Welcome to the 2026 Legislative Session. This weekly brief is a UTIA-member benefit. If there is interest in receiving this tracker please refer to becoming a member by clicking here.

February 17, 2026

2026 UTIA Legislative Priorities

2026 Legislator and Intern Contact List

Budget

Economic and Community Development Appropriations Subcommittee

The Economic and Community Development Subappropriations Committee held its final meeting on February 10, finalizing recommendations for funding prioritizations and reductions for the Executive Appropriations Committee (EAC). Despite an initial proposal from Legislative Fiscal Analysts to eliminate the film incentive program entirely, both the Tourism Marketing Performance Fund and the Film Incentive Program were maintained.

Senator Jerry Stevenson’s Rural Film Incentive RFA was prioritized for $2 million in ongoing funding, significantly below the $12 million requested. Continued advocacy will be necessary to restore the program to its prior $12 million level and maintain its effectiveness in rural communities.

As a reminder, these figures are not yet final, as the EAC has the ability to make adjustments to subcommittee recommendations.

Restaurant Tax

❌ HB 231, Restaurant Tax Repeal Amendments, Rep. Norman Thurston 

This bill removes the ability for a county to impose the restaurant tax on food items and alcoholic beverage items sold at restaurants and prepared foods sold at convenience stores, gas stations, and grocery stores.

Instead, it provides counties with the ability to impose a smaller sales tax amount on all taxable transactions, other than food and food ingredients, at a unique rate per county that will generate the equivalent amount previously generated by the restaurant tax.

WHY THIS MATTERS:
The tourism industry continues to oppose HB 231, Restaurant Tax Repeal Amendments. We believe that the bill sponsor is actively working to resurrect this bill through new angles to garner additional support. Exact substitute language has not yet been released.

  📣 TAKE ACTION:  

Tourism industry stakeholders, and other entities that benefit from the Restaurant Tax funding, are encouraged to continue to contact their House Representative to respectfully share their opposition for HB 231.

Industry Talking Points:

• While the bill offers a replacement for TRCCA revenues (and currently maintains allowable uses), it would pressure counties to raise a general local option sales tax, spreading the tax burden across all residents. This approach is more regressive for lower-income households while providing greater tax relief to higher-income individuals who dine out more often, as well as visitors and tourists. The existing restaurant tax remains a dedicated, visitor-supported funding source for tourism promotion and the development, operation, and maintenance of critical community infrastructure.

Resources for reaching out to your legislator:

• Find Your Legislator

• 2026 Utah Legislators + Interns Contact Information

  • Include their legislative intern in your communications

• Tips for Contacting Your Legislators

Private Business

S.B. 287 Targeted Advertising Tax, Sen. Mike McKell

This bill proposes a 4.7% sales tax on gross revenue from targeted internet advertising services. The tax applies only to "Targeted Advertising Entities" that meet two specific annual revenue thresholds:

• At least $1 million generated from targeted ads within Utah; and

• At least $100 million in total targeted advertising revenue globally.

WHY THIS MATTERS: 

While the legislation focuses on major tech platforms (such as Meta and Google), it could create significant indirect costs for Utah businesses. Small-to-medium businesses that rely on digital marketing may see increased advertising rates or service fees if major platforms pass the tax burden on to their customers. Additionally, the tax revenue is earmarked for a new restricted account to fund youth programs, including mental health and child literacy. The bill is modeled in part after a similar law passed in Maryland, which is currently facing ongoing constitutional litigation.

❌ S.B. 211 S1 Tort Amendments, Sen. Kirk Cullimore

This bill:

• Limits what juries can hear about insurance and paid medical bills. 

• Prevents settlement decisions based on discounted medical costs.

• Increases potential liability exposure and insurance costs. 

Much of the Utah business community is opposed to SB 211 as it is currently drafted. We anticipate a new substitute bill.

Additionally, the industry is closely monitoring an alternative bill sponsored by Senator Ron Winterton (below).

