YWCA UTAH BILL TRACKER

YWCA Utah tracks all bills that significantly impact Utah women, girls, and families with highlights listed below. If you have questions about our position or the status on legislation not listed here, please contact us.

YWCA Utah tracks bills in three priority areas:

Empowerment & Economic Advancement for Women and Girls

Position	Bill	Bill Sponsor(s)	Status
Priority Support	SB 39 Affordable Housing Amendments Original bill allocated 20M in one-time funding for new affordable housing, preservation of existing units, and projects in rural Utah, as well as an additional $15M in ongoing funding for rental assistance to those who are at risk of becoming homeless and to families with children who are currently experiencing homelessness. Only $10M in one-time funding for building new units and preserving existing affordable housing was approved.	Sen. Anderegg Rep. Potter	Passed both chambers, enrolling
Support	HB 211 Renter Expenses Disclosure Requirements Provides a prospective tenant with 15 days to request that any application or other fees already paid be refunded if they decide not to sign a lease due to surprise fees. The landlord has seven days to provide that refund.	Rep. Judkins Sen. Weiler	Passed House, passed Senate Committee, did not receive Senate floor vote, filed
Support	HB 462 Unlawful Detainer Requirements Makes a number of changes to landlord/tenant laws, including ensuring that tenants receive more notice before eviction (change from 3 calendar days to 3 business days) and information about 211 and other resources that landlords will voluntarily provide to tenants to prevent eviction and increase financial stability for families.	Rep. Dunnigan Sen. Hinkins	Passed both chambers, enrolling

TIER 2: Bills that contribute to work-family support policies for women who need or want to work outside the home.

Position	Bill	Bill Sponsor(s)	Status
Priority Support	HB 69 Sick Leave Amendments Requires employers to allow an employee to use accrued sick leave to care for an immediate family member. Does not require employers to allocate paid sick leave if not already their policy, or to increase the amount of leave available.	Rep. Arent	Failed to Pass Out of House Business & Labor Committee, filed Listen to Hearing Here
Priority Support	HB 89 Workforce Development Incentives Amendments Allows the Governor’s Office of Economic Development to consider whether a company provides working parent benefits such as paid family leave, flexible work hours, or child care assistance when deciding on tax incentives offered to new businesses coming into the state.	Rep. Harrison Sen. Anderegg	House Revenue and Taxation Committee was scheduled to hear this bill but adjourned before doing so, filed
Priority Support	HB 99 Enhanced Kindergarten Amendments Provides funding for an enhanced kindergarten early intervention program to reach more of the 40% of Utah student at-risk of academic failure. Begins to address increasing statewide desire of families for more full-day Kindergarten programs. Funding cut from $18.7M to $10M.	Rep. Snow Sen. Hillyard	Passed both chambers, enrolling
Priority Support	HB 187 Employer Tax Credit for Child Care Creates a state income tax credit for any employer providing or subsidizing child care for its employees during their working hours. Care facilities must be licensed by the state and the credit will be equal to 50% of the qualified child care expenses with a cap of $50,000 per business.	Rep. Harrison Sen. Anderegg	Heard in House Revenue and Taxation Committee, adjourned before voting, filed Listen to hearing here
Priority Support	SB 186 Family Medical Unpaid Leave Provisions Requires that employers with 30-49 employees provide 3 weeks of unpaid family and medical leave to employees under certain circumstances.	Sen. Hemmert Rep. McKell	Passed Senate Business & Labor Committee unanimously (listen to hearing here), lacked broad Senate support to move further, filed
Monitor	HB 241 Kindergarten Attendance Amendments Amends the age at which school enrollment is required to include kindergarten-age children.	Rep. Shurtliff	Passed House Education Committee, failed on House floor, filed
Support	HB 264 Infant at Work Pilot Program Establishes a one-year Infant at Work Pilot Program for eligible employees of the Department of Health.	Rep. Pitcher Sen. Henderson	Passed both chambers, enrolling

TIER 3: Bills that ensure that tax restructuring reflects economic issues impacting women and their families

