Utah lawmakers debate nicotine tax, pay raise for governor on session's second-to-last day

SALT LAKE CITY — Lawmakers passed a bill raising the governor's salary and debated raising the tax on nicotine products on Thursday.

The Utah House of Representatives also held a moment of silence for three women who were killed Wednesday in Wayne County as lawmakers enter the final stretch of the legislative session, which ends Friday at midnight.

More than 300 bills have passed, and many more will be considered during lengthy floor debate sessions Thursday evening and all day Friday.

This story will be updated throughout the day to bring you the latest from Utah's Capitol Hill.

Thursday, 08:44 pm

Lawmakers reject another bill regulating AI

Another bill regulating artificial intelligence appears to be done for the year after it met with bipartisan skepticism on the Senate floor late Thursday.HB438 would have put several guardrails around AI chatbots by requiring that companies get permission to use sensitive user data and disclose advertising, and that chatbots must remind minors that they are "not real people" and encourage young users to take breaks, according to Senate Majority Leader Kirk Cullimore, R-Sandy, the floor sponsor.But even after making several changes throughout the legislative process, some senators still harbored reservations that the bill could stifle innovation or prevent beneficial uses of the technology.

"We have to be very precise on not interrupting innovation, and AI has created a lot of problems, but it also solved a lot of problems," said Senate Minority Leader Luz Escamilla, D-Salt Lake City. "I'm just worried that this may be going too far, and I don't know that the language is satisfying enough to make sure that it's not interfering on the services."Senators voted down the bill 12-15.It's not the first time an AI regulation has stalled in the Legislature this year. Rep. Doug Fiefia, R-Herriman, ran another bill that would have required AI developers to implement plans to keep children and others safe while using the technology and to add whistleblower protections for employees of companies.Fiefia pushed hard for the bill and even brought Golden Globe-nominated actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt to testify in favor of the bill in January.But his star power wasn't enough to overcome pressure from the Trump administration. The White House said it was "categorically opposed" to the bill because it ran counter to the administration's agenda in a letter to Cullimore last month. That bill languished in the House for weeks and was removed from the House calendar for bills earlier this week.— Bridger Beal-Cvetko

Thursday, 07:49 pm

Bill limiting polygraph use on victims of sexual assault passes

The Legislature approved a bill run by the top House Democrat that would limit prosecutors or law enforcement officers from asking victims of sexual crimes to take a polygraph examination.House Minority Leader Angela Romero, D-Salt Lake City, has run similar versions of the bill in previous years but was able to get HB89 across the finish line Thursday evening.Senate Majority Assistant Whip Mike McKell presented the bill on the Senate floor, saying he supports the policy to prevent people being revictimized if they report the crime."I like this policy," said McKell, R-Spanish Fork. "I don't think polygraphs are very accurate to being with. I think it shows a lack of trauma sensitivity by using a polygraph in that situation."Sen. Brady Brammer, R-Highland, agreed that victims shouldn't be required to sit for a polygraph as a condition of prosecution, but he asked to amend the bill to allow prosecutors to ask victims if they would like to."Asking someone if they would be willing to take a polygraph test is not revictimizing anyone," he said.His amendment was shot down.Sen. Todd Weiler said he heard from a couple of prosecutors who said they already don't use polygraphs in that matter, but the Woods Cross Republican still supported the bill."I think we should be on record saying we don't want to retraumatize victims," he said.HB89 passed the Senate 27-2 and awaits action from the governor.— Bridger Beal-Cvetko

Thursday, 07:35 pm

Utah wants to study building a new state park

Utah isn't getting a new state park in central Utah, but it's getting ready to study the concept.The House voted 65-3 to approve SB209, which calls on the Utah Division of State Parks to study the concept of Gooseberry Narrows State Park in Sanpete County. That's after an initial bill outright designating the park failed in a committee meeting earlier in the session.The location is perfect, as one of just a handful to fit hundreds of potential future reservoir sites that the state considered through a new process to identify new reservoirs, said Rep. Walt Brooks, R-St. George, before Thursday's vote.It hasn't been without controversy, though. Price River Water Improvement District officials and conservation groups have argued that the park would only be open for a portion of the year and that it would divert Carbon County's water supply to Sanpete County in a different basin.Rep. Christine Watkins, R-Price, read a letter that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers penned in 2016, writing that the project had the potential to cause "significant adverse effects," including impacts on wetlands and waterways in the area.But others said SB209 is just a study costing $5,000 that the Utah State Parks is footing and is worth at least exploring.The Senate previously voted 21-3 on Feb. 24 to advance the bill. It now heads to Gov. Spencer Cox's desk for final approval.— Carter Williams

