SALT LAKE CITY — Income tax rates would drop slightly and corporations would get a tax break under a House bill that advanced, GOP lawmakers want to take on the surprise bylaw change made earlier this week and the House passed a sex education reform bill.

Here's the latest on what's happening on the Hill:

Income tax rate would drop, corporations would get a break under House bill

Income tax rates would drop slightly and corporations would get a tax break under a bill advanced Thursday by a House committee that now embodies pieces of a Republican leadership tax package that is still in the works.

HB355, sponsored by Rep. Dan McCay, R-Riverton, would drop the state's 5 percent individual and corporate income tax rate to 4.95 percent and would switch to a single sales factor formula for corporate taxes.

The House Revenue and Taxation Committee approved sending the bill to the full House 6-2, with House Minority Leader Brian King and House Minority Whip Joel Briscoe, both D-Salt Lake City, opposed.

The revised bill sets a higher tax rate but still one below 5 percent. The new corporate tax formula, seen as encouraging companies with Utah ties to invest more in the state, is expected to cost $16 million annually when fully implemented.

Under the new formula, companies would use only sales in Utah to determine their taxes. The past formula weighed payroll and property equally with sales to calculate taxes owed in the state.

GOP lawmakers plan to take action on party bylaw change

GOP lawmakers said Wednesday they want to take action before the session ends to counter a surprise bylaw change made by a small group of state party officials that could keep Republicans from getting on the ballot. Both Sen. Curt Bramble, R-Provo, and Rep. Mike McKell, R-Spanish Fork, are looking at giving Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox, who oversees state elections and is also a Republican, the authority to alter the status of the Utah GOP.

Cox said in a statement that lawmakers are working "to help provide clarity and ensure a fair election. While it may be difficult this late in the session to pass such legislation, my office will work with legislators as necessary."

The lieutenant governor told a closed House GOP caucus Wednesday that he and attorneys are still reviewing the bylaw change, McKell said.

“The lieutenant governor has clearly expressed concern to our House and Senate caucus," he said. "There’s clearly concern about the illegal action taken by the State Central Committee.”

Related:

Herbert: Republican bylaw change 'bad form'

Utah Gov. Gary Herbert is the latest to weigh in on an abrupt bylaw change made by the Utah GOP State Central Committee last Saturday, asserting it could end in litigation and is in "bad form," interfering with the voice of voters.

Bramble, who described the party members who made the change as a "faction," said his advice to candidates is to gather voter signatures to ensure a place on the ballot. Signatures must be submitted for verification no later than two weeks before a party's nominating convention — April 21 for the Utah GOP. Under registered party status, a significantly smaller number of voter signatures are required.

The Utah Democratic Party issued a statement Wednesday calling for the lieutenant governor to rescind the state GOP's eligibility as a qualified political party.

Utah House OKs teaching refusal skills in sex ed curriculum

The Utah House of Representatives on Thursday passed legislation that revises the state’s public school sex education curriculum by including instruction on the harms of pornography and skills to "clearly and expressly" refuse sexual advances.

By a vote of 66-5, the House approved the latest version of HB286, sponsored by Rep. Justin Fawson, R-North Ogden. The bill moves to the Senate for further consideration.

The curriculum is "opt-in" for parents. "I don't think we'll ever move away from that," Fawson said. If HB286 passes, the new subject matter becomes part of the state sex education curriculum. However, school districts and charter schools can adopt the state curriculum or select other instructional materials that comply with State School Board rules.

Bill mandating warning of mammograms' limitations passes Senate

Advocates adorned lawmakers with pink flower boutonnieres Thursday in celebration of the Senate's unanimous support of a bill requiring a warning from health care providers to women with dense breast tissue that they are at risk of a mammogram not finding their cancer.

HB258, sponsored by Rep. LaVar Christensen, R-Draper, requires a statement accompanying a woman's mammogram results that such a characteristic "can make it more difficult to fully and accurately evaluate your mammogram and detect early signs of cancer in the breast."

The original iteration of HB258 narrowly cleared the House on Feb. 16, passing by a 39 to 31 vote. A bill must reach 38 votes in order to pass the House.

The updated bill passed the Senate on Thursday by a 25-0 vote. Because it was amended in the Senate committee, it must be considered by the House again.

Utah Senate panel OKs reimbursing busing costs to rural districts, some charter schools

The Senate Education Committee approved SB232 Thursday, which would help reimburse busing costs of qualifying charter schools and those of sparsely populated but sprawling rural school districts.

Sen. David Hinkins, R-Orangeville, sponsor of SB232, said the reimbursements would be limited to schools districts in counties with total populations under 31,000 residents.

The committee's action moved the bill to the Senate for further consideration.

Contributing: Lisa Riley Roche, Dennis Romboy, Marjorie Cortez, Ben Lockhart

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