End of the Session
We made it to the end of the 2022 General Session, and I am proud of what we accomplished! We passed several bills that exemplify the Utah Way. None of this would be possible without the hard work and contributions of the House staff, my fellow legislators, stakeholders across the state, insight and feedback from my many constituents, and most importantly…my family. I am grateful for all of you!
During the last week of the session, we focus on the remaining bills on the calendar and spend the majority of the time on the House floor. I am pleased to say that all the bills I am sponsored passed both the House and the Senate.
- HB 386, Education Innovation Program
- HB 394 Recycling Transparency Amendments
- HB 347 Property Tax Amendments
- HB 316 Medical Assistant Amendments
- HB 264 Municipal Alternate Voting Methods Amendments
This session we focused on five policy pillars of Water, Affordable Utah, Education Modernization, Maintaining the Utah Way, and Generational Investment. Working together we passed:
- Water: HB 242, Secondary Water Metering, to better help us conserve water in the ongoing and historic drought.
- Affordable Utah: A $200 million income tax cut, which begins to put money back in your pockets in these difficult times.
- Education Modernization: We increased per-pupil spending by 6% and increased the education budget by $383 million.
- Maintaining the Utah Way: We focused on maintaining the Utah way by consolidating state outdoor recreation efforts with HB 409.
- Generational Investments: In addition to generational investments in water, transportation, outdoor recreation and more, we made generational investments with HB 438 and HB 443 (Point of the Mountain and Utah Inland Port) that will power Utah’s economic engine for generations.
If you would like more information about any of these bills, please feel free to reach out! I am happy to answer questions. Additionally, now is the time to start exploring potential legislative topics for next session. If you have any ideas or see issues with current law, please let me know. I would be happy to explore issues important to you!
2022 General Session Recap
This session, the House Majority Caucus laid out five ambitious policy priorities. The following will help us meet the pressing needs of today and embrace the opportunities of tomorrow.
- Conserve, optimize and preserve Utah’s water
- Keep life affordable for all Utahns
- Drive innovation in education
- Promote sustainable growth rather than rapid expansion
- Make large-scale strategic investments that are sure to have generational impacts
Learn more about our priorities
How will this Legislation Impact You?
Every year, the Utah Legislature meets for 45 days to debate and pass bills and budget billions of dollars. Watch this short video to learn how these bills impact YOU.
Executive Appropriations Committee
Last week, the Executive Appropriations Committee made final recommendations for the fiscal year 2022-23 budget. This year’s recommendations include record-level funding for education including a $383 million, or 9% increase in ongoing revenue. The committee recommended an increase in funding for social services, a generational opportunity to fund water and infrastructure, and a significant tax cut for the second consecutive year. View the budget highlights here.
Utah Stands with Ukraine
As we entered the final week of the session, we were reminded that our work is made possible because of the freedoms we enjoy. Freedoms that are under attack in Ukraine. On Tuesday, I joined state leaders and fellow Utahns to rally in a united show of support for the people of Ukraine. My heart is with them.
Podcast
Representative Mike Schultz, House Majority Leader, joins us to discuss some of the upcoming transportation projects Utahns can look forward to seeing across the state in the coming years. Listen now on Spotify or Apple Podcasts!
Kind regards,
Representative Doug Welton
Utah House District 67
Bills Passed this Week
H.B. 11 Student Eligibility in Interscholastic Activities
H.B. 12 Public Safety Retirement Amendments
H.B. 63 Covid-19 Vaccine Exemptions
H.B. 65 Forensic Biological Evidence Preservation
H.B. 88 License Plate Revisions
H.B. 113 Students with Disabilities Funding Revisions
H.B. 114 School Nursing Services Amendments
H.B. 123 Use of Force Revisions
H.B. 132 Uniform Easement Relocation Act
H.B. 166 Water Facility Amendments
H.B. 171 Custodial Interrogation Amendments
H.B. 182 Local Health Department Order Amendments
H.B. 188 Voter Signature Verification Amendments
H.B. 192 Former Offender Employment Amendments
H.B. 193 Full-day Kindergarten
H.B. 195 Auricular Detoxification Amendments
H.B. 196 Transfer of Domestic Violence Cases
H.B. 201 Kidney Health Task Force
H.B. 208 Domestic Violence Offender Treatment Board
H.B. 211 School Fees Amendments
H.B. 213 Disabled Parking Permit Amendments
H.B. 215 Project Entity Oversight Committee
H.B. 218 Citizen Petition Amendments
H.B. 224 Optometrist Practice Amendments
H.B. 226 Higher Education and Corrections Council
H.B. 231 Fishing and Hunting Restrictions for Nonpayment of Child Support
H.B. 233 Disability Benefit Amendments
H.B. 236 Behavioral Health Amendments
H.B. 237 Local District Modifications
H.B. 238 State Holiday Modifications
H.B. 242 Secondary Water Metering Amendments
H.B. 244 Geological Carbon Sequestration Amendments
H.B. 249 Juvenile Amendments Cross References
H.B. 250 Environmental Quality Revenue Amendments
H.B. 252 Employee Verification Requirements
H.B. 256 Farm to School Program
H.B. 258 Political Action Committee Amendments
H.B. 259 Law Enforcement Use of Unmanned Aircraft
H.B. 260 Law Enforcement Recording Release Amendments
H.B. 261 Civil Commitment Revisions