Libertas Legislation Tracker


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The following bills are included in this year's Legislative Tracker. Below each bill's title and number is our summary and explanation of why we support or oppose the bill.

Efficient Energy Permitting (HB 85) Support

This bill makes updates to environmental permitting, including plantwide applicability limitations and permit by rule registration.

Libertas supports this bill. By streamlining and clarifying permitting processes, the bill reduces regulatory burdens on businesses while maintaining environmental oversight, encouraging innovation and operational efficiency.

Secondary Offense for Window Tinting (HB 112) Support

This bill prohibits law enforcement from requesting license or registration suspension for window tint violations, even if repeated.

Libertas supports this bill. This prevents citizens from facing unnecessary penalties for minor, non-safety-related offenses.

Clarifying Fraud and Misrepresentation Definitions (HB 114) Support

This bill eliminates vague and restrictive language, ensuring that only clear cases of fraud or misrepresentation are penalized.

Libertas supports this bill. While fraud and misrepresentation should be prohibited, the law must clearly define these offenses to prevent vague or overly broad restrictions.

Denying contact Info to Teacher's Unions (HB 124) Support

This bill prohibits school districts from selling teachers' contact information to third parties, including organizations like teacher unions.

Libertas supports this bill. Government groups like public schools should not aid public school unions in their efforts to gain membership. It is a conflict of interest.

Unneccesary Criminal Penalties for Referees (HB 140) Oppose

This bill makes an assault against a referee during a sporting event considered a more severe offense than against other individuals.

Libertas opposes this bill. Referees should not be considered a special, protected class of individuals under the law.

Exempting More Tangilble Personal Property From Taxation (HB 155) Support

This bill increases the tangible personal property tax exemption from $25,000 to $100,000.

Libertas supports this bill. The tangible personal property tax is one of the most burdensome and tedious taxes for businesses, particularly small businesses and entrepreneurs. Raising the exemption to $100,000 would reduce the number of businesses subject to this tax, providing relief and allowing them to focus on growth and innovation instead of compliance with complex tax requirements.

Removing Accreditation Requirements (HB 160) Support

This bill removes the requirement for bachelor's degrees to be accredited for non-medical licenses that include a licensure exam as part of the process.

Libertas supports this bill. The accreditation process does not improve the quality of education and creates unnecessary redundancy when a licensure exam is already required. Removing this requirement promotes efficiency and encourages competition and innovation in higher education.

Re-Entry Modifications (HB 167) Support

This bill directs the Department of Corrections to use these funds for rehabilitation and reentry services.

Libertas supports this bill. It reduces recidivism and supports offenders' reintegration into society.

Lower Priced Triplexes and Quadplexes (HB 175) Support

This bill would allow triplexes and quadplexes to be regulated under the International Residential Code (IRC) rather than the more stringent International Building Code (IBC).

Libertas supports this bill. This bill would lower construction costs for triplexes and quadplexes, making them more affordable for families seeking entry-level housing without relying on subsidies or additional government programs.

Dry Needling Amendments (HB 188) Support

This bill creates a registration requirement for an occupational therapist to perform dry needling, expands the definition of both physical therapy and occupational therapy to include dry needling, and creates a registration requirement for an occupational therapist to engage in dry needling.

Libertas supports this bill. Dry needling is an effective treatment and should be accessible and practicable.

Limiting the Utah Fits All Scholarship (HB 192) Oppose

This bill puts unreasonable restrictions on Utah Fits All scholarship recipients, including prohibiting any service that can also be provided by the local district.

Libertas opposes this bill. Many of the restrictions in this bill are overly stringent, placing so many limitations on the scholarship that it becomes practically unusable for anything other than the most traditional education options.

Making it Easier to Homeschool (HB 209) Support

This bill eliminates the homeschool affidavit, allowing parents to start with a letter of intent and removes the need to reaffirm homeschooling after moving.

Libertas supports this bill. Homeschooling should be easy to choose, without unnecessary forms or reapproval after moving.

Smarter Power Grids for Utah (HB 212) Support

This bill establishes a grid enhancing technologies program to modernize Utah’s energy grid.

Libertas supports this bill. By incentivizing utilities to adopt advanced grid technologies, it improves energy efficiency, reliability, and capacity while ensuring cost-effectiveness for consumers through innovative solutions.

Redundant Criminal Penalties (HB 221) Oppose

This bill seeks to create an additional criminal offense for an act that is already illegal under existing law.

Libertas opposes this bill. This is a redundant penalty that should not be enacted.

Right to Records (HB 222) Support

This bill ensures that accident reports and records are more easily accessible by involved parties

Libertas supports this bill. All parties in an accident case should have access to any relevant evidence, regardless of its sensitivity.

Digital Asset Investment and Mining Protection (HB 230) Support

This bill empowers the state treasurer to invest in qualifying digital assets, protects digital asset mining, and establishes requirements for investing in digital assets.

Libertas supports this bill. By integrating digital assets into state investments, this bill modernizes financial management, enables innovative asset strategies, and further positions Utah as a leader in digital innovation.

