Dear Friends and Neighbors,
The past few weeks have flown by! As we near the end of another great session, I look back on all we have accomplished with pride and gratitude. During week six, we heard bills on many important topics, and I spent several hours considering the thoughts of my fellow legislators and constituents. I appreciate each of you and your commitment to reaching out and letting me know your thoughts.
This week, we released updated revenue numbers and started to finalize the state budget. In Utah, we pride ourselves on always balancing our budget and making wise financial decisions that will positively impact generations to come. This year’s budget isn’t any different. We are making strategic investments, including funding education, investing in statewide infrastructure and water needs, allocating money to rainy day reserves and reducing taxes for Utahns.
Below, you will find a description of a few bills and other events.
How to Navigate the Legislative Website
This week’s tutorial on how to stay involved in the legislative process explains how to find and read votes on bills.
Honoring Fallen Firefighters
No words can express the appreciation we feel for our fallen firefighters and their families. Paying tribute to them on the Senate floor this week was a great honor. We remember that the safety we enjoy comes with a significant price, and we offer our most heartfelt gratitude to the courageous men and women who selflessly sacrifice their all to keep Utah safe.
Legislation
Securing Utah’s Energy Future
Having reliable, affordable and sustainable energy sources is critical to maintaining Utah’s quality of life, which is why the Legislature is working to make Utah energy-independent. S.B. 224 Energy Independence Amendments is a monumental step toward a secure energy future.
This legislation provides the Public Service Commission (PSC) with clear guidelines for deciding whether or not to approve an electrical utility’s proposal for new electrical capacity to ensure they best align with public interests. It also allows the PSC to sell excess energy to other states and makes the PSC accountable to the Legislature for its decisions. This bill helps ensure we continue to have the nation's second-lowest electricity rates, meet the state’s energy needs and keep the lights on.
S.B. 224 passed the Senate and will go on to the House for consideration. Learn more about what the bill does here.
Protecting Minors From the Harms of Social Media Utah is leading the nation with landmark legislation that helps safeguard kids and teens from the growing mental health crisis tied to the rise in social media addiction. In our state, 88% of parents believe social media has a detrimental impact on children and youth, and nearly half of teens nationwide, ages 13 to 17, said using social media makes them feel worse.
S.B. 194 Social Media Regulation Amendments aims to protect minors from harmful product features of social media while empowering parents. This bill includes strict age-verification processes, default privacy settings and tools for parents to set time limits, view total and daily average use time and see connected accounts. It continues the efforts of Utah’s previous work to provide parents with enhanced tools and resources.
S.B. 194 passed the Senate this week and will now be considered by the House. Read more here.
Addressing Repeat Offenders and Incentivizing Rehabilitation
One of the criminal justice system's goals is to help incarcerated individuals reenter society as contributing members of our state. High-frequency offenders expose a disconnect in this mission. S.B. 213 Criminal Justice Modifications helps address this issue by increasing penalties for habitual offenders convicted of at least six felony cases in the past five years. By enacting appropriate consequences for recurring harmful behavior, we can hold criminals accountable and keep communities safe.
Rehabilitation is another important objective of the criminal justice system. S.B. 213 establishes a program for parole and probation offenders to receive reduced credits for maintaining stable employment. Offering incentives to former inmates to secure a stable job not only assists them in transforming their lives but also reduces the likelihood of recidivism upon reentry into society after incarceration.
The bill makes several other changes regarding probation, sex crime charges and more, which you can read about here.
Addressing Homelessness in Utah
The Legislature has been working to address homelessness in the state for the last several years. In 2021, the Auditor General released recommendations after an audit of Utah's homeless services. Over the years, achieving necessary changes to Utah's homeless services has been daunting; however, these recommendations are helpful in identifying the best path forward to address this issue.
Thanks to the dedicated work of those in this sphere, the Legislature is making the final recommended changes with the proposed bill H.B. 298 Homelessness Services Amendments. H.B. 298 encourages better data utilization and improved governance for displaced persons. As a result of this bill, the state will have a more cohesive plan for helping homeless individuals. You can learn more here.
Addressing Mental Health in Utah
Making mental health resources more readily available is a priority for the Senate. The statistics on mental health are staggering, with more than 40% of Utah adults experiencing symptoms of anxiety or depression. We are working to create a more effective approach to mental health in our state.
