Here are 12 bills headed to the governor as Utah wraps 2025 legislative session
What we're watching: Gov. Spencer Cox has until March 27 to sign, veto or allow bills to pass without his signature.
He declined to say during a Friday press conference which bills were on his veto list.
Here are some of the bills headed to his desk:
🏳️🌈 Pride flags would be banned from being displayed in schools and government buildings under HB 77.
The big picture: The bill's Senate sponsor, Sen. Dan McCay (R-Riverton) argued the legislation would neutralize government buildings and classrooms from political speech.
The latest: The bill has received staunch pushback from LGBTQ+ and civil rights groups. In a statement, Equality Utah said the bill targets free expression and that it would support legal action to fight it in court.
🗳️ Any citizen-led initiatives that raise taxes would have to win 60% voter approval, rather than a simple majority, under a state constitutional amendment proposed in SJR 2.
Case in point: Medicaid expansion and the medical cannabis program that passed in 2018 would have failed under this amendment. Since it's a constitutional amendment, SJR 2 would still have to get voter approval in the 2026 general election.
Meanwhile, citizens who initiate a ballot measure would have to foot the bill to print the measure in newspapers, as required by the state constitution, under SB 73.
📱 Cell phones and smart watches would be prohibited in classrooms under SB 178 unless a school district establishes exemptions.
🗳️ Starting in 2026, voters would have to include the last four digits of their driver license or state ID on their mail ballot instead of their signature, per HB 300. To vote by mail, Utahns will have to opt-in before 2029.
🌿 Want to grow dank weed? Under HB 343, you'd have to submit a plan to the state to show your farm won't stink out the neighbors.
⛕ State transportation officials would be allowed to veto some of Salt Lake City's traffic-calming street design efforts under a measure in SB 195 that specifically targets Utah's capital city.
🍸 Bartenders would be allowed to sample cocktails using the " straw test" method in SB 238 to ensure quality.
⚖️ The governor would appoint the chief justice of the Utah Supreme Court if SB 296 passes. Justices currently elect the chief justice by a majority vote.
🌫️ Halogen emissions — a big contributor to winter inversions — would be subject to more study and regulation under HB 420.
👶 Infants could be relinquished to the state without penalty up to 90 days after birth, rather than 30, under SB 57.
🍱 Kids in public schools would have expanded access to free and reduced-price lunches under HB 100.
🚱 Utah would become the first in the nation to prohibit adding fluoride in public water systems if Cox signs HB 81.
Zoom out: The move comes soon after U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. opposed the practice.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
34 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Michael Steele: Lackluster GOP candidates open a 'battlefield' in fight for Senate control
Democrats have scored yet another major recruiting victory in their fight to flip control of the Senate. On Monday, former Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio officially announced he would run to fill the Senate seat left vacant by Vice President JD Vance. Michael Steele, former Republican National Committee chair and co-host of 'The Weeknight,' said Brown's comeback bid shows how Democrats could sail to victory in next year's elections. According to Steele, there are three types of candidates in each election cycle: the vulnerable, the secure and 'the unknown.' He called Brown an unknown — an 'individual who gets in a race that no one thought they would.' Steele said those candidates have a higher chance at an upset. 'That's the part that I think all of this works to the advantage of Democrats, because they have much more of those unknowns sort of falling into their favor,' he continued, pointing to North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper's decision to enter the Senate race in his state. Steele also said there was another factor working in Democrats' favor ahead of the midterms: Many high-profile Republicans are sitting on the sidelines. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and former New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu both declined to run for Senate, despite pleas from their party. Steele said their absences open up a 'battlefield' for Democrats and it's up to them to 'seize the moment, the momentum and the messaging.' When Steele's co-host, Alicia Menendez, asked why he believed prominent Republicans like Kemp and Sununu were sitting out of the midterms, the former RNC chair said, 'It's not complicated.' 'They don't want Donald Trump anywhere near anything they're touching, because their ambitions go beyond 2026,' he said. 'So they don't want to have to run in a campaign in which Donald Trump could throw some smack their way, or they may have to smack him.' You can watch Steele's full analysis in the clip at the top of the page. This article was originally published on
Axios
an hour ago
- Axios
Colorado lawmakers tap reserve, end tax breaks to fill budget gap
