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Utah House advances multiple measures on Feb. 25: tax, rural development, criminal-code and other bills move forward
Summary
On Feb. 25 the House adopted several committee reports and moved numerous bills on to further consideration, including unanimous or lopsided passage of SB 28 (67–0), SB 49 (69–0), HB 270 (72–0), HB 276 (70–3), HB 296 (70–3), HB 137 (73–0) and HB 183 (66–5). A number of measures were referred to Rules for fiscal prioritization.
The Utah House used its consent calendar and committee reports on Feb. 25 to advance a broad set of bills with limited floor debate.
Key actions and outcomes included:
- SB 28 (Income tax revisions): Passed 67–0. Sponsor said the bill clarifies when a corporation is considered to be "doing business" in Utah for income tax purposes.
- SB 49 (Homeless shelter funding amendments): Passed 69–0. The measure clarifies municipal contribution calculations to the Homeless Shelter City's Mitigation Restricted Account.
- HB 213 (First substitute — Promotion of student loan forgiveness): Passed 51–21; sponsor framed it as an awareness and assistance measure for student loan borrowers.
- HB 270 (First substitute — Criminal code amendments): Passed 72–0, updating mens rea language and provisions related to distribution of altered explicit videos and indecent liberties.
- HB 137 (Second substitute — Domestic violence enhancement provisions): After adopting a substitute that retained a 5-year enhancement for criminal mischief but extended other enhancement windows to 10 years, the House passed the bill 73–0.
- HB 276 (Rural economic development): Passed 70–3; establishes a rural manufacturing grant program within GOED to train and place workers in light manufacturing jobs.
- HB 296 (First substitute — Rural online working hubs): Passed 70–3; provides GOED-administered grants to create coworking hubs and broadband access in rural communities.
- HB 183 (First substitute — Legislative capacity study): Amended to increase the study budget from $20,000 to $50,000 and passed 66–5.
Other items: several bills were returned to Rules for prioritization due to fiscal impact (for example, SB 102 and SB 111); a number of ceremonial resolutions and committee reports were adopted by voice vote. The House adjourned after completing floor business and introduced additional first-read bills that were referred to Rules.
