Courts, housing and too many bills? Utah kicks off 45-day legislative session

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah lawmakers convened their annual legislative session Tuesday, kicking off a 45-day stretch during which they will consider expanding the state's Supreme Court, funding infrastructure to support housing growth and possibly cutting income taxes for the sixth consecutive year.

Even before the session began, lawmakers introduced 484 bills — the most in at least the past decade — and hundreds more are expected before the session ends March 6.

Gov. Spencer Cox wishes that the number of bills were smaller.

"There should be some self-policing of this," Cox told KSL. "We have a whole bunch of people that believe in limited government up there until it's their turn to do some government, and then there's no limits."

The governor's priorities

In an interview Tuesday, Cox cited affordability as one of his key priorities this session. He acknowledged his goal to build 35,000 new starter homes by the end of his second term is "behind schedule." But he hopes a bill this year will help by making state funds available for cities to help build infrastructure for new housing developments.

"I think that could have a huge impact over the next year or two in helping to build new housing in places where we've wanted it — where it's been approved — but we just haven't been able to do it so far," Cox said.

Cox said he also supports a constitutional amendment Republicans have proposed to give the Utah Legislature power to alter or overturn laws passed by citizens through ballot initiatives.

Regarding the state's courts — which have been the target of criticism from the executive and legislative branches — Cox said recent changes still need time to play out, although he supports a proposal this year to add two justices to both the Utah Supreme Court and Utah Court of Appeals.

However, beyond that, the governor poured cold water on doing anything else in that area right now.

"There may be some changes that are reasonable that we can get consensus on," Cox said. "But I'm less interested in more changes to the judiciary now than I have been in the last couple years."

With a "terrible water year" so far that has the state's snowpack hovering just above 60% of normal, Cox said water conservation will be part of the discussion this session. He also said he will be in Washington, D.C., in a few weeks to meet with fellow governors and federal officials about the Colorado River Compact.

"Whatever that deal is, it's going to require more conservation from every state along the Colorado River," he said. "Certainly, we're focused on saving the Great Salt Lake, and we're doing that. We're making great strides there. That's going to take more conservation as well, and so we're going to be working together to make that happen."

The governor also said he will get behind another income tax cut only if February's budget projections show there's room to do it.

"If there's not," the governor said, "then I won't be supportive."

What GOP legislative leaders say

Senate President Stuart Adams, R-Layton, who has been a big supporter of income tax cuts, told reporters he and other legislators will "look at it really hard," while noting the recently passed "One Big Beautiful Bill" already cut taxes in Utah by $300 million.

But, Adams added, "we're not going to give up the fact that we might look at a tax cut."

Sen. Jerry Stevenson, R-Layton, who oversees the budgeting process, said money will be tight this year.

"We're going to have to scrutinize the budget very tight this year, very closely," Stevenson said. "There just isn't a lot of money, but I can assure you that we will get that money spent … in the place where it makes the most sense for the citizens of the state of Utah."

This is Stevenson's last year shaping the state budget, as he is not running for reelection. But Adams is running for another term, and he faces several Republican challengers. In fact, this is the eighth session for Adams leading the Senate in one of the most powerful positions in state government. He's been in the Legislature for more than 20 years.

Asked if he plans to run again as Senate president if he wins reelection, Adams didn't say.

"I'm not going to go there," he said. "We're early in the session. We'll see what happens. But I will say that it's been an honor to serve."

Utah House Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, who is entering his third session leading the House of Representatives, said his caucus aims to focus this session primarily on issues related to the cost of living and affordability — issues he said are "things that do make a difference for Utahns."

"There's always those bills that come out that are attention grabbers," Schultz said. "But at the end of the day, do they really make a difference in people's lives? Probably not."

Democrats warn of 'horrifying' transgender, immigration bills

Democrats, meanwhile, said they plan to push back on some of the more controversial proposals that have been put forward by GOP lawmakers. Republicans hold a supermajority in both the House and Senate.

"More than anything, we want folks to feel like this isn't all going to be defense this session, even though we know there are some really difficult —some might even say horrifying — bills that are coming out," Sen. Jen Plumb, D-Salt Lake City, told reporters. "To me, those feel like distractions from the real issues at hand for our communities. We want to focus on those real issues, not on the cruel distractions."

Senate Minority Leader Luz Escamilla, D-Salt Lake City, spoke of several bills she views as targeting vulnerable groups, including immigrants, refugees and members of the LGBTQ+ community. Transgender Utahns have been at the heart of controversial bills passed in each of the past several legislative sessions, and Escamilla said it's "alarming" to see more legislation on the subject.

"This is not the Utah way," she said. "I don't think it reflects on our values of our state."

One proposal would ban gender-related puberty blockers and sex hormones for minors — making permanent a pause on such gender-related treatments for minors. Another would make several broad changes, including a ban on changing the sex designation on birth certificates, prohibiting transgender individuals from working in certain face-to-face roles with children in education, and giving preference in child custody fights to parents who don't support a child identifying as a gender that doesn't match the sex on their birth certificate.

"These are not about problems that are actually impacting our state," Plumb said. "These are about mean, petty, cruel jabs."

Democrats also criticized several immigration bills that would keep undocumented migrants from accessing public health immunizations and homeless shelters, prohibit them from driving, and block landlords and home sellers from renting or selling to those in the country illegally.

Asked about the slate of controversial bills, Schultz declined to say which, if any, might be a priority or have a chance of passing.

"There's some that I do support," the speaker said. "There's some that I'm still trying to wrap my head around, as well as all members of the Legislature. We'll have plenty of time to discuss those bills moving forward individually, for sure."

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