Position	Bill	Bill Sponsor(s)	Status
Priority Support	SB 116 Social Security Income Tax Amendments Provides for an individual income tax credit for certain social security benefits for those who are married filing separately at $40,000 income, single filers at $50,000, individual head of household and joint filers at $80,000.	Sen. Mayne	Did not receive committee hearing, filed
Support	HB 52 Intergenerational Poverty Solution Provides a state match of deposits into a 529 savings account for individuals identified as experiencing Intergenerational Poverty.	Rep. Thurston Sen. Anderegg	Passed House, passed Senate Committee, did not receive Senate floor vote, filed
Support	HB 193 Hygiene Tax Act Increases the general state sales and use tax rate and creates a tax exemption for certain incontinence care items, feminine hygiene products, and diap	Rep. Duckworth	Did not receive committee hearing, filed
Priority Support	HB 181 Social Security Tax Amendments Provides for an individual income tax credit for certain social security benefits for those who are married filing separately at $22,500 income, single filers at $30,000, individual head of household at $45,000, and joint filers at $45,000.	Rep. Brooks Sen. Ipson	Passed House, did not receive Senate vote, filed

Other bills that impact empowerment and economic advancement for women and girls, including those that facilitate women’s political participation and leadership:

Position	Bi	Bill Sponsor(s)	Status
Support	HB 70 Repeal of Single-Mark Straight Ticket Voting Removes provisions from the Electoral Code that allow an individual to cast a vote for all candidates from one political party without voting for candidates individually.	Rep. Arent Sen. Bramble	Passed both chambers, enrolling
Support	HB 140 Employment Selection Procedures Act Amendments Prohibits an employer from inquiring into an applicant’s compensation history (policy strategy for addressing the gender wage gap among other issues).	Rep. Wheatley	Sent to House Business & Labor Committee, did not receive hearing, filed
Support	HB 319 Consumer Lending Agreements Makes a number of modifications to requirements for deferred deposit lenders (e.g.., payday lenders), including increasing notice of default before civil action is initiated against a borrower from 10 to 30 days, and prohibiting borrowers from being jailed (currently lenders can confiscate bail money to pay the loan).	Rep. Daw Sen. Bramble	Passed both chambers, enrolling
Support	HJR 7 Joint Resolution Ratifying an Amendment to the United States Constitution Ratifies the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) to the Constitution of the United States.	Rep. Kwan	Did not receive committee hearing, filed
Support	HJR Joint Resolution Celebrating the Women’s Suffrage in Utah Describes history of women’s suffrage in Utah, honors and celebrates Utah’s suffragists, and encourages Utah women to continue to participate in civic life.	Rep. Ballard Sen. Henderson	Passed both chambers, signed by the Governor
Support	SB 140 Caregiver Compensation Amendments Directs the Department of Health to implement a program to reimburse a spouse who provides extraordinary personal care services to a Medicaid waiver enrollee.	Sen. Harper Rep. Daw	Passed Senate, passed House Health & Human Services Committee, did not get funded, filed
Support	SCR 4 Concurrent Resolution Commemorating the Centennial of the League of Women Voters Commemorates The League of Women Voters centennial on February 14, 2020 and recognizes the League as an important civic organization working for the welfare of all Utahns and their long history of civic engagement.	Sen. Iwamoto Rep. Ray	Did not receive committee hearing, filed

Racial Justice & Civil Rights for Women and Girls of Color

Position	Bill	Bill Sponsor(s)	Status
Priority Support	HB 298 Victim Guidelines for Prosecutors Provides uniform guidelines for prosecutors and other entities (i.e., law enforcement agencies) regarding proper protocol related to immigration status forms of a crime victim when the victim cooperates with the investigation. This is usually related to crime victims’ eligibility for a U-VISA, which is common for domestic violence victims.	Rep. Stoddard Sen. Weiler	Passed both chambers, enrolling
Support	HB 160 Refugee Continuing Education Program Creates refugee education program within DWS Refugee Services Office and in partnership with school districts so adult students, age 18-23, who are not eligible for traditional high school can obtain a high school diploma or its equivalent. Would initially serve approx. 60 students.	Rep. Spackman Moss Sen. Riebe	Passed full House, failed to pass out of Senate Economic Development and Workforce Services Committee, filed

TIER 2: Bills that address the crisis of missing and murdered indigenous women, girls, and 2-spirit people in Utah.

