The Utah Legislature's Political Subdivisions Interim Committee convened on September 16, 2025, to discuss significant updates to Title 17, the county laws and regulations. This marks the first major revision in 50 years, aimed at modernizing and clarifying the legal framework governing counties.

Ruth Ann Ogi Frost from the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel provided an overview of the recodification process. She explained that the effort involves reorganizing Title 17 to eliminate outdated language and legal jargon, making it more accessible to the public. While the changes are primarily organizational, some clarifications will be made to ensure that ambiguous provisions are clearly defined.

The recodification will consist of five pieces of legislation. The first two bills will reorganize Title 17 itself, while the next two will address external references to ensure consistency across related codes, particularly in tax and revenue matters. The fifth bill will align county and municipal codes, especially concerning land use regulations.

To assist stakeholders in understanding these changes, the committee has made available an index and a crosswalk document on their website. These resources outline the new structure of Title 17 and detail how existing sections will be affected by the proposed changes.

The committee emphasized the importance of stakeholder feedback during this process, inviting questions and corrections to ensure accuracy before the bills are finalized. The recodification of Title 17 is expected to enhance clarity and usability for residents and officials alike, paving the way for more effective governance in Utah's counties.