S.B. 280 Damages Amendments, Sen. Ron Winterton

S.B. 280 seeks to standardize how medical damages are calculated and proven in civil injury and wrongful-death cases. It ties recoverable damages to the actual or necessarily owed costs rather than billed charges and improves transparency through mandatory disclosure requirements.

WHY THIS MATTERS:
S.B. 211 Tort Amendments would move Utah in the opposite direction of legislation recently enacted on this topic in Montana, Iowa, Florida and Georgia. Conversely, S.B. 280 Damages Amendments follows a modeled approach through the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), of which President Adams served as chairman last year.

State of Utah

S.B. 273 License Plate Amendments, Sen. Dan McCay

This bill introduces a structured rotation for Utah's standard license plates. The state will maintain a selection of three primary standard designs (currently In God We Trust, Life Elevated Skier, and Life Elevated Arches). Under the new system, specific plates will be designated as the "active" standard options available at the base registration rate. While "off-cycle" standard plates remain available, they will require an additional fee during those years. This rotation is scheduled to occur every five years.

WHY THIS MATTERS: 

Every five years, as outlined in the bill’s structured cycle, one of the three designs would be retired and replaced with a new design approved by the Design Review Board and the State Tax Commission. The tourism industry would like to maintain a red rock visitation style plate and a Greatest Snow on Earth plate as free registration plates, recognizing they should be periodically redesigned.

S.B. 275 State-Endorsed Digital Identity Program Amendments, Sen. Kirk Cullimore

This bill creates the State-Endorsed Digital Identity Program and establishes a Digital Identity Bill of Rights for Utahns. It legally codifies that an individual's identity is innate and independent of the state, ensuring user ownership, privacy, and protection against government overreach. Additionally, it mandates that the use of digital IDs remain voluntary and establishes a 'duty of loyalty' for entities managing digital identity data.

WHY THIS MATTERS:

For Utah’s tourism industry, digital ID is more than a technical update. It is a critical tool for improving guest experiences, alcohol compliance, fraud prevention, and privacy. As Utah prepares to host major global events, these amendments ensure the state is international-travel ready. During its hearing in the Senate Government Operations and Political Subdivisions Committee, the bill received significant praise in the due process being established. Supporters of the bill expressed that digital ID is no longer a question of “if,” but a matter of “when and how,” and positioned Utah as a national leader in this space.

H.B. 537 S1 Olympic Ticket Sales Tax Exemption, Rep. Jon Hawkins

This bill exempts the sale of 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games tickets from state sales and use tax.

WHY THIS MATTERS:

While the Utah 2034 Olympic Organizing Committee is a tax-exempt entity, it will eventually partner with a third-party ticketing platform that is not. This bill ensures that ticket sales remain exempt from sales and use tax, regardless of the distribution platform used.

During the House Economic Development & Workforce Services Committee hearing, legislators debated whether a state-level tax exemption was in Utah’s best interest. In response, Rep. Hawkins clarified that while the organizing committee is exempt from state sales tax, they have committed to implementing a separate administrative fee. This fee will be remitted to host cities and counties to offset local costs for essential services such as public safety, emergency response, snow removal, etc. The specific amount and distribution formula for these fees will be finalized at a later date.

S.B. 209 S2 Gooseberry Narrows State Park Study, Sen. Derrin Owens

This bill directs the Division of State Parks to conduct a feasibility and cost-benefit study for the development of a new state park and dam in the Gooseberry Narrows area. The division is tasked with providing recommendations to the Legislature regarding potential funding for the park's creation.

WHY THIS MATTERS:

The bill originally sought the designation of Gooseberry Narrows State Park but failed to pass the Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee. The current substitute version adopts a more incremental approach, focusing on a formal study of the area near Gooseberry Creek, located between Lower Gooseberry Dam and Fairview Lakes, to determine if the site is viable for state park status. The substitute, study-focused version was able to pass out of committee with a favorable recommendation.

Additional Resources

2026 House Majority Priorities

2026 Senate Majority Priorities

Weekly Schedules

2026 Committee Assignments

Appropriations Committees & Standing Committees