Help for Urban Farmers - Simpler Property Tax Assesment (HB 240) Support

This bill clarifies that land dedicated to urban farming qualifies for agricultural tax treatment if it generates at least $1,000 in annual gross sales per quarter-acre.

Libertas supports this bill. Small-scale farmers should receive tax treatment comparable to larger farms and efforts to simplify and streamline eligibility requirements for farmers deserves support.

Expanding Property Rights for Rural Landowners (HB 255) Support

This bill enables property owners of at least 50 acres of agricultural land in a county of the third, fourth, fifth, or sixth class to create a "minor subdivision" which enables them to carve out lots as small as one-acre from the larger parcel.

Libertas supports this bill. Landowners deserve the freedom to make decisions that best suit their circumstances and desires.

More Unnecessary Regulations for Short-Term Rental Operators (HB 256) Oppose

This bill does not enhance anyone's rights to operate a short-term rental on their property. Instead, the bill enables cities to require the inclusion of their permit number on a short-term rental listing and enables cities to request the removal of the listing if the short-term rental is operating in violation of business license or zoning requirements.

Libertas opposes this bill. Our preference is for cities to have basic regulations that address issues that may occur from short-term rentals, not to add additional requirements for listings.

Eliminating Higher Ed Inefficiencies (HB 265) Support

This bill requires public colleges and universities to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of each of their academic programs.

Libertas supports this bill. While we would like the legislature to go further, this bill is a nice first step to rein in higher education spending.

Limiting Public Unions (HB 267) Support

This bill requires public labor unions to recertify that they represent at least 50% of the employees every 5 years. It also prohibits government entities from using public resources to support the labor union.

Libertas supports this bill. Public employee unions are not part of the government. They should not have access to public resources that other members of the public could not access.

Improved Notification for Property Tax Relief Eligibility (SB 16) Support

This bill requires annual property tax notices to include a statement informing property owners aged 75 and older about potential eligibility for property tax deferral, along with a telephone number for further information.

Libertas supports this bill. It ensures seniors facing difficulties with property tax payments are informed about a program that allows them to defer taxes and maintain ownership of their homes.

Less Eminent Domain Usage for Utilities (SB 61) Support

This bill mandates that when the government seeks to use eminent domain to acquire land for certain utility infrastructure, it must prioritize utilizing federal public lands over private property.

Libertas supports this bill. Government projects should use existing public lands whenever possible, minimizing the need to seize private property and protecting individual property rights.

Automatic Income Tax Reductions for Revenue Windfalls (SB 85) Support

This bill proposes an automatic state income tax reduction when the state receives a windfall.

Libertas supports this bill. This change promotes fiscal responsibility and ensures that surplus funds are not treated as an opportunity for increased spending.

State Income Tax Reduction (SB 116) Support

This bill reduces the individual and corporate income tax rate from 4.55 percent to 4.5 percent.

Libertas Institute supports this bill. While a larger tax cut would be ideal, cuts to Utah's income tax are very welcome.

Splitting Public and Private Programs in SOEP (SB 137) Support

This bill separates the public and private statewide online education program in two programs.

Libertas supports this bill. Public schools have different needs and requirements than private and homeschool students. Separating the programs ensures each can better serve students based on their educational model.

License Plate Reader Amendments (SB 138) Oppose

This bill allows a government entity to use information and data obtained from an automatic license plate reader for certain law enforcement purposes, including certain instances where the information was not obtained by a warrant.

Libertas opposes this bill. Citizens have a reasonable right to privacy as motorists.

Turning App Stores into Age Gates (SB 142) Oppose

This bill establishes age verification and parental consent requirements for app store providers and developers to protect minors using mobile apps.

Libertas opposes this bill. Increased regulation may discourage innovation and free market competition while also restricting individual and parental autonomy and responsibility

Municipal Broadband Service Amendments (SB 165) Support

This bill ensures municipal broadband proposals are subject to adequate transparency and accountability for residents to make an informed decision.

Libertas supports this bill. While some municipalities should be free to improve their own communities, municipal broadband proposals tend to be overpriced and unsustainable. This law would put these programs to a vote, and ensure all available information is available to the public.

Zoning for New and Innovative Businesses (SB 179) Support

This bill ensures that cities and counties establish a clear, transparent process for entrepreneurs seeking to have new or innovative business types added to local zoning ordinances. It also sets a firm 60-day deadline for local governments to approve or deny such applications.

Libertas supports this bill. Residents and entrepreneurs deserve a predictable, efficient, and fair process when navigating local zoning and permitting regulations.

Higher Threshold for New Taxes Enacted by Initiative (SJR 2) Support

This resolution proposes requiring a 60% supermajority vote from Utahns to pass any statewide initiative that imposes a new tax, increases an existing tax rate, or expands an existing tax to cover additional items or transactions.

Libertas supports this resolution. New taxes, especially those being attempted via the statewide initiative process, deserve a higher threshold to be enacted.