Position	Bill	Bill Sponsor(s)	Status
Priority Support	HB 116 Murdered & Missing Indigenous Women and Girls Task Force Creates a task force to identify systemic causes behind violence that indigenous women, girls, and LGBTQ+ experience, identify gaps in local, state, and federal law enforcement agency data collection, study an effective mechanism for law enforcement to collect uniform data, and recommend improvements in the criminal justice and social service systems for preventing and addressing this issue in Utah. Changes to the bill decreased the size of the task force by more than half.	Rep. Romero Sen. Hinkins	Passed both chambers, enrolling

TIER 3: Bills that increase healthcare availability and options for women who are incarcerated and who are disproportionately women of color.

Position	Bill	Bill Sponsor(s)	Status
Priority Support	HB 429 Contraception for Inmates Requires a jail to provide a prisoner with the option of continuing certain medically prescribed methods of contraception.	Rep. Dailey-Provost Sen. Escamilla	Passed House, did not receive Senate vote because not funded, filed
Support	HB 38 Substance Use and Healthcare Amendments Requires state to request Medicaid waiver from federal govt so coverage can be provided to already-eligible inmates 30 days before release from a correctional facility to ensure coverage post-incarceration. Helps bridge care for people transitioning out of incarceration.	Rep. Daw Sen. Christensen	Passed both chambers, enrolling

Other bills that impact racial justice and civil rights for women and girls of color, including ongoing criminal and juvenile justice reform:

Position	Bill	Bill Sponsor(s)	Status
Support	HB 262 Juvenile Delinquency Amendments Prohibits the prosecution for offenses that occurred before the individual was 12 years old in adult court, with some exceptions.	Rep. Hall Sen. Weiler	Passed both chambers, enrolling
Support	HB 288 Prosecutor Data Collection Amendments Requires prosecutors, county jails, and the courts to provide data, including race, ethnicity, and gender and information regarding plea deals, reduced bail, and cases sent to diversion to the Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice.	Rep. Judkins Sen. Anderegg	Passed both chambers, enrolling
Support	HB 318 Martin Luther King, Jr. Special License Plate Creates a recognition special group license plate to recognize the work and life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.	Rep. Hollins Sen. Escamilla	Passed both chambers, enrolling
Support	HB 324 Conviction Integrity Units Allows prosecution agencies to create conviction integrity units to review convictions and make recommendations for changes in convictions and sentences; requires notice to the victim if a petition is filed by the prosecution agency and gives district court discretion to provide relief.	Rep. Judkins Sen. Weiler	Passed both chambers, enrolling
Support	HB 384 Juvenile Justice Amendments Represents continued revisions to juvenile justice reform efforts. In addition to providing schools with more flexibility and options when working with students who have ongoing truancy challenges despite efforts to intervene appropriately, it ends automatic transfers of youth to the adult system if they committed a crime under the age of 18 and all court proceedings occur before they turn 21 unless very serious offenses. Eliminated “direct file” and gives juvenile court more discretion in deciding if transfer is needed and extends juvenile justice services to be able to work with youth up to age 25.	Rep. Snow Sen. Weiler	Passed both chambers, enrolling
Support	HB 385 Digital Opportunity Access Amendments Creates the Division of Digital Access and Opportunity within state government to promote development of broadband Internet and building local capacity to increase digital access and digital literacy. Requires the new division to target their activities to individuals most affected by the digital divide, including those who live in rural areas, have disabilities, are senior citizens, are Native Americans, are homeless, or are refugees.	Rep. Dailey-Provost	Held in House Political Subdivisions Committee, will be recommended for interim study, filed
Support	SB 124 American Indian and Alaskan Native Education Amendments Replaces two pilot programs with an ongoing grant program administered by the State Board of Education to fund stipends, recruitment, retention, and professional development of teachers who teach in American Indian and Alaskan Native concentrated schools.	Sen. Hinkins Rep. Watkins	Passed both chambers, enrolling
Support	SB 162 Educational Financial Aid for Students with a Criminal Record Removes the restriction on eligibility for the Regents’ Scholarship Program and New Century scholarships for students with a criminal record.	Sen. Weiler Rep. Ballard	Passed both chambers, enrolling
Support	SB 201 Professional Licensing Amendments Modifies provisions when Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing refuses to issue/renew a license based on criminal history in order to ensure that that history is relevant and still a concern.	Sen. Anderegg Rep. Hutchings	Passed both chambers, enrolling

Health & Safety for Women and Girls

Position	Bill	Bill Sponsor(s)	Status
Priority Support	HB 87 Health Care Workforce Financial Assistance Program Amendments Makes changes to successful program so that host sites also provide a portion of funding (along with existing state and federal funds) for student loan assistance for healthcare professionals who practice in an under-served area and with under-served populations. Would leverage more federal funding, increase number of sites.	Rep. Ward Sen. Hemmert	Passed both chambers, enrolling
Priority Support	Intent Language Re: Maternal Mental Health Specialists Directs the Department of Human Services to coordinate with the Department of Health to ensure that each local mental health authority identifies one of their providers to receive training and specialize in maternal mental health. This helps ensure that lower income families have more access to this care.	Rep. Dailey-Provost	Passed in Social Services Appropriations Subcommittee, approved by Executive Appropriations Committee, included in HB 2 (enrolling)
Priority Support	HB 313 Telehealth Parity Amendments Allows any primary care provider to provide telehealth services and requires all insurance companies and Medicaid to cover telemedicine services.	Rep. Ballard Sen. Christensen	Passed both chambers, enrolling
Support	HB 32 Crisis Services Amendments Addresses Medicaid reimbursement for inpatient mental health care and awards grants for counties to create behavioral health receiving centers in order to increase services for people experiencing a mental health crisis without requiring incarceration or emergency room hospitalization.	Rep. Eliason Sen. Thatcher	Passed both chambers, enrolling
Support	HB 97 Newborn Safe Haven Amendments Allows a parent or a parent’s designee to safely relinquish a newborn child within 30 days after the child is born, clarifies the information that must be provided upon safe relinquishment of a newborn child, as well as the notice requirements relating to safe relinquishment of a newborn.	Rep. Arent Sen. Sandall	Passed both chambers, enrolling
Support	SB 22 American Indian-Alaska Native Related Amendments Requires the establishment of an office to address health care of Utah’s American-Alaskan Native population on and off reservations and appoint a Native Health Liaison.	Sen. Iwamoto Rep. Winder	Passed both chambers, enrolling
Monitor	HB 224 Fetal Exposure Reporting and Treatment Amendments Clarifies requirement that health care providers report a newborn child’s exposure to alcohol or drugs, or parent or caregiver’s substance abuse if it impacts ability to care for the child. Creates program to decrease substance use during pregnancy.	Rep. Nelson Sen. Christensen	Passed both chambers, enrolling
Support	HB 428 Birthing Facility Licensure Amendments Allows a birthing facility that is not freestanding to be licensed as an alongside midwifery unit under certain circumstances. Provides a personalized, and often more affordable, birth experience with easy access to hospital staff if needed and without requiring emergency transfer (calling 911) as is current law	Rep. Gibson Sen. Henderson	Passed both chambers, enrolling

TIER 2: Bills that ensure that all Utah women are empowered to start their families at the time that’s right for them.

