2023 Bills

SB 81: Property Tax Relief for Seniors Program Update

This bill passed the House 68-1 and passed the Senate unanimously. Review our tracker for more information.

Libertas Institute supports this bill

Staff review of this legislation finds that it aligns with our principles and should therefore be passed into law.

In 2022, Senator Lincoln Fillmore sponsored a bill that created a statewide property tax deferral program. His bill passed, enabling Utah homeowners — over the age of 75 with an income of less than $65,000 a year — to apply to forgo the payment of property tax until the sale of their home or a transfer of ownership takes place. This bill was very welcome, as it prevented seniors from losing their home simply because home prices skyrocketed due to the housing shortage.

This session, Sen. Fillmore is sponsoring Senate Bill 81, which addresses issues with the current program:

Implements a number of clarifying and technical fixes that will help county governments properly roll out and administer the deferral program.
Ensures that seniors who are truly “house rich” but “cash poor” qualify for the deferral program.
Accelerates the deadline for implementation to 2024.

These updates to the program are welcomed, as they address necessary logistical issues and help prevent Utah seniors from making increasingly impossible choices with how to spend their hard-earned money, like whether to spend money on necessary medical treatments or property taxes.