S.B. 27 Behavioral Health System Amendments creates a behavioral health commission within the Department of Health and Human Services. The commission combines several existing behavioral health commissions under a single umbrella to create a cohesive approach to addressing behavioral health concerns in the state.
Understanding that good data drives good policy, H.B. 139 Mental Health Treatment Study requires the Office of Substance Use and Mental Health to conduct a study on the delivery and accessibility of mental health services throughout the state. The study will identify resources and funding for mental health treatment models that prevent crisis intervention, barriers to access and funding gaps. It will also examine the impact of federal funding on mental health services and seek input from various stakeholders. The data from this study will inform the master plan used to guide mental health legislation. I appreciate everyone who has shared their feedback on these important bills.
Expanding Affordable Housing Options
To address Utah’s growth and transportation needs, the Legislature is working to expand the state’s housing and transit reinvestment zones (HTRZs). HTRZs are areas designed to support mixed-use, multi-family and affordable housing development around public transportation stations. These zones enhance residents' access to public transportation, providing convenient and efficient connectivity to employment centers, educational institutions, healthcare facilities and recreational amenities. Additionally, they enable a portion of incremental tax revenue growth to be captured over a period of time to support the costs of enhanced development.
S.B. 208 Housing and Transit Reinvestment Zone Amendments modifies various HTRZ provisions, such as increasing the percentage of affordable housing units from 10% to 12%, requiring a distribution of low-income and first-time units throughout developments and encouraging owner-occupied housing within a zone. These changes will help expand affordable housing options for people who would like to live in more densely populated areas that provide nearby public transportation and amenities. Learn more about the bill here.
State Boards and Commissions Revisions
The Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel conducted a comprehensive study to identify all boards and commissions that do not currently require governor-appointed members to be confirmed by the Senate. Based on the study’s findings, S.B. 227 Boards and Commissions Revisions specifies that any new appointment, reappointment or filling of a vacancy made by the governor should undergo the Senate’s confirmation proceedings. Additionally, the bill requires that the Utah Association of Counties and the Utah League of Cities and Towns nominate an official within 30 days of a vacancy in local government, further streamlining the appointment process for improved governance. Read the bill here.
Supporting Educators
In our ongoing efforts to support our educators, the Legislature is exploring avenues to alleviate their burdens. One critical area of focus is school discipline. This week, we considered and passed S.B. 159 Public School Discipline and Conduct Plans Amendments. This pivotal legislation addresses the escalating challenges of behavior management in schools by introducing a pilot program statewide. Under this initiative, teachers can voluntarily enroll in specialized behavior strategy training sessions to understand the root causes of student behavior, implement appropriate consequences and rewards and foster accountability while also being sensitive to mental health and family dynamics. Teachers who complete each tier of training will receive compensation, culminating in a bonus upon program completion.
Maintaining our schools’ safe, positive environments for kids and teachers is a top priority. Our teachers are the backbone of the education system, and we are deeply committed to ensuring they receive fair compensation, have a safe working environment and obtain proper training.
Establishing a Rail Ombudsman
During the last session, the Legislature created the Office of Rail Safety within the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) to regulate, monitor and maintain railroad operations. Following discussions with the UDOT, we have opted to heed their recommendation to defer the implementation of these newly proposed sections for one year, allowing us the necessary time to streamline our rail division within the department.
S.B. 235 Railroad Amendments creates a rail ombudsman position to oversee the office. Their duties include:
Coordinating and providing essential information to various stakeholders, including private citizens, government entities, rail operators and other interested parties.
Offering accessible avenues for public engagement, including a dedicated website featuring a submission form for reports or complaints.
Facilitating productive dialogue and meetings between Class I railroad companies and relevant stakeholders.
These measures will enhance rail safety, promote transparency and foster constructive dialogue between all parties involved in Utah's rail transportation system.
BYU Day on the Hill
We were thrilled to host the BYU women’s soccer team, along with President Shane Reese and Cosmo the Cougar, at the Capitol. The team ranked #1 in the nation for the first time in the program’s history and finished the season with a stellar 20-3 record. As the second-largest school in our state, BYU plays a pivotal role in educating young Utahns, exemplifying excellence in both academics and athletics.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out. If you would like to get in touch with me, contact my intern Elijah at 385-441-0602.
Best,
Ron Winterton