Thursday, 07:20 pm

Senators back proposal to raise tax on nicotine and tobacco products

The Utah Legislature moved closer to raising the tax on nicotine and tobacco products.After one more amendment, HB337 received approval from the Senate on Thursday evening.However, because the bill was changed, it needs one more vote in the House of Representatives before heading to the governor's desk. That's expected to happen Friday morning.The latest version of the bill raises taxes on cigarettes by 50 cents per pack, while also imposing a $1 tax on alternative nicotine products, such as Zyn, that contain up to 20 pouches. For bigger products, an additional tax of 5 cents per pouch would be collected.Sen. Jerry Stevenson, R-Layton, said nicotine pouches and other similar products are pitched to young people as an alternative to cigarettes."It's not popular to smoke. It's not popular to smell of smoke," Stevenson said. "But the alternative nicotine products are only increasing in usage."The bill also raises the state tax on e-cigarettes and vaping products."I have some problems with people that peddle in addiction," said Sen. Brady Brammer, R-Highland, who noted he normally doesn't like raising taxes but agrees in this case. "These are addictive and terrible products that just ensnare people.""If we're going to tax something, it should be something that is harming us and our kids," added Sen. Emily Buss, F-Eagle Mountain. "I have a sibling who started smoking when they were in middle school, and if it was more expensive and harder for them to access, maybe they wouldn't have been smoking for 20 years by now."The nicotine tax increase has faced opposition from the tobacco industry, retail merchants, the Utah Taxpayers Association, and other groups.— Daniel Woodruff

Thursday, 05:26 pm

Lawmakers look to crack down on unlicensed drivers

The Utah Senate on Thursday approved HB136, meant to keep unlicensed drivers off the roads. The measure, already approved in the House, gives law enforcement officials authority to impound cars driven by people without licenses or driver's privilege cars, getting them off the road. During House debate, lawmakers put a particular focus on its impact on immigrant drivers, though the measure would apply to any unlicensed driver.During Thursday's debate, Sen. Dan McCay, R-Riverton, the HB136 Senate sponsor, cited the instance of a constituent he referred to as "Jane." An unlicensed driver was pulled over three times in a month last year, given a citation on each occasion but allowed to continue because state law contains no provision allowing for impoundment in such circumstances.After the third time he was stopped and released, he caused a head-on collision, killing Jane's husband.Senate Minority Leader Luz Escamilla, D-Salt Lake City, asked whether those cited for driving without a license would face a temporary prohibition on applying for a driver's license or driving privilege card. McCay said a previous version contained such language, but the latest one doesn't.Those whose vehicles are impounded would face an administrative fee of $600 to get their cars back, up from $425.The Senate approved the bill 20-7, but the House later refused to agree with the Senate changes, setting up a showdown over which version will prevail.— Tim Vandenack

Thursday, 04:39 pm

Moment of silence for 3 Utah women brutally killed

The Utah House of Representatives on Thursday held a moment of silence for three women who were brutally killed Wednesday in Wayne County.Rep. Tyler Clancy, R-Provo, a former police detective, became emotional as he talked about the women's deaths. Prosecutors said a 22-year-old Iowa man killed the women at random to steal their cars. He was charged Thursday with three counts of aggravated murder."What makes me sad," Clancy said, "is that I think as a country and as a society, we've become too callous to hearing about this type of violence in the news."Clancy read a quote from then-Sen. Robert F. Kennedy after the 1968 assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., saying that anytime an American takes the life of another American, the "nation is degraded."House lawmakers then held a moment of silence in honor of the three Utah victims.— Daniel Woodruff

Thursday, 04:08 pm

More maternity leave for state employees

The Utah Senate gave final approval to a proposal to double the amount of maternity time for state employees.HB329, sponsored by Rep. Ariel Defay, R-Kaysville, passed in a 25-2 vote Thursday afternoon and now heads to the governor's desk.The bill increases the amount of state-provided maternity leave from three to six weeks. It also allows employees to take paid leave if they adopt a child 6 years old or younger.Defay called the bill a "tangible way for the state to show families that we are serious about supporting them." HB329 also specifies that women may pump breast milk in public places where breastfeeding is allowed."By investing upstream in the health and well-being of both mother and baby, we send a clear message that strong families matter in Utah," Defay said in a statement.— Daniel Woodruff