Democratic leaders at the state Capitol outlined plans Tuesday to increase taxes, cut services and tap reserve funds to close a $1 billion budget hole spurred by President Trump's "big, beautiful bill." State of play: The legislation will generate fierce debate about how the state should manage its money when lawmakers return Thursday for a special legislative session. The core of the Democratic plan eliminates a handful of corporate tax breaks worth a combined $300 million to $400 million. The five-bill package will limit the business tax deduction, remove corporate tax breaks on foreign-sold goods and crack down on corporate profit shifting to tax haven countries. The intrigue: The most controversial proposal is lowering the state's 15% financial reserve by $200 million to $300 million, dropping it to 13% at a time when fiscal analysts are warning about a potential recession. Yes, but: Those moves are not enough to close a roughly $750 million gap. Instead, lawmakers will punt $300 million in spending cuts to balance the $44 billion state budget to the governor in consultation with the legislative Joint Budget Committee in the coming weeks. The governor is expected to move quickly to implement cuts by Sept. 1. What they're saying: "We're looking forward to rolling up our sleeves and making sure we can maintain strong fiscal stewardship here in Colorado," Gov. Jared Polis told Axios Denver in a recent interview. Between the lines: More than most states, Colorado is susceptible to changes in federal taxes because they affect state income taxes. The federal tax bill, known as H.R. 1, reduced the state's individual and corporate income taxes by an estimated $1.2 billion, according to the governor's office. The other side: Republican state lawmakers are touting the cuts from Trump's tax bill and pushing back against Democratic efforts to generate new tax revenue, suggesting spending cuts are what is most needed. Sen. Byron Pelton (R-Sterling) plans to introduce legislation requiring voter approval for any bill that changes state tax liability caused by federal tax law. What's next: Beyond the budget, Democratic lawmakers also plan to introduce legislation to stabilize the state's health care marketplaces amid projections that thousands of residents could lose their insurance and enable Planned Parenthood to accept Medicaid payments.
Boston Globe
an hour ago
- Boston Globe
Oklahoma will test some incoming teachers with ‘America-first' exam
Advertisement 'We're not bringing in woke indoctrinators into the classroom,' Walters told The Washington Post on Monday, adding, 'It's a very America-first approach.' Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Walters has courted controversy for previous efforts to shape Oklahoma's schools, including distributing Bibles in classrooms and backing a proposal to teach high-schoolers that there were 'discrepancies' in the 2020 election. He supported the unsuccessful effort to create the nation's first public religious charter school in Oklahoma that culminated in a deadlocked Supreme Court ruling in May. Walters told the education board that its members will not have a chance to review the test for teacher candidates before it is implemented. Chris Van Denhende, a board member, asked Walters in July to ensure the policy 'passes legal muster.' Advertisement 'It sounds like we're on the edge,' Van Denhende said. The requirement went into effect over the summer, Walters said, but the test is being finalized. Applicants from New York and California receive a notice that they will not be accepted until they complete the exam, once it is ready. Walters said he hoped the exam would be released 'soon.' The Oklahoma State Department of Education shared five sample questions from the multiple-choice test Monday, covering topics such as the Constitution and the makeup of Congress. Oklahoma already requires new teachers to take a US citizenship test, which covers civics topics, to complete their certification. Walters said the test for California and New York teachers would also focus on 'the biological differences between the two genders.' Some sample questions from the exam: 1. What are the first three words of the Constitution? A. In God We Trust B. Life, Liberty, Happiness C. The United States D. We the People 2. Why is freedom of religion important to America's identity? A. It makes Christianity the national religion B. It bans all forms of public worship C. It limits religious teaching in public life D. It protects religious choice from government control 3. What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress? A. House of Lords and Commons B. Courts and Senate C. Executive and Legislative D. Senate and House of Representatives 4. How many U.S. Senators are there? A. 435 B. 110 C. 50 D. 100 5. Why do some states have more Representatives than others? A. They cover a larger geographic area B. They have held statehood for a longer period C. The number is determined by military presence Advertisement D. Representation is determined by population size - Oklahoma State Department of Education Applicants will have to answer all 50 questions correctly to qualify. Walters said the test is 'common sense' and 'straightforward.' While the requirement is aimed at teaching applicants from California and New York, Walters said he would consider expanding the test to applicants from other blue states. Cari Elledge, president of the Oklahoma Education Association, which represents the state's school employees, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. She told USA Today that the move is a 'political stunt to grab attention,' adding that inserting politics into the state's teacher screenings could harm morale and turn away good educators. The union told its members in a July letter that Walters 'has no legal authority to vet certified teachers based on political ideology' because state law requires Oklahoma to recognize out-of-state teaching credentials, USA Today reported. Walters said he is prepared for the teacher test to face legal challenges. The move deepens PragerU's influence in state education. The nonprofit, which produces videos promoting conservative views of history, race, sex, and gender, has secured partnerships with at least five states to allow their content to be optional teaching material in public schools.
