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2022 Legislative Update: Week 3

January 31 – February 4, 2022

Higher Education Appropriations Subcommittee

The Higher Education Appropriations Subcommittee continued its meetings this week and received presentations from the remaining USHE institutions. Below are links to the institutions’ presentations:

The subcommittee meets two more times this session: Monday, February 7, and Wednesday, February 9. The subcommittee will prioritize USHE budget priorities along with several other requests for state appropriations and advance those to the Executive Appropriations Committee for further review as the Legislature works to formulate a new budget for FY23.

Infrastructure and General Government Appropriation Subcommittee

The Infrastructure and General Government Appropriation Subcommittee met and heard requests for buildings/renovations from each USHE college. Below is a list (with links) to each request: 

Bonding and non-state funded project authorizations

The subcommittee meets one more time this session on Tuesday, February 8, to discuss priorities regarding buildings and government capital projects.

Legislation of Interest:

HB 96 – Government Records Amendments by Rep. Johnson — modifies provisions of the Government Records Access and Management Act, allowing a government entity to charge a fee for repeat requestors. The bill passed the House unanimously and awaits consideration by the Senate.

HB 226 – Higher Education and Corrections Council by Rep. Snow — establishes a council to advise the Utah Board of Higher Education regarding postsecondary education in Utah’s prisons. The council is also responsible for analyzing the outcomes of prison education. The bill awaits a committee hearing.

SB 42 – Higher Education Performance Funding Goals by Sen. Millner — codifies five-year performance goals for the Utah System of Higher Education and each institution of higher education. This bill passed the Senate and the House unanimously.

SB 71 – Financial Education and Savings Plan to Benefit At-Risk Children by Sen. Fillmore — creates the Parental Coaching to Encourage Student Savings Program that would provide financial training to parents of children experiencing intergenerational poverty, encourage the parents to save money for their child’s higher education expenses, and offer a financial contribution to a my529 savings account.

SB 133 – Food Security Amendments by Sen. Luz Escamilla — creates the State Nutrition Action Coalition at Utah State University to coordinate state efforts in addressing food security.

SB 143 – Office of Student Health Affairs by Sen. Kathleen Riebe — creates the Office of Student Health Affairs within the Utah Department of Health and Human Services to coordinate services provided by the department with public and higher education throughout the state. The bill awaits a committee hearing.

SB 172. Higher Education Student Assistance by Sen. Vickers — In fall 2021, the Utah Board of Higher Education voted to exit the loan servicing business after analyzing whether UHEAA should retain and refinance its portfolio or sell the portfolio and exit the market. This legislation creates an endowment managed by the Utah Board of Higher Education, the proceeds of which would be used for scholarships and student success initiatives. The bill awaits a committee hearing.

SB 175 – Daylight Savings Time Modifications by Sen. Dan McCay — establishes the year-round observed time of the entire state and all of the state’s political subdivisions is Mountain Daylight Time.

Media Inquiries

Trisha Dugovic
Communications Director
801.646.4779