Thursday, 03:05 pm

Bill would give Utah courts a transparency overhaul

Lawmakers gave final approval on Thursday to a bill requiring the state court system to revamp its website to make it easier to obtain legal records and listen to audio recordings of public hearings.HB540 was a favorite of House Speaker Mike Schultz, who called out the courts as the "least transparent" branch of state government ahead of the session. He boasted about the Legislature's website, which allows people to easily read bills, track changes and see how lawmakers voted.The bill initially included a provision barring former judges from working for law firms that are suing the state for at least two years after stepping down. But that was removed by the Senate, as the courts have recently proposed a similar regulation, according to bill sponsor Rep. Logan Monson, R-Blanding.He said the latest version of the bill also removed a requirement that the courts hire a third party to create the new website.Schultz said he got the idea for the bill after a KSL report last year about a sentencing hearing that 7th District Judge Don Torgerson presided over. During that hearing, Torgerson twice referred to the defendant's "privilege" as he decided not to require him to serve any additional jail time or pay a fine for possessing and distributing multiple images of children being raped and sexually abused.The speaker has called on the judge to resign, and the House voted to censure Torgerson on Tuesday.HB540 was approved by the Senate on Wednesday and given a final vote by the House on Thursday. It now heads to the governor.— Bridger Beal-Cvetko

Thursday, 11:54 am

Lawmakers OK pay raises for governor, other executive officers

The Senate passed a bill that would raise the annual salaries of the governor and other elected officials in the executive branch, but only after the bill's original sponsor offloaded the bill to a colleague to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest.SB235 was introduced by Senate Majority Assistant Whip Mike McKell, R-Spanish Fork. In its original form, it would have raised the attorney general's salary to equal that of the chief justice of the Utah Supreme Court.Lawmakers set the salaries of executive and judicial officers each year. Traditionally, lawmakers set the salary for the governor. Other officers are then given a scaled amount, with the attorney general earning 95% of the governor's salary, and the lieutenant governor, state auditor and state treasurer earning 90%.When it comes to judges, lawmakers set the salary for a district court judge. Judges on the Utah Court of Appeals earn 105% of that and Utah Supreme Court justices earn 110%.For the next fiscal year, lawmakers have set the salary for a district judge at $224,750 and the governor's salary at $197,950.McKell said earlier this year that his bill was meant to bring the attorney general's salary in line with the higher salaries paid to the top jurists in the state.It passed the Senate last month, but members of the House of Representatives opted instead to make the governor's salary equal to the amount paid to the chief justice, while retaining the same pay scale for the rest of the executive branch. That means the governor, lieutenant governor, state auditor and state treasurer would also get a significant pay increase next year.The bill returned to the Senate for approval of the changes, but McKell opted out as the bill sponsor, likely because Gov. Spencer Cox is his brother-in-law."What the House said is, 'We don't really want the attorney general to be paid more than the governor,'" Sen. Brady Brammer, R-Highland, the new sponsor, told the Senate Thursday."They might be related," he added, "and so they dropped off of the bill and I became the new sponsor at that point to avoid any conflicts of interest."The bill passed 26-2 and now goes to Cox's desk. McKell voted in favor.— Bridger Beal-Cvetko

Utah lawmakers debate nicotine tax, pay raise for governor on session's second-to-last day

By Bridger Beal-Cvetko, Daniel Woodruff, Tim Vandenack and Carter Williams, KSL | Updated - March 5, 2026 at 8:44 p.m. | Posted - March 5, 2026 at 12:30 p.m.

Lawmakers passed a bill raising the governor's salary, debated raising the tax on nicotine products and observed a moment of silence for three women killed in Wayne County on the second-to-last day of the legislative session. (Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News)

Lawmakers reject another bill regulating AI

Bill limiting polygraph use on victims of sexual assault passes

Utah wants to study building a new state park

Senators back proposal to raise tax on nicotine and tobacco products

Lawmakers look to crack down on unlicensed drivers

Moment of silence for 3 Utah women brutally killed

More maternity leave for state employees

Bill would give Utah courts a transparency overhaul

Lawmakers OK pay raises for governor, other executive officers

Most recent Utah Legislature stories

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Utah lawmakers debate nicotine tax, pay raise for governor on session's second-to-last day

By Bridger Beal-Cvetko, Daniel Woodruff, Tim Vandenack and Carter Williams, KSL | Updated - March 5, 2026 at 8:44 p.m. | Posted - March 5, 2026 at 12:30 p.m.

Lawmakers passed a bill raising the governor's salary, debated raising the tax on nicotine products and observed a moment of silence for three women killed in Wayne County on the second-to-last day of the legislative session. (Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News)

Lawmakers reject another bill regulating AI

Bill limiting polygraph use on victims of sexual assault passes

Utah wants to study building a new state park

Senators back proposal to raise tax on nicotine and tobacco products

Lawmakers look to crack down on unlicensed drivers

Moment of silence for 3 Utah women brutally killed

More maternity leave for state employees

Bill would give Utah courts a transparency overhaul

Lawmakers OK pay raises for governor, other executive officers

Most recent Utah Legislature stories

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