ca50c875c5027a5243a68d4&start=63&end=1621","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2333096-2d4c26e11ca50c875c5027a5243a68d4/thumbnail_63000.jpg","/articles/6325593/Utah/Utah-panel-advances-bill-to-protect-child-influencers-require-trust-accounts-and-takedown-rights","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6325593-e101bc900eeddb7af54856805e9a4879/orig.mp4?Expires=1771025158&Signature=hnd0sRIGD6UWq79fyijfrXkk1FHkLsWs8dIyEcvPVSv3xwk0rY120QQ6hpzI3~UvugXCc4cAgc81B02o5KT1Bs-7q~x9rtcjJOl9TojvxDpU~OsJp5YFhLsUHw30EgpZRD-0Z-E5VZpXOKXGvm-~DW2-35OFZQoD3Wlxk1HyfjPw7LiNFfhmkcOfC4YEmHJeINpBjyyqm9MzWPAzymcSdIx1ix0jslDgt13ohmTTSTGHmMmbGyokHqhOsXwg2MU82hsmHZVMFpdOtN-ICG19ZfhlsxdHOVCuu-s3RSQZBfFBX3cdZLFs71VpUmYg-nQP9x6s4c3TOCJ~ak2YmwZ7rQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A House committee on Thursday adopted a substitute to House Bill 322 and passed the measure unanimously to create financial protections and a takedown right for child performers, including children who appear in social‑media content.

Sponsor Representative Owens said the bill responds to cases in which children earned money in family-produced content and later had those funds withdrawn by guardians. “The statute says 15% of the child's earnings need to be put into a trust that's available when the kid reaches adulthood,” Owens said, noting the measure follows laws in other states.

The bill takes two principal approaches. First, it requires that 15% of traditional child-performer earnings be placed into a trust available at majority, and it offers three routes for social‑media and family content: an arm’s‑length negotiated agreement; compensation pegged to a market comparison of represented minors; or a statutory fallback formula. That fallback would split earnings roughly half to the parent/creator and half to the child, with allocation among multiple children tied to their minutes on camera. The statute only triggers when the parent or content creator nets at least $150,000 in annual revenue from content and when the minor’s earnings exceed $20,000 in a year.

Second, HB322 creates a takedown right enabling an individual who was monetized as a minor to request removal of monetized images or videos on social platforms once they turn 18. The bill excludes content governed by a negotiated agreement in which a third‑party representative protects the child’s interests. When a takedown is disputed, the bill permits either party to ask a court to weigh whether the adult child suffers substantial embarrassment or emotional harm against the creator’s financial and other public‑interest considerations.

Kevin Franke, a former family vlogger who testified at the committee’s invitation, read statements from his children. Julie Franke, identified in the testimony as 16, said, “This bill should be passed. . . . As a child, you're involuntarily giving up all of that. You're selling your childhood.” His 11‑year‑old, Eve Franke, said she felt the channel “ruined my childhood” and described losing earnings when a parent withdrew funds.

Representative Thurston questioned the 15% trust figure; Owens answered that 15% reflects “the practice uniformly among the 10 states who adopted that in the traditional setting.” Representative Dunnegan pressed about trustee replacement; the bill permits a parent to serve as trustee until a trust average balance exceeds $250,000, at which point the trustee must petition the court for replacement. Representative White asked whether takedown rights apply only to parent‑produced material; Owens said the takedown applies to image, likeness, and story posted to social platforms and follows a process similar to existing notice‑and‑takedown workflows, with platform notification and a deadline for the creator to respond.

During public comment, Dave Davis said he represented the Utah Creators and Influencers Coalition and described recent negotiations with the sponsor. He told the committee content creators he represents were “neutral on the bill” and able to operationalize the substitute. After discussion, the committee adopted the second substitute and gave HB322 a favorable recommendation in a unanimous voice vote.

The bill’s text, as discussed in committee, includes numeric triggers and procedural safeguards intended to limit coverage to high‑earning creators and to preserve market bargaining when representation is present.

Supporters said the bill balances child protections and creators’ commercial interests; opponents were not recorded in opposition during the committee hearing. The bill will move to the full House for further consideration.

","A House committee adopted a substitute and passed House Bill 322 to require set-asides for child performers, create a right for former child influencers to remove monetized material at 18, and offer market-based and formula options for compensation.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee unanimously clears bill to regulate earned‑wage access providers

Committee backs McPherson plan to overhaul vape regulation, repeal local flavor ban and boost enforcement funding

Utah panel advances bill to protect child influencers, require trust accounts and takedown rights