After disclosures that a sports park in Tooele County was purchased by a company linked to the Chinese government (that was forced to sell the land under existing law), House Majority Whip Candice Pierucci pushed through an expansion to lower the stakes a foreign government can have in companies that own property in the state. She argued it was a matter of national security and her colleagues unanimously agreed.
A bill to crack down on foreign governments or terrorist organizations’ efforts at “transnational repression,” or seeking to silence voices in Utah, passed the legislature.
A bill on “transport utility fees” which allow local governments to assess an infrastructure fee on entities that are property tax-exempt was a heated battle in the 2025 session when The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints opposed it. Not so in 2026 when they stayed neutral on it and the bill passed the legislature unanimously.
A bill to increase the salary of Utah’s Attorney General was proposed — over the objection of Attorney General Derek Brown himself, who said he would rather see the wages spent on attorneys in his office. It passed when they raised the salaries of all executive branch office-holders.
A bill tweaking how the Utah Attorney General’s Office bills for legal defense also passed.
Fueling ongoing rumors of a desire to split-up Salt Lake County, Rep. Jordan Teuscher proposed a bill that would create more of a process to allow cities to petition to form a new county. It died, then passed moments before the midnight deadline.
Rep. Lisa Shepherd’s bill that blocked the governor from declaring any state of emergency in response to an international body’s designation (like COVID-19 and the World Health Organization) passed the House and failed in the Senate.
Sen. Brady Brammer passed a bill to allow for lobbyists to offer lawmakers tickets to events at private universities (like BYU).
A bill to end the three-day weekend in Utah associated with Juneteenth passed. Rep. Sandra Hollins’ bill would have it recognized the same day as the national holiday.
Maternity leave for state employees would be expanded under a bill that passed the legislature. A bill that combines sick and PTO for state employees but also adds to their retirement passed.
Sen. Dan McCay passed a bill that blocks cities from enforcing noise ordinances on public golf courses in the morning hours.
