The first week of Utah’s 45-day legislative session is officially behind us, and lawmakers have been busy introducing bills, holding committee hearings, and setting the tone for the weeks ahead. We’ve even seen a bill that will make it easier for veterans to work clear the Senate.
As is customary for the first week, state leaders took to the podium to outline their vision for Utah’s future. Gov. Spencer Cox used his 2026 State of the State address to urge lawmakers and residents to recommit to the founding principles of civic virtue, moral character, and self-government that have sustained the country for nearly 250 years, emphasizing that liberty and prosperity depend on both sound policy and personal responsibility.
Speaker Mike Schultz opened the session Tuesday by calling on lawmakers to show courage and think long-term as they make decisions that shape the future of Utah families and communities. Across the rotunda, Senate President Stuart Adams opened the 2026 general session by urging lawmakers to build on the state’s strengths with a focus on affordability, opportunity, innovation, and strong communities.
Alongside the speeches came a wave of proposals. Some ideas expand opportunity and protect individual rights. Others risk adding new layers of red tape and control. Our job is to cut through the noise, spotlight what truly matters, and give you a front-row seat to what’s happening in Salt Lake City.
Here’s a recap of what happened this week:
- The Senate quickly adopted Senate Bill 90, sponsored by Sen. Heidi Balderree. This proposal will allow veterans to use training or experience when seeking an occupational license, rather than having to redo coursework. This is a top priority for Libertas, and our Director of Public Policy, Jason Chipman, testified in support of the bill on Wednesday. We are excited to see Utah leading the way in providing job opportunities for veterans.
- Legislation to report on and research why students are chronically absent has been introduced in the House. House Bill 106, sponsored by Rep. Andrew Stoddard, would examine the growing problem, and provide a non-punitive solution. Jon England, our Education Policy Analyst, recently wrote about this issue.
- Legislation has also been introduced to modernize and strengthen Utah’s Electronic Information Privacy Act to better protect individuals’ private digital data. HB 261 is sponsored by Rep. Jason Kyle.
- HB 179, sponsored by Rep. Kristen Chevrier, modernizes Utah’s milk laws by clarifying how raw milk and raw milk products can be produced and sold, while protecting the rights of families and farmers who participate in voluntary cow-share agreements.
- For reference, the Utah House Majority Caucus released its 2026 policy priorities, outlining an agenda focused on lowering the cost of living, strengthening families, maintaining limited government, investing in infrastructure, improving public safety and accountability, enhancing education, and protecting Utah’s water resources.
- The Utah Senate Majority released its “Strong Foundations, Stronger Future” priorities, highlighting goals around education, water sustainability, energy and innovation, constitutional protections, election integrity, and economic opportunity.