Position	Bill	Bill Sponsor(s)	Status
Priority Support	SB 74 Family Planning Services Amendments Extends Medicaid-covered family planning services to low-income individuals who are at or below 250% of the federal poverty level (FPL) – approx $31K per year for an individual or $64K for a family of four. Currently at 138% of FPL now that Utah has fully expanded Medicaid. Estimated that 10,000 women in Utah are currently in this healthcare gap. Amended on Senate floor to limit services to individuals who are 18 or older.	Sen. Kitchen Rep. Eliason	Passed Senate and House Health & Human Services Committee, did not receive House floor vote because not funded, filed
Support	HB 254 Health Care Amendments Allows health care providers to prescribe contraceptives to a minor without parental consent if detrimental to minor’s health to withhold it.	Rep. Ward	Held in House Health & Human Services Committee, filed
Monitor	HB 377 Health Care Funding Amendments Requires the Department of Health to request a waiver from federal restrictions on providing funding to states that prohibit prescribing contraceptive medicines to minors without parental consent (which is the law in Utah) so that the Department can then apply for Title X federal funding to provide family planning and other pre/postnatal care to pregnant women in low-income and underserved areas. This bill would require that that funding be prioritized for enabling women to give birth and parent or place for adoption.	Rep. Strong Sen. Henderson	Passed both chambers, enrolling
Support	SB 136 Healthy Lifestyles Revisions Repeals a provision prohibiting encouragement of the use of contraceptive methods or devices related to health instruction and increases education on sexual abuse prevention and healthy relationships.	Sen. Riebe	Held in Senate Education Committee, may be studied during interim, filed
Oppose	SB 174 Abortion Prohibition Amendments prohibits an abortion at any stage of pregnancy, except in cases of serious medical risk to the mother, lethal birth defect or severe brain abnormality diagnosed by two maternal fetal medicine physicians, or rape or incest if the incident is reported to law enforcement.	Sen. McCay Rep. Lisonbee	Passed both chambers, enrolling

TIER 3: Bills that enhance safety and increase resources for prevention education and support services for survivors of domestic and sexual violence.

Position	Bill	Bill Sponsor(s)	Status
Priority Support	Statewide Sexual Assault Prevention Program This request was changed to intent language and suggested that it be funded through one-time, leftover TANF funds. Intent language approved by the committee authorizes $1,141,400 one-time in federal funds for the Statewide Sexual Assault Prevention Program in the Department of Workforce Services.	Rep. Romero	Approved
Priority Monitor	HB 403 Protective Order and Stalking Injunction Amendments Omnibus protective order bill intended to bring greater uniformity to the protective order process. The bill expands timelines and options for victim safety related to most protective orders, but does reduce the timeline for domestic violence orders from 10 to 3 years, with the option to renew for another 3 years.	Rep. Snow Sen. Weiler	Passed both chambers, enrolling
Support	HB 83 Expungement Amendments Requires a prosecutor to notify a victim if a perpetrator enters into a plea agreement and is allowed to expunge their record in certain cases (common in domestic violence cases).	Rep. Stoddard Sen. Weiler	Passed both chambers, enrolling
Support	HB 267 Prohibited Persons Amendments Provides a process for surrendering a firearm after an individual becomes a restricted person, including requiring an individual to surrender ownership and possession of all firearms within 72 hours of becoming a restricted person and authorizing law enforcement to search and seize the firearms of a restricted person.	Rep. Stoddard Sen. Weiler	Passed full House, did not receive Senate vote, filed
Support	SB 102 Marriage and Bigamy Amendments Reclassifies the crime of bigamy as an infraction, classifies inducing involuntary bigamy as a third degree felony, modifies the list of crimes that, when committed in conjunction with bigamy, are a second degree felony.	Sen. Henderson Rep. Snow	Passed both chambers, enrolling
Support	SB 80 Campus Safety Amendments Requires the State Board of Regents to coordinate with government and community organizations to study and make recommendations for providing public safety services on college and university campuses, and report to Education Interim and Law Enforcement Criminal Justice Interim committees.	Sen. Iwamoto Rep. Perry	Passed both chambers, enrolling
Support	SB 87 Firearm Commitment Amendments Provides for circumstances where a cohabitant may commit the firearm of a firearm owner cohabitant without the permission of the owner cohabitant.	Sen. Thatcher	Did not receive committee hearing, filed

Policy priorities are informed by the YWCA Utah Public Policy Committee, YWCA member feedback, and YWCAdvocacy Connect policy survey responses, and The Well-Being of Women in Utah Fact Sheet, which we will continue to publish annually with the Institute for Women’s Policy Research.

Learn more about our 2020 Policy Priority Areas and policy work for all women and girls in Utah.

Find who represents you.

Get news, updates, and information about how you can help our policy work for women and girls: