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Panel approves amended bill barring municipalities from banning traditional open-house tours
Summary
Lawmakers amended and advanced House Bill 422 to prohibit municipalities from barring or selectively blocking open-house events used to market homes, while preserving municipalities' ability to enforce building, occupancy and safety rules and sign ordinances.
Representative Walter presented House Bill 422 to the Business, Labor and Commerce Committee, saying the bill would protect longstanding real-estate marketing practices such as single-property open houses, realtor tours and builder 'parade of homes' events. He said some local governments had begun to question whether event permits or other special-use approvals could be required for those routine marketing activities, and the bill clarifies that a municipality may not prohibit an open house from taking place while still preserving public-safety, building-code and sign-ordinance enforcement.
Representative Thurston proposed Amendment 1 to clarify that an ‘open house’ includes events held by a homeowner, including those conducted without an agent, architect, builder or developer — a change the sponsor called a friendly amendment. The amendment passed on voice vote. Supporters from the Utah Home Builders Association, the Utah Association of Realtors and the Utah League of Cities and Towns testified; the League said most cities do not require permits for open houses but asked for refinements to ensure the bill does not preempt legitimate municipal regulation of signs, parking or safety.
After public comment and the amendment’s adoption, the committee voted to favorably recommend HB 422 as amended.
