House transportation committee favorably recommends HB 429 to realign funding

The Utah House Transportation Committee on Oct. 12, 2025, voted unanimously to favorably recommend House Bill 429, the "Transportation Funding Alignment Amendments," sending the bill to the next legislative stage.

The bill, sponsored by Representative Peterson, would return $1,800,000 to the Transportation Investment Fund (TIF) for litter removal along state roads, move $37,000,000 in gas tax deposits from the TIF back into the transportation fund to support maintenance, and convert a $330,000,000 general fund appropriation to the TIF into a revenue earmark that raises the share of sales tax deposited into the TIF from about 17% to 24%.

Representative Peterson said the measure "does 3 things, to align transportation revenue sources with its uses." He described the $1.8 million as funding cut from the Utah Department of Transportation's (UDOT) budget during the COVID period and intended to restore roadside cleanup. On the change from an appropriation to an earmark, Peterson said the conversion "allows it to grow" TIF funding and estimated the change would increase TIF receipts by about $15,000,000 per year.

Committee members asked clarifying questions about flexibility and the effect on other parts of the budget. Representative Sawyer asked whether the earmark "lock[s] us into any funding formulas" and if the change would limit the legislature's ability to move funds if the economy turns down. Peterson replied that the $330,000,000 had already been set aside in the TIF and said, "we still have flexibility, I would say." Representative Ivory asked "why is this necessary and why now?" Peterson reiterated the earmark would let the TIF grow and explained that interest currently accruing to a general fund appropriation would follow the earmark instead.

Peterson also cited broader transportation needs in the state, saying one industry source told him Utah needs about $1,500,000,000 a year to keep up with growth and noting that "this does not even come close to covering that, but it does add a little bit more to the fund." He added that UDOT ran 792 projects statewide in the most recent summer season.

There were no public comments recorded for the item. Representative Sawyer moved that the committee "favorably recommend HB 429 Transportation Funding Alignment Amendments." The motion was adopted by unanimous voice vote; the committee chair said, "I rule that motion carries unanimously." Individual roll-call votes were not recorded in the transcript.

The committee's favorable recommendation advances HB 429 to the next step in the legislative process; no additional committee direction or amendments were recorded during the hearing.

Next steps: HB 429 will proceed to subsequent committee consideration or floor scheduling according to the House rules and calendar.