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House approves lobbyist-disclosure measure after floor rejects tougher amendment
Summary
The Utah House on Jan. 25 advanced a substitute to House Bill 66 that tightens lobbyist-gift reporting by requiring disclosure of gifts at or above $50; an amendment to lower the threshold to $25 failed 26–42 before the bill passed the House 70–0 and moved to the Senate.
The Utah House on Jan. 25 passed first substitute House Bill 66, a narrower lobbyist-disclosure measure that requires lobbyists and recipients to report gifts valued at $50 or more, then sent the bill to the Senate.
Representative Ron Bigelow, sponsor of the substitute, told the chamber the bill “only contains one item” and that it closes a loophole that allowed lobbyists to split gift costs to avoid the $50 reporting trigger. He said the proposal repeats standard filing requirements from the code and is intended as a compromise to improve transparency without overreaching.
Representative Becker offered Amendment No. 1, which would have reduced the reporting threshold from $50 to $25. Becker argued the lower amount would expand disclosure and allow the House “to express its views” on higher standards of disclosure, saying, “We are the House. And we should do what we believe is right.”
Sponsor Bigelow opposed the amendment as a change that would undercut the carefully negotiated compromise, urging members to let the substitute go forward and pursue larger reforms in a separate bill. After division voting, the amendment failed, 26 yes to 42 no.
With the amendment defeated, the House voted to approve the first substitute to HB 66 by voice and recorded a final tally of 70 yes and 0 no. The bill will be referred to the Senate for further consideration.
The House record shows the bill’s effect is limited to reporting requirements and aims to prevent the splitting of gift costs among lobbyists to avoid disclosure thresholds. The House did not adopt the $25 threshold that some members urged.
The next procedural step is transmittal to the Senate for committee assignment and hearings there.
