Legislative Management Committee approves 2025 interim schedule, adds autism, wildfire and senior food-security studies

The Legislative Management Committee approved a 2025 interim schedule and a package of interim study items on voice votes Tuesday, including additions to study autism services coverage, wildfire risk, and food insecurity affecting seniors.

The committee also approved the list of authorized legislative meetings for 2025 and a set of sunset review assignments that cover statutory provisions scheduled to repeal between April 2025 and April 2026.

John Cannon, director of legislative research and general counsel and staff to the Legislative Management Committee, told members the interim schedule follows the usual pattern of meeting on the third Wednesday from May through November with a July recess, but contains a single exception: the September session will be moved one day earlier to Tuesday, Sept. 16, to avoid a conflict with the CSG West meeting that begins Sept. 16 in Jackson. "Typically, interim day, of course, is every the third Wednesday from May to November, with July typically as a 1 month off," Cannon said.

Megan Bolan, senior policy analyst with Legislative Research and General Counsel, presented the list of authorized meetings and told the committee the list determines for which meetings legislators will be compensated. "The list is very extensive," Bolan said, and staff highlighted a summary of changes showing roughly five entities added under 2025 session legislation and several removed because legislation eliminated the statutory membership or because the entity was repealed.

Adam Sweet, deputy director of Legislative Research and General Counsel, reviewed the sunset review recommendations. He said the office compiled provisions scheduled to repeal between April 2025 and April 2026 and recommended which interim committees should conduct each review. "This list of sunset review recommendations has all of the provisions in statute that are scheduled to sunset between April of 2025 and April of 2026," Sweet said.

On interim study items, Senator Kwan moved and the committee approved adding a study on autism services to the Business and Labor interim committee. Kwan said current Utah insurance code treats autism diagnosis as valid for coverage only if provided by an MD, DO or a psychologist, which can exclude master's-level clinicians such as licensed clinical social workers, physician assistants and marriage and family therapists even though they may have the scope to diagnose. "We've found that some are diagnosing right now in Utah, but insurance is not covering it," Kwan said, adding the study should examine whether the limitation remains reasonable in light of long wait times.

Representative Owens successfully moved to add a study of wildfire risk to the Natural Resources interim committee, saying the item would "look at wildfire risk in light of the Los Angeles fires and what was learned down there that we might be able to take advantage of up here." Representative Romero and others moved to add food insecurity among seniors as an interim study; Senator Escamilla and committee members placed that item with the Economic Development and Workforce Services committee because the Department of Workforce Services administers the relevant funding.

Senator Cullimore moved to broaden a General Government study item about the Division of Facilities Construction and Management (DFCM). Staff language originally focused on potential cost savings and efficiencies if DFCM manages certain projects rather than using a general contractor; Cullimore asked the committee to expand the charge to evaluate cost and efficiency trade-offs "balanced with other relevant factors when building projects." The committee approved the amended language.

After discussion and the amendments described above, the committee approved the full list of proposed 2025 study items as amended and adjourned.

Votes at a glance - Approve minutes of Dec. 9, 2024 meeting — voice vote, motion passed. - Approve proposed 2025 interim schedule (third-Wednesday pattern, July recess; Sept. session moved to Tuesday, Sept. 16) — voice vote, motion passed. - Approve list of authorized legislative meetings for 2025 (compensation list; ~5 additions from 2025 legislation, several removals) — voice vote, motion passed. - Approve proposal list of sunset review assignments (statutory provisions with repeal dates April 2025–April 2026) — voice vote, motion passed. - Add autism-services study to Business and Labor interim committee (mover: Senator Kwan) — voice vote, motion passed. - Add wildfire-risk study to Natural Resources interim committee (mover: Representative Owens) — voice vote, motion passed. - Add senior food-insecurity to Economic Development and Workforce Services interim committee (placement by Senator Escamilla; mover not specified in transcript) — voice vote, motion passed. - Broaden DFCM study language to evaluate cost savings and efficiencies "balanced with other relevant factors when building projects" (mover: Senator Cullimore) — voice vote, motion passed. - Approve full list of proposed 2025 study items as amended (mover: presiding officer) — voice vote, motion passed.

Meeting context and scope: The meeting focused on administrative, scheduling and planning items that set the interim work program for the 2025 legislative cycle. Most actions were approvals or placements of study items; no substantive statutory changes or budget appropriations were enacted at the meeting.

Ending: The committee adjourned after approving the schedule and study slate. Staff and committee chairs will communicate assignments and finalize interim committee agendas ahead of May interim meetings.