Legislative Updates - 10 February 2025

<< All 2025 updates

Dear Friends:

This is GrassRoots’ 3rd weekly legislative update on this year’s General Session of the Utah State Legislature. At this time (3 weeks into the session), there are about 730 numbered bills for this session on the Utah Legislature website. Here are some bills and issues that we consider to be noteworthy.

Bills catching our attention

HB300, “Amendments to Election Law”, sponsored by Representative Burton, would:

• provide that, after a ballot is mailed to a voter, the voter is, subject to certain exceptions, required to return the ballot in person to a polling place where the voter must provide valid voter identification;
• provide exceptions to the requirement described in the preceding paragraph, including if: a) the voter timely applies to return a ballot by mail; b) the voter returns a ballot as a military or overseas voter; or c) the voter has other legal grounds;
• subject to certain exceptions, require a voter to appear in person and provide valid voter identification when: a) voting at a polling place; b) returning a ballot to a polling place; or c) requesting to return a ballot by mail;
• establish requirements for the number, and hours of operation, of ballot drop boxes in a jurisdiction;
• provide that a ballot may be returned to a ballot drop box only when the ballot drop box is attended by two or more poll workers; and
• modify forms, voting requirements, and other provisions to conform with the provisions of this bill.

HB300 passed the House Government Operations Committee 9-4 on Feb 4th, and awaits consideration by the full House.

Preservation (or, in some cases, restoration) of election integrity is essential to properly maintaining the principle of Representative Government. We believe that, by better ensuring that votes are being cast by the actual registered voters, HB300 is helpful to that end. GrassRoots favors a “yes” vote on HB300.

SB173, “School Meal Amendments”, sponsored by Senator Escamilla, would:

• create the Universal Free School Meals Program;
• provide free meals to students enrolled in public schools, specifying that “A student is automatically enrolled in the Universal Free School Meals Program, unless the student's parent or guardian opts the student out” (see lines 113-114); and
• create a restricted account to assist in funding the school meals.

The Fiscal Note for SB73 indicates that the bill would increase annual expenditures by $321 million, while increasing annual revenues by $160 million.

SB173 awaits consideration by the Senate Education Committee.

SB173 is a needless enlargement of the Welfare State. We question whether government force should be employed to feed students. (We believe the feeding of students should be done by their families, and, when help is needed, by private voluntary associations.) But, by specifying that all students are automatically enrolled (rich and poor and “middle class”), this is an advancement of the idea that government should provide giveaways and take away parental, family, and individual responsibility. GrassRoots favors a “no” vote on SB173.

Updated status on a bill covered in past weekly updates:

HB69Sub2, “Government Records and Information Amendments”, sponsored by Representative Gricius and Senator Musselman, would:

• prohibit a government officer from accessing or using government records or information for a “primarily personal purpose” (including “a political purpose”), unless the government officer gains access to the records or information in the same manner as a member of the public; and
• make it a crime (class B misdemeanor, with jail time up to 180 days) to intentionally violate the provisions described in the preceding paragraph.

Additional coverage of HB69 (an earlier version) and of HB69Sub2 may be found in our updates of January 27th and February 3rd.

HB69Sub2 passed the House 72-0 on Jan 29th, and the Senate Government Operations and Political Subdivisions Committee 4-0 on February 3rd, and awaits consideration on the Senate 2nd Reading Calendar.

Our concerns spelled out in previous updates on this bill still stand. We have one more concern with HB69Sub2: As we read lines 238-269 of HB69Sub2, we find that a government officer may be subjected to up to 180 days in prison for accessing, using, copying, or releasing various public information. We consider this to be an abusive measure, and an unwarranted gag order, on government workers who may feel a need to reveal or highlight certain public information or even to serve as a whistleblower.

GrassRoots still favors a “no” vote on HB69Sub2.

If you have any questions about these bills, GrassRoots’ position on these bills, or related matters, please contact either of us or any other member of the Board of Utah GrassRoots.

Sincerely,

Steve Stromness
Vice-Chairman, Bill Review Coordinator, Utah GrassRoots
steven.stromness@gmail.com
435-637-5248

Don Guymon
Chairman, Utah GrassRoots
donguymon@gmail.com

PS Do you want to contact a legislator? Go to le.utah.gov and click on “Legislators”.

Do you want to read and follow legislation yourself? Go to le.utah.gov and click on “2025 General Session Page” then click on “2025 Bills”.

Do you have other questions about how to effectively participate in the political process? Please contact us, and we will try to help as appropriate.

Do you have friends that would appreciate this legislative update? Please feel free to forward it to them.

Would you like to help us with review of legislation in a small or large way? Consider taking a special look at bills sponsored by your own representative or senator. Please contact us with your findings and/or with any questions we might be able to help you with.