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Senate approves tax deduction for self-employed health insurance premiums
Summary
Senate Bill 168, which allows self-employed individuals to subtract health insurance premiums from taxable income (with amendments to avoid duplicate deductions), passed the Senate after committee adoption and a roll-call vote.
The Utah Senate approved Senate Bill 168, offering a state income-tax subtraction for health insurance premiums paid by self-employed individuals.
The Revenue and Taxation Committee reported a favorable recommendation and the sponsor explained the measure’s intent: to extend parity to self-employed taxpayers who now shoulder health-insurance costs without employer contribution. The sponsor summarized the effect: the bill "provides for the amount paid for health insurance by self-employed individuals... to be subtracted from your taxable income," and argued many self-employed people "are unfairly penalized" today.
Floor debate included technical amendments to prevent taxpayers from claiming duplicate deductions if related bills (SB165 or House Bill 305) also pass. Senators asked for and received assurances about fiscal offsets; the sponsor noted language tied to the governor’s budget message and surplus funds in the budget discussion.
The Senate adopted the committee report, voted the amendments, and sent the bill through third reading. The clerk recorded the vote as 24 aye votes and 5 absent (no nay votes noted in the floor transcript excerpt). The official Senate journal should be consulted for the formal roll call.
What happens next: With Senate approval, the bill proceeds in the legislative process toward concurrence and possible enrollment; related measures and final fiscal reconciliation will determine the law’s effective implementation.
