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Senate creates Tax Restructuring and Equalization Task Force, sends bill back to House
Summary
The Senate passed a substituted House Bill 495 creating a Tax Restructuring and Equalization Task Force to study state and local tax imbalances and report preliminary findings by June 1 and final recommendations by August 1. The bill passed on a roll call and will be returned to the House.
The Utah Senate on March 13 approved first substitute House Bill 495, establishing a Tax Restructuring and Equalization Task Force charged with studying state and local tax revenue systems, soliciting public input and making recommendations to interim committees and the Executive Appropriations Committee.
Sen. Hemmert, who presented the substitute, said the new task force repeals the Transportation and Tax Review Task Force and allows the Senate president and House speaker to each appoint up to four majority‑party members, one minority‑party member and up to two non‑voting expert appointees. The Legislative Fiscal Analyst and Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel will staff the group, and there is an appropriation for legislative member salaries, per diem for non‑legislators and travel for meetings outside the capital.
Sponsor summary included a timetable: a progress report and initial findings are due to the tax and revenue interim committee by June 1, with full recommendations to be returned after the task force’s August 1 meeting.
Supporters including Sen. Bramble urged the chamber to build on prior tax‑reform work dating to the mid‑2000s; there was little floor opposition. The Senate voted to substitute and to pass the measure under suspension of the rules.
Vote and next steps: The roll call recorded 23 senators voting aye, five voting no and one absent; the bill passed the Senate and will be returned to the House for